George Washington's Actual Hair Could Fetch Up to $50k at Auction

George Washington's real-life hair is hitting the auction block -- and the people selling it think it'll go for tens of thousands of dollars ... can't lie, that's nuts.

That's right ... the first President of these United States is having a thick lock of what's been presented as his actual hair sold at auction next month though RR's online auction house -- which we're told is expected to fetch upwards of $50k, maybe more.

Our sources tell us this particular lock of white hair -- measuring in at 4 inches -- was cut by one of George's relatives while he was serving as Prez in 1790. It was memorialized with a handwritten "letter of provenance" (like a certificate of authenticity) in 1889 as it was passed to different parties, including the man who introduced caramel candy to America.

The letter reads, in part ... "This lock of hair was cut from the head of George Washington, about the year 1790, by a relative of his. It was presented by this same relative to Capt. Samuel Butman of Newburyport, Essex County, Massachusetts; with whom the aforesaid relative made several trips from Alexandria, Va, to the port of Newburyport."

It goes on to say that Captain Butman's widow gave the relic to someone named George M. Elliott, who went on to gift it to the guy who finally gave it to C.F. Gunther ... the caramel guy.

Wanna know something even cooler? GW supposedly didn't wear a wig -- like many of his contemporaries -- and actually powdered his own 'do. It's possible he might've had grey or white hair in 1790 (he was about 58), but George was naturally a brownish-redhead.

If you think $50k is kinda steep for old musty follicles, welp ... history's been written, and we're just paying the price. And, guess what ... it ain't cheap.