Rare Beatles Record Fetches $290,500

Fierce bidding-war skyrockets price past all expectations and prior records

March 30, 2013

By James Massey



(Source: WhatSellsBest.com) - A fierce bidding-war skyrocketed the price of a rare Beatles Record to a record-breaking $290,500 (after buyer premium).

The record, The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) was signed by all four band members, and said to be in extraordinary condition.

Perry Cox, a well-known Beatles memorabilia expert (and top-rated eBay seller), was quoted in the Heritage auction listing, saying; "With my being thoroughly immersed in Beatles collectibles for over 30 years, it takes something extraordinarily special to excite me, but I consider this to be one of the top two items of Beatles memorabilia I've ever seen - the other being a signed copy of Meet The Beatles."

According to Heritage's auctioneer, the sale had set a new record (beating a previous price in the $190,000 range which happened through a private sale) when the price soared beyond its $30,000 estimate, and way-past another (similar) $31,000 sales attempt we tracked back in 2010.

Why's It Valuable?

Though it was their eighth studio album, many consider Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band to be The Beatles best. Many also consider it to be one of the most influential rock albums of all time.

Combine that appreciation with The Beatles ongoing iconic status; the excellent autograph examples provided by all four members; the records pristine condition after nearly 50 years; and you have a very rare combination.

It's also a rare occasion. Because collectors know they may never get another opportunity like this again. That scenario can create a perfect-storm, with two or more bidders unwilling to give up easily. As apparently happened in this case.

For another example of how far Beatles collectors will go for rare items linked to Sgt. Pepper. One only needs to look back to 2008. That's when the iconic Drum Skin used on the album cover was sold at auction. It fetched over $1 million.

VIDEO: The Beatles Sgt. Pepper Story (Source: Classic Album Sundays)



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