A 24-carat gold plated iPhone has been sold on eBay for a staggering $6,000 after a three-day auction.

The phone has been unlocked so that it can be used on any network, and is electroplated in pure gold.

"Two layers of protection are used to keep the 24-carat gold plated housing in excellent condition for the lifetime of your iPhone," said the advert.

"The first layer is a clear polyacrylic finish that protects from the elements. This very durable finish is the same as the clearcoat used on all modern cars and trucks. The next layer of protection is an optically clear urethane skin."

However, the buyer's joy may be short-lived, since Apple has managed to shut down unblocked iPhones in the past via software updates.

The phone will also quickly become outdated, since Apple will almost certainly launch a 3G iPhone next month.