An ivory and gold toothpick once owned by Charles Dickens has sold at auction for $9,150 (that’s £5,600) – no, really, his toothpick! It is engraved with the writer’s initials and has a retracting mechanism. One lucky collector will really be able to wow his or her visitors. “Hey, you will never guess what I’ve got over here,” they’ll say.

Wouldn’t you be tempted to use the toothpick just once? After all it’s been in a very famous mouth.