White Album Sells For $790,000

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Ringo Starr's ‘White Album’ sells for $790,000 - Ringo Starr’s personal copy of one of The Beatles’ most famous albums has gone to the highest bidder. Starr’s copy of the "White Album" sold for $790,000 at Julien’s Live auction, according to Rolling Stone on Saturday. The vinyl album was numbered No.0000001, and its six-figure price tag is a world record. Starr's "White Album" had a pre-auction estimate of $40,000 to $60,000.

The copies of the "White Album" were numbered in sequence, so Starr's copy is the first printing produced of the iconic album, which was the ninth studio release from the British rock band. The famed drummer previously joked that whoever bought the album would see his fingerprints on it.

In addition to the White album at $790,000, other high value auction items included Starr’s 1963 Ludwig Oyster Black three-piece drum kit, used in over 200 performances and recordings in 1963 and 1964, which sold for $2.2 million. Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay purchased the drum kit, which hadn't been seen in public for over 50 years. On the “lower” end, Starr's suit from the movie “A Hard Day's Night” sold for $50,000.

Ringo Starr and his wife unloaded more than 800 personal items and rare Beatles memorabilia at the Beverly Hills auction on Friday and Saturday. According to an Associated Press report posted by ABC News, the 75-year-old Beatles legend and his wife Barbara Bach cleaned house at their three estates and storage facilities ahead of the auction. Starr told the AP that so much stuff was in storage that he hadn’t seen in nearly three decades that he wanted to “put to some good use and also give a lot of people joy.”

Julien's originally estimated the Ringo Starr auction could net as much as $10 million, and with "The White Album" shattering sales estimates at $790,000, it sounds like that goal could have been exceeded. A portion of the proceeds from the sale will benefit the couple's Lotus Children Foundation that focuses on social welfare issues around the world.