A unique set of dentures once belonging to Winston Churchill have auctioned and tripled their £5,000 estimate, achieving £17,480 as a collector took a rare chance to get closer to one of history's greatest wartime leaders at Keys auctioneers in Norfolk, UK, today (July 29).

Frantic bidding on nine telephone lines concluded with a sale price of £15,200 plus the hammer, making a total of £17,480 ($26,220). 

Paul Fraser Collectibles, dealers in unique collectibles, were major bidders on many of the historic Churchill artefacts at the auction.

Collectibles expert Paul Fraser commented "Churchill memorabilia is ever popular, and with the increase in interest in political memorabilia in general, it was no suprise to see the dentures achieve such a high-figure.

"The collecting of political memorabilia is the fastest growing hobby in the USA and the UK is catching up. The dentures are sure to be a good investment for the future"

Mounted in gold, the dentures were sold by Nigel Cudlipp, the son of the dental technician who originally made them.

According to Britain's Sun newspaper, the false teeth even had a slight gap to preserve Churchill's famous trademark lisp.

"It is so quirky - one of those things which is so unusual that it could make a huge amount of money," Keys' valuer Andrew Bullock told the BBC.

Interviewed by the Sun, Nigel Cudlipp said: "My father said you could tell how the war was going depending on how far he [Churchill] flung them across the room."

Keys previously sold a cigar half-finished by Churchill for £4,500.

Meanwhile, collectors on the lookout for more 'orthodox' memorabilia linked to Churchill can find a number of exceptional artefacts available on the collectors' markets.

Among them is an unique typescript of Churchill's answers to Parliamentary questions. The original typescript concerns the supply of wartime munitions by Britain to the Soviet Union in 1944.

Bearing autographed red ink revisions in Churchill's own hand - around 27 words in all - more information on this fascinating and singular document can be found here.

Elsewhere on the market, a stunning signed photo and two very rare signed letters are also for sale. More details can be viewed in our Political Autographs section.  

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