What's an Oscar worth?

So you're Kathryn Bigelow and you've just won an Oscar for Best Picture 2010. It's very exciting to receive that gold statue! But what exactly is that Oscar worth in cold hard cash?

Of course, the accolades, fabulous parties, and future opportunities based on the Oscar win are, in some ways, immeasurable and priceless. But let's say you win an Oscar and you're the hit of the town -- this year. Years from now, you're not quite so hot and are looking for ways to make a buck. Time to cash in! There are a couple of options.

You could sell the Oscar for cold, hard cash. Each statue is 13.5 inches tall and weighs eight pounds, made from steel alloy britannium and dipped in 24k gold plating. Based on current gold values, the statute melted down is worth around $500.

A more lucrative prospect would be to sell your Oscar to a collector. Big-name Oscars can easily fetch $60,000 or more, but there is a catch. If you won an Oscar before 1950, you can sell it without hinderence. But Oscars won after 1950 cannot be sold without permission from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which makes all winners sign an agreement that if they want to sell they must first offer the Oscar back to them for $1.