Ringo Starr Memorabilia Raises $9.2 Million at Auction

A Ringo Starr memorabilia has raised a total of $9.2 million at Julien’s Auctions.

The auction lot included more than 1,300 clothes, instruments, pieces of jewellery and other items owned by the Beatle.

The highlight of the sale was a drum kit played by Ringo Starr on many Beatles hits, which fetched $2.1 million.

A Rickenbacker guitar once owned by John Lennon made $910,000.

Ringo Starr’s copy of The White Album, numbered 0000001, sold for $790,000 – which is thought to make it the most expensive record ever sold.

Julien’s Auctions said it surpassed the previous world record, set when Elvis Presley’s first acetate recording sold for $300,000 earlier this year.

Ringo Starr’s LP was the first mono copy of The White Album to be manufactured in the UK.

It was widely known that the band members kept the first four copies, but until recently it was assumed that John Lennon had owned the first.

Paul McCartney told his official biographer: “John got 0000001 because he shouted loudest. He said, <<Bagsy number one!>>”

A portion of the proceeds from the auction will go to Ringo Starr and wife Barbara Bach’s charity The Lotus Foundation, which says it aims to advance “social welfare” in a wide range of areas including substance abuse, cancer, cerebral palsy, domestic abuse and animal protection.

Ringo Starr memorabilia auction:

• $2,110,000 – Ludwig Drum kit, used on hits including Can’t Buy Me Love and I Want to Hold Your Hand
• $910,000 – John Lennon’s 1964 Rickenbacker guitar, which he gave to Ringo Starr in 1968
• $790,000 – The White Album, numbered 0000001
• $179,200 – George Harrison’s 1962 Gretsch Tennessean guitar, given to Ringo Starr by George Harrison’s family after the Concert for George following Harrison’s death
• $179,200 – An 18 carat yellow gold Moonphase watch by Patek Philippe
• $125,000 – The back panel from John Lennon’s psychedelic caravan, featuring the Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band logo
• $115,200 – Ludwig silver sparkle drum kit used in the 1967 Hello, Goodbye video
• $106,250 – A gold ring with rectangular sapphire that Ringo Starr says he wore during every show he ever played with the Beatles
• $100,000 – A gold and onyx ring, which was also worn for every single Beatles show