The Academy Awards takes place this Sunday night in Los Angeles as some of the most talented stars in Hollywood battle it out to win the industry's most coveted trophy - an Oscar.
We don't know why they bother though because you could just buy it for a tenner. Yep, the Oscar statue is worth a measly 10 dollars (€8).
That is not however because it's actually just a light-weight fake gold piece of tat, the 24-carat gold-finished bronze statuette is made by New York's Polich Tallix Fine Art Foundry and costs the Academy $400 (€325) to make.
Selling it on for that much though is a different story. The Academy has made it so that if winners or their family members try to sell on the trophy, the most they would get is $10.
This is also supported by the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled in 1991 that the award is protected under federal copyright laws.
The reason is to preserve the integrity of the award with the Academy's general counsel John B Quinn previously telling the LA Times: "They shouldn't become items of commerce that can be purchased and sold on the market."
The real value of winning an Oscar for an actor however comes in the aftermath, with the winner reportedly receiving a 20% boost in pay for their next film.
Not too shabby. Maybe it is worth the effort after all.
