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No Skull and Bones for Highest Bidder

Friday, Jan 22, 2010 | Updated 1:46 PM EDT

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Christie's

This is not longer up for auction.

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If you had hoped to get your hands on a memento from Yale's exclusive and secretive Skull and Bones society today when Christie’s put it up for auction, you’re out of luck.

The New York auction house has pulled from the block.

The skull, which is believed to have been used as a ballot box by the society's members around 1872, has a hinge on top and is surrounded by crossbones.

There was also a black book on the block with names and pictures of earlier members. It is inscribed, Edward T. Owen. 1872. on one side and 322. on the other. The inscription on the right cross bone, Thor, "could be a name which would have been assigned to a member upon induction," according to Christie's.

The Skull and Bones was founded in 1832, and has kept its members' names closely guarded. Though it is publicly known that both President George H.W. Bush and President George W. Bush were members.