George Washington Lock of Hair Up For Sale For $45k

George Washington's got a price on his head ... because a lock of his famous hair is on the open market.

The first president of the United States had a lock of his white hair preserved for centuries ... and now it's up for sale for $45,000.

Washington's hair lock is tied up in an oval shape and bound by a glass case, which is wrapped in pearls. There's also an engraving with his initials 'GW' on the back of the case.

The lock was given to the Derby family back in the day, as the Derbys were close with both George and his wife, Martha.

Washington's hair remained in the Derby family for several generations ... it was handed down from son to son and now it's hitting the open market through Moments In Time.

A letter dated Aug. 15, 1873, is also included with Washington's hair ... it's correspondence between the Derbys and another collector, talking about the locks.

Remember ... GW supposedly didn't wear a wig, unlike many of his contemporaries, and actually powdered his own hairdo.