The tooth fairy 's trash became another man 's treasure Saturday when a discolored molar that once belonged to John Lennon was put up for auction . The winning bid came in at 19,500 pounds ( U.S. $ 31,200 ) , according to auction results posted online . Michael Zuk , a Canadian dentist , is claiming responsibility for the winning bid . Omega Auction House , which sold the tooth , did not immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday . Lennon gave the tooth to Dorothy `` Dot '' Jarlett when she worked as his housekeeper at his Kenwood home in Weybridge , Surrey , according to her son , Barry . Jarlett , who was employed between 1964 and 1968 , developed a warm relationship with Lennon , her son said . `` She was very close with John , and one day whilst chatting in the kitchen , John gave my mother the tooth ( he had been to the dentist to have it removed that day ) and suggested giving it to my sister as a souvenir , as she was a huge Beatles fan , '' he said . `` It has been in the family ever since . '' With the exception of the past two years , the tooth has been in Canada for 40 years after Dot Jarlett 's daughter married a Canadian . Barry Jarlett , who said his mother is now 90 years old , said it was the right time to pass it on rather than to risk the tooth getting lost . Karen Fairweather , the owner of Omega Auction House , told CNN last month that the tooth is too fragile for DNA testing but she has no doubt about its authenticity . `` Because it 's coming directly from Dot , we do n't doubt the provenance of the item , '' she said . Some fans will sink their teeth into anything if they feel it 's worth plunking down thousands to get closer their idols . A clump of hair believed to have been trimmed from Elvis Presley 's head when he joined the Army in 1958 sold for $ 18,300 in 2009 at Chicago 's Leslie Hindman auctioneers . Jarlett said Lennon gave his family many gifts over the years . He plans to keep a leather wallet , and his mother still has a pearl necklace Lennon gave her when he returned from Japan .
A Canadian dentist says he is responsible for the missing tooth . He gave the tooth to his mother after he had it removed . The tooth is too fragile to conduct a dental test .