The Most Expensive Beatles Collectibles Ever Sold: A Journey Through Beatlemania’s Priceless Artifacts
The Beatles didn’t just change music—they created a collecting phenomenon that continues to break records more than five decades after the band’s breakup. From guitars that composed history to drum heads that launched the British Invasion, Beatles memorabilia commands prices that would make even the Fab Four themselves do a double-take. Here are the 20 most expensive Beatles collectibles ever sold at auction, each with its own remarkable story.
1. John Lennon’s Gibson J-160E Acoustic Guitar - $2.41 Million (2015)
This is the holy grail of Beatles instruments. Lennon used this 1962 Gibson J-160E to write and record “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “She Loves You,” “All My Loving,” “Please Please Me,” and countless other early Beatles classics. The guitar went missing after a Beatles Christmas concert at Finsbury Park in December 1963 and remained lost for over 50 years. Its rediscovery reads like a detective story: California guitarist John McCaw bought it from a friend for $175 in 1969, never knowing what he had. In 2014, after seeing a magazine article about George Harrison’s similar guitar and noticing the serial numbers were only four digits apart, he contacted Beatles gear expert Andy Babiuk. The guitar’s wood grain pattern—unique as a fingerprint—confirmed it was Lennon’s lost guitar. It sold at Julien’s Auctions for three times its estimated value.
2. John Lennon’s Rolls Royce Phantom V - $2.29 Million (1985)
Originally matte black, Lennon had this 1965 Rolls Royce repainted in 1967 with a stunning psychedelic design by J.P. Fallon Limited—colorful flowers, scrolls, and zodiac symbols that perfectly captured the Summer of Love aesthetic. Canadian businessman Jim Pattison purchased it at Sotheby’s, making it the most expensive piece of music memorabilia ever sold at that time. And, also, the most expensive collectible car ever.
John Lennon’s 1965 Rolls-Royce Phantom V is arguably the most famous and culturally significant automobile in rock history, instantly recognizable for its audacious psychedelic paint job.
History and Design
Lennon purchased the black Phantom V in 1965, but in 1967, wanting to make a statement and rebel against the British establishment, he commissioned a custom paint job.
Inspired by Romany gypsy wagons and the psychedelic movement, the car was transformed with an intricate scroll and floral pattern, featuring predominantly yellow, red, and orange colors. The luxurious interior was similarly customized with features like a TV, refrigerator, and a modified rear seat that could be converted into a double bed.
The winning bidder was Canadian businessman Jim Pattison, who used the car to promote Expo 86 in Vancouver before donating it to the Province of British Columbia. It is currently housed and occasionally displayed at the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, Canada.
3. Ringo Starr’s Ed Sullivan Show “Drop T” Drum Head - $2.125 Million (2015)
This hand-painted drum skin features the iconic “Drop T” Beatles logo and was used during their groundbreaking February 9, 1964 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show—the performance that launched the British Invasion in America. Ringo brought just his snare drum and cymbals to America, purchasing the rest of the kit at Manny’s Music in New York. This drum head was also used at the Washington Coliseum concert and Carnegie Hall. The buyer was Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay.
The Ludwig bass drum head featuring The Beatles’ iconic “Drop T” logo from Ringo Starr’s kit is arguably the most famous and photographed drum head in music history.
The distinctive “Drop T” logo—designed by a London drum shop to emphasize the “Beat” in Beatles—has become one of the world’s most recognizable corporate symbols. The drum head was used on Ringo’s kit throughout their first American tour.
4. Ringo Starr’s Complete Ludwig Drum Kit - $2.11 Million (2015)
Regarded as the most important drum set ever auctioned, this Ludwig kit was Ringo’s main set during the Beatles’ rise to fame. It features the famous “Drop T” logo painted by sign maker Eddie Stokes. Again, the buyer was Jim Irsay, who added it to his extensive Beatles collection.
Ringo Starr’s 1963 Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl three-piece drum kit is arguably the most recognizable drum set in music history, directly linked to the birth of global “Beatlemania.”
Historical Significance
First Ludwig Kit: This was the first Ludwig kit Ringo acquired (replacing his old Premier kit) in May 1963 and was his primary touring and recording instrument during The Beatles’ meteoric rise.
Hit Recordings: This kit was used on nearly 200 live performances and dozens of studio recordings, including early smash hits like “She Loves You,” “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” and “Can’t Buy Me Love.”
U.S. Debut: Ringo was playing this kit, with its famous “Drop-T” logo drum head, during The Beatles’ iconic 1964 U.S. debut on The Ed Sullivan Show.
The drum kit, which Ringo had kept in his possession for over 50 years, was sold as part of the “Collection of Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach” at Julien’s Auctions in December 2015.
Final Price: It sold for a staggering $2,110,000, setting a Guinness World Record at the time for the most expensive drum kit ever sold at auction.
5. John Lennon’s Steinway Piano (from “Imagine”) - $2.1 Million (2000)
The Steinway Model Z upright piano on which Lennon composed and recorded “Imagine”—arguably his greatest solo work. George Michael purchased it at auction specifically to keep it accessible to the public rather than hidden in private storage.
The famous Steinway piano on which John Lennon composed and recorded the iconic song “Imagine” is a Model Z upright piano, which he purchased in December 1970 for his home studio at Tittenhurst Park in England. Though the more visually striking white grand piano appears in the famous music video, it was the rather unassuming, walnut-finished upright that was used for the final recording of the legendary peace anthem in 1971. A small detail that attests to its use is the presence of cigarette burns left by Lennon on the instrument.
When George Michael bought it £1.45 million (about $2.1 million at the time), it set a world record for a piece of music memorabilia. Over the years, the piano has been featured in the Beatles Story Museum and was the centerpiece of the “Imagine Piano Peace Project,” which toured U.S. sites, promoting nonviolence. Today, the piano, which is still owned by the George Michael Estate, is often on loan and exhibited, most recently at the Strawberry Field exhibition in Liverpool.
6. “A Day in the Life” Handwritten Lyrics - $1.2 Million (2010)
Lennon’s original handwritten lyrics to what Rolling Stone magazine voted the greatest Beatles song ever recorded. This manuscript from the Sgt. Pepper sessions sold at Sotheby’s in New York.
“A Day in the Life” is widely regarded as one of The Beatles’ greatest achievements and served as the monumental final track on their 1967 album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
This particular single sheet of paper, once belonging to the band’s road manager Mal Evans, is a unique piece of music history because it contains John Lennon’s rough draft of the lyrics, including deletions, spelling errors (like “flim” instead of “film”), and notes. On the reverse side, it features a cleaner copy, evidently prepared for the recording session.
The manuscript was sold at Sotheby’s in New York on June 18, 2010. After intense bidding, it ultimately fetched $1.2 million (including buyer’s premium), far exceeding its initial pre-sale estimate of up to $800,000. It offers an intimate glimpse into the creation of the song, which combined Lennon’s sections inspired by newspaper headlines with Paul McCartney’s contrasting, upbeat middle-eight, resulting in a masterpiece that Rolling Stone would later vote as the greatest Beatles song ever recorded.
7. “All You Need Is Love” Handwritten Lyrics - $1.25 Million (2005)
John Lennon wrote out these lyrics as a memory aid before the Beatles’ historic live performance on the BBC’s “Our World” broadcast in June 1967, watched by 400 million people worldwide. A BBC employee retrieved the paper from beneath Lennon’s music stand after the performance. This remains the most expensive handwritten song lyrics ever sold at Cooper Owen Auctions.
The song was famously commissioned for the 1967 Our World broadcast, the first live television program to be transmitted to a worldwide satellite audience. This working manuscript, containing the twelve lines of the song’s key verses, was the sheet he read from during that monumental broadcast. In July 2005, this simple piece of paper was sold at auction in London by Cooper Owen for $1.25 million, setting a new record at the time for a Beatles manuscript. The lyrics were described by one auction house director as “the Holy Grail of Beatles lyrics,” solidifying the manuscript’s status not just as an artifact of rock and roll, but as a cultural document embodying the peace and love movement of the 1960s.
8. Ringo Starr’s White Album Copy #0000001 - $790,000 (2015)
For years, fans believed John Lennon had received the first vinyl pressing of The Beatles’ self-titled 1968 album (now known as the “White Album”). Paul even claimed “John got 0000001 because he shouted loudest.” But in 2015, it emerged that Ringo actually owned copy #1, which had been in his London bank vault for 35 years. It sold at Julien’s Auctions.
The album was sold in December 2015 at Julien’s Auctions in Los Angeles as part of a massive collection of Ringo and his wife Barbara Bach’s belongings, with all proceeds benefiting their Lotus Foundation charity. The final selling price reached a staggering $790,000, setting a new world record at the time for the most expensive vinyl record ever sold at auction. The ultimate collector’s trophy, the buyer of the record was an anonymous private collector.
9. George Harrison’s VOX Guitar (Used by Harrison and Lennon) - $567,500 (2004)
This rare, custom-made VOX electric guitar—often referenced as a VOX Kensington or simply the VOX Scroll guitar—holds the distinction of being played by both George Harrison and John Lennon during the height of The Beatles’ creative period.
This striking instrument, recognized for its unusual scroll-shaped body, was built by Mike Bennett and presented to the band in 1967 while they were working on the Magical Mystery Tour project. George Harrison was photographed rehearsing with the guitar on “I Am the Walrus,” and John Lennon played it while filming the promotional video for “Hello, Goodbye.” Later, Lennon gave the guitar as a gift to the band’s friend and electronics engineer, John Alexis Mardas, famously known as “Magic Alex,” attaching an engraved plaque to the back.
This piece of collaborative history from The Beatles’ experimental phase sold at auction by Julien’s Auctions in New York in May 2013 for $408,000, significantly surpassing its pre-sale estimate. Its value lies not just in its rarity as a custom prototype, but in its proven association with two of the greatest songwriters in rock history during a pivotal moment in the band’s career.
10. John Lennon’s “Two Virgins” Necklace - $528,000 (2005)
The necklace Lennon wore on the controversial 1968 album cover “Two Virgins” with Yoko Ono—the nude photo that scandalized the world.
John Lennon’s “Two Virgins” Talisman Necklace is a highly symbolic and distinct piece of Beatles-era memorabilia, instantly recognizable from its most controversial appearance.
This unique necklace, described as a leather collar adorned with eyelets, small blue beads, and three hand-painted white-and-green daisy flower heads, was referred to by Lennon as his “talisman.” He wore it almost constantly from 1967 to 1968, appearing in photoshoots, at the Sgt. Pepper album launch party, and during The Beatles’ visit to the Maharishi in India. Its fame, however, is cemented by its prominent appearance as the only item of “clothing” Lennon wore on the infamous, un-censored cover of his 1968 experimental album with Yoko Ono, Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins.
The necklace has seen a colorful post-Lennon history. It was sold at a Christie’s auction in 2004 for a significant sum, and later, it was owned by Noel Gallagher of the band Oasis, who gave it to his brother Liam Gallagher as a gift. Liam famously damaged the necklace by taking a hammer to the framed display in his eagerness to wear it. The necklace was later sold again, eventually fetching $528,000 at a 2008 auction. More recently, Liam Gallagher stated that the necklace is now in a museum, ensuring this iconic piece of provocative pop culture remains publicly accessible.
11. “Nowhere Man” Handwritten Lyrics - $455,000 (2003)
John Lennon’s original manuscript for this introspective song, which marked a turning point in the Beatles’ evolution toward more complex, personal songwriting, sold at Christie’s.
Penned by Lennon for the 1965 album Rubber Soul, “Nowhere Man” is widely considered one of the very first Beatles songs that was not about romance or love, instead focusing on existential themes of directionless modern life. Lennon wrote the self-reflective song after a frustrating morning of writer’s block, realizing he himself was a “nowhere man” sitting in his “nowhere land.” This shift toward philosophical and introspective songwriting would define much of his later work.
The original manuscript came up for auction at Christie’s in New York in November 2003. Anticipation for the lyrics—which provide a direct link to the creative burst behind this introspective anthem—drove the bidding far past expectations. Against an estimate of $80,000 to $100,000, the final selling price soared to $455,500. At the time of the sale, the lyrics to “Nowhere Man” briefly held the record for the most expensive Beatles manuscript ever sold at auction.
12. VOX Guitar (Magical Mystery Tour/Hello Goodbye) - $408,000 (2013)
Played by George Harrison during Magical Mystery Tour rehearsals and by John Lennon during the “Hello, Goodbye” video recording. Sold at Julien’s in Beverly Hills.
This instrument is a rare, custom-made VOX electric guitar—often nicknamed the VOX Scroll Guitar for its distinctive, ornate body shape—that played a notable, though brief, role during The Beatles’ psychedelic period. It was a unique prototype built by VOX in 1966 and given to the band the following year. It gained its fame through its use in promotional and filming sessions related to the 1967 project. George Harrison can be seen rehearsing with the guitar on “I Am the Walrus” in the film, and John Lennon played it while shooting one of the promotional videos for “Hello, Goodbye” (though that footage was not used in the final, released version). Lennon eventually gave the guitar away to the band’s friend and electronics guru, Alexis “Magic Alex” Mardas, even affixing a personalized plaque to the back.
The guitar eventually resurfaced and was sold at Julien’s Auctions in New York in May 2013 for $408,000, significantly exceeding its pre-sale estimate. It is one of the few known guitars played by both Lennon and Harrison, solidifying its importance as a piece of memorabilia from the Magical Mystery Tour era.
13. John Lennon’s Hofner Senator Guitar - $337,226 (2009)
This 1958 Hofner was used for songwriting during the Beatles’ formative years in the early 1960s. Sold at Christie’s. It’s a significant artifact from the very start of The Beatles’ history, representing a key moment in Lennon’s early evolution as a musician. He bought it around 1960 for his songwriting at his Aunt Mimi’s house in Liverpool. The Senator model, often used for folk and jazz, highlights the simplicity of the gear used by the band in their formative years. Lennon later gifted the guitar to The Beatles’ long-serving road manager and assistant, Mal Evans.
The guitar’s provenance was authenticated by a letter from George Harrison, who attested that it was “one of the first guitars of John’s going back to the early days in Liverpool.” When the guitar went to auction at Christie’s in London in July 2009, its deep connection to the band’s origin story propelled the bidding. Against an estimated price of between £100,000 and £150,000, it ultimately sold for £205,250 (approximately $337,000 USD at the time).
14. Signed Sgt. Pepper’s Album (All Four Signatures) - $290,500 (2013)
A highly rare copy of the 1967 masterpiece signed by all four Beatles inside the gatefold sleeve. This is the highest price ever paid for a signed Beatles album, sold at Heritage Auctions in Texas. It’s considered one of the ultimate prizes in music memorabilia, particularly when bearing all four signatures.
The signatures appear above their respective portraits, and are highly coveted due to the album’s status as a masterpiece of rock history.
The album, which was signed shortly before the album’s 1967 release, far surpassed its modest $30,000 estimate. The final price, paid by an anonymous Midwest collector, was a staggering $290,500. At the time, this sale set a new world record for the most expensive signed vinyl album cover in history. Since there are only an estimated 125 fully signed Beatles albums known to exist, the high price reflected the combined rarity of four authentic signatures on arguably The Beatles’ most famous cover.
15. 1966 Shea Stadium Concert Poster - $275,000 (2022)
A bright yellow cardboard poster promoting the Beatles’ August 23, 1966 concert at Shea Stadium set a new auction record for concert posters. It’s celebrated as one of the “Holy Grails” of music poster collecting, representing a key show from the band’s final tour.
The Beatles’ second, and last, appearance at Shea Stadium on August 23, 1966, was part of their final U.S. tour before retiring from live performance. The original advertising poster, typically a striking bright-yellow cardboard window card, is exceedingly rare. Unlike the sold-out 1965 Shea concert, the 1966 show initially struggled to sell tickets, making the surviving posters a scarce piece of history from a pivotal, transitional moment in The Beatles’ career.
The value of this poster has soared in recent years. In April 2022, a pristine, unrestored example of the 1966 Shea Stadium poster sold at Heritage Auctions for a phenomenal $275,000.
16. “That’ll Be the Day”/”In Spite of All the Danger” 1958 Record - $170,000 (est.)
The original acetate from the Quarrymen (pre-Beatles) recording session is one of the rarest Beatles-related records in existence.
The record included “That’ll Be the Day” and “In Spite of All the Danger,” and is universally regarded as the most valuable record in the world because it represents the genesis of The Beatles.
Recorded by The Quarrymen—the pre-Beatles lineup of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, plus pianist John “Duff” Lowe and drummer Colin Hanton—the session took place in July 1958 at Percy Phillips’ tiny home studio in Liverpool. It was cut directly onto a single, fragile, 10-inch shellac 78-rpm disc. The A-side was a cover of the Buddy Holly hit “That’ll Be the Day,” while the B-side, “In Spite of All the Danger,” is the first-ever original song recorded by the Beatles.
Only one copy of this original acetate was ever produced. After circulating among the band members, it ended up with pianist John “Duff” Lowe, who kept it for nearly 25 years. In 1981, Paul McCartney purchased the record from Lowe for an undisclosed, but “very inflated,” sum, effectively rescuing this invaluable piece of music history. McCartney now owns the original acetate, which is so prized that its worth is conservatively estimated at £100,000 to £200,000 (approximately $125,000 to $250,000 USD), though many experts consider it priceless. McCartney also had around 50 high-quality replica copies made for friends and family, which themselves are valued in the tens of thousands of dollars.
17. Yesterday and Today “Butcher Cover” Sealed Copy - $125,000 (2016)
The infamous 1966 album cover featuring the four Beatles with raw meat and dismembered doll parts was quickly recalled by Capitol Records and pasted over with a less controversial image and sent back to record shops, making surviving copies highly valuable. A sealed copy commanded this price. Some collectors have gone as far as to steam off the replacement “Trunk Cover” photo to reveal the original “Butcher” cover.
The original “Butcher” cover, also known as the “First State,” is exceedingly scarce, and commands monumental prices:
In February 2016, a sealed “First State” Butcher Cover sold at Heritage Auctions for $125,000.
In 2021, a unique sealed mono copy, known as the “Alan Livingston Copy” (after the Capitol Records president who ordered the recall), sold for $47,812.50.
The value of a sealed “Butcher Cover” is largely dependent on whether it is a rarer Stereo pressing or a Mono pressing, and its overall condition, with top-tier examples routinely fetching six-figure sums at auction.
18. Beatles Signed Baseball - $100,000 (2015)
The band never played baseball, but a baseball signed by all four Beatles sold at the same Julien’s Auctions event as Lennon’s guitar. And so it became one of the most highly sought-after and expensive pieces of sports-meets-music memorabilia, often linked to the band’s U.S. tours where they played in baseball stadiums.
The particular baseball that was featured in the same Julien’s Auctions event as John Lennon’s VOX guitar (the May 2013 “Music Icons” sale) was a Spalding baseball signed by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. An earlier sale of a similar four-signature baseball, signed during The Beatles’ final official concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco on August 29, 1966, set the standard for this category of collectible.
While the 2013 auction’s final result is often grouped with the Lennon guitar sale, a four-signature Beatles baseball has historically commanded high six-figure prices:
A Beatles-signed baseball sold at a 2023 Julien’s Auction for $176,400.
Other fully authenticated, four-signature Beatles baseballs have achieved prices of up to $100,000 and more at various auctions.
Its rarity stems from the short period when all four were together in the U.S. and willing to sign a baseball, making it a spectacular trophy for both Beatles and sports collectors.
19. Brian Epstein Management Contract - Price varies
The original contract signed by the Beatles and their manager Brian Epstein in October 1962—just days before “Love Me Do” was released. This document marked the beginning of the Beatles’ journey from local heroes to international superstars.
The Brian Epstein management contracts are among the most pivotal documents in music history, directly responsible for transforming The Beatles from a scruffy local band into global superstars. There are two primary contracts of note:
1. The Original Unsigned Contract (January 24, 1962)
Significance: This was the very first contract signed by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and original drummer Pete Best, formalizing Epstein’s role as their manager. Crucially, Epstein deliberately left his own signature off the document. He later explained this was because he wanted to free The Beatles from their obligations if he felt he couldn’t help them adequately, demonstrating his absolute confidence and belief in the band.
Auction Value: A copy of this 1962 contract sold at Sotheby’s in July 2019 for £275,000 (approximately $345,000 USD).
2. The Final Signed Contract (October 1, 1962)
Significance: This contract was signed shortly after Ringo Starr replaced Pete Best, cementing The Beatles’ final and most famous lineup. Since Paul and George were under 21, the document also carried the signatures of their parents. It was this contract that launched the band into “Beatlemania” just days before the release of their first single, “Love Me Do.”
Auction Value: A copy of this fully signed 1962 contract (including all four Beatles and Epstein’s signature) was sold at Sotheby’s in September 2015 for £365,000 (approximately $569,000 USD). This higher price reflects the presence of Ringo Starr and Brian Epstein’s own signature, which marked the formal, complete partnership that conquered the world.
20. Original 1964 U.S. Tour Photographs by Bob Gomel - $360,000
A complete set of original photographs from the Beatles’ first U.S. tour. Similarly, amateur photos by teenage photographer Mike Mitchell from the Washington Coliseum concert on February 11, 1964 also sold for $360,000 in 2011.
The Original 1964 U.S. Tour Photographs by Bob Gomel are highly prized works of photojournalism that documented The Beatles’ pivotal first trip to America.
Gomel, a staff photographer for LIFE magazine, captured The Beatles in Miami, Florida, in February 1964, shortly after their historic first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. His most famous images show the band in relaxed, candid moments that contrasted sharply with their highly controlled public image at the time.
One of his most iconic and valuable series features the four members at a swimming pool at the Deauville Hotel. Specifically:
The “Poolside” Shots: Gomel captured the band in the pool, with John Lennon and Paul McCartney doing cannonballs and George Harrison and Ringo Starr posing. Ironically, LIFE magazine decided not to run these candid shots, leaving them unpublished for decades, which greatly added to their mystique and later collectible value.
Auction Value: Complete, vintage sets or high-quality archival prints from Gomel’s 1964 Miami sessions regularly command high prices. In one notable auction, a set of Gomel’s original prints from this first U.S. tour sold for around $360,000. Individual vintage prints often sell in the thousands or tens of thousands of dollars, depending on their rarity and condition.
Gomel’s work is celebrated because it offered an early, genuine glimpse of the band’s personality beyond the screams of “Beatlemania.”
Honorable Mentions:
John Lennon’s Lock of Hair - $25,000 (with inscribed card)
Concert Tickets - $50 to $30,000 depending on rarity (Ed Sullivan rehearsal tickets command premium prices)
Original Concert Posters - Several thousand to hundreds of thousands depending on venue and condition
Beatles Lunchboxes and Memorabilia from 1960s - $50 to several thousand for mint condition items
Lobby Cards from Beatles Films - $50 and up for original 1960s cards from Yellow Submarine, Help!, and A Hard Day’s Night
What Makes Beatles Collectibles So Valuable?
Several factors contribute to the astronomical prices:
Historical Significance: These aren’t just objects—they’re artifacts from a cultural revolution that changed music forever.
Provenance: Items with clear chain of ownership and authentication (like Andy Babiuk’s verification of Lennon’s guitar) command premium prices.
Rarity: Only one person can own Lennon’s “Imagine” piano. Only four White Album copies numbered 1-4 exist.
Condition: The better the condition, the higher the price. Sealed albums are worth exponentially more than opened ones.
Connection to Iconic Moments: The Ed Sullivan drum head wasn’t just any drum head—it was used during the performance that changed American culture.
The Beatles’ Enduring Legacy: With each passing year, no new Beatles memorabilia is being created, making existing items increasingly rare.
Where Can You Find Beatles Collectibles?
For those looking to start or expand a collection (though perhaps not at million-dollar levels), several reputable sources exist. And, just in time for Christmas, Amazon.com has a collectible at less than a hundred bucks:
Look up! It's not a book 📚, it's a superToy! 🤩 Not cheap 💸, but a great gift for that die-hard Beatles fan on your Xmas list! 🎁🎄
It’s not just a toy, but a 681-piece monument to nostalgia-capitalism 🤑 that asks grown adults to pay $80 to meticulously recreate a 13-minute performance from 1964 TV. The absurdity is charming!
Watch the YouTube video:
The Coda:
The Beatles memorabilia market shows no signs of slowing down. As Paul and Ringo age, and the distance from Beatlemania grows, these tangible connections to music history become ever more precious. Whether it’s a guitar that created “I Want to Hold Your Hand” or a drum head that announced the British Invasion to America, these objects represent moments when the world changed—and collectors are willing to pay millions to own a piece of that magic. And still listen!
