A card sent by Pablo Picasso as a New Year's greeting in 1919 included good wishes and a hand-drawn sketch of a holiday table. It was signed "Olga and Pablo" (Olga was Picasso's wife). Swann Galleries sold it on Nov. 29, 2012, for $27,600. It's a record price for any signed Picasso postcard sold at auction. Of course. There's a story told that Picasso always drew a sketch on the back of every check he sent to pay a bill. He knew that almost everyone would save the check without cashing it--because the picture made the check worth more than its face value.

Photo: Swann Auction Galleries