SEATTLE, Washington (AP) -- Costco shoppers were offered an online deal this month -- an original Picasso.

The crayon-on-paper drawing of a face signed and dated by Pablo Picasso was listed for $39,999.99 on the retailer's Web site January 12. It sold Wednesday, said Jim Sinegal, Costco's chief executive, who would not identify the buyer.

The Issaquah-based discount retailing giant may be better known for bulk chicken and cases of soda, but the Costco.com site features an eclectic mix of items, from caskets to computers to sports equipment.

Art dealer Jim Tutwiler, who sold the Picasso, has been selling art through Costco for the past decade. He said Costco's markup is one-tenth that of traditional galleries.

Tutwiler described the drawing as a "doodle" on the blank side of a book jacket. Picasso probably traded it for a new suit or a boat or some service, he said.

"He was a barterer. He hated to spend money," Tutwiler said.

The work was signed and dated November 29, 1970. Picasso's daughter, Maya, authenticated it through a handwritten and signed declaration, which was further verified by the International Society of Appraisers.

This was the second Picasso Tutwiler has sold through Costco. The first was sold in November to a customer in San Francisco.

That buyer passed on this piece, Tutwiler said. "His wife said it was too similar to the other one."

*weeps*

I mean come on, that is like paying 40'000 dollars for someones autograph. He probably scribbled that out in 15 seconds.

I don't see the problem with spending that much money. It's only relative; if you have $10 million in the bank, what's $40,000? No more than a drop in the ocean, it's about what we'd spend on shopping.

if you were rich, you'd spend $40,000 on a picasso. i know i would.

Nope. Not that piece of shit doodle.

A lot of PJ fans would spend good money on an original setlist. What's that to most people but a list of songs?

I wish I was a competent painter. Then I'll die, to have my body preserved and be revived a fair while later. Then I'll be bloody rich.

So where is the Picasso message board that I can go to? I want to tell these doodle purchasers how stupid they are.

http://mb.sparknotes.com/mb.epl?b=194&c=1

Funny. I know this 7 year old kid named Picasso and he draws things like that...

Well holy shit.