John Lennon and Beatles History to be Auctioned as NFTs — Julian Lennon to Keep the Originals
Julian Lennon appears eager to see just how overheated the rock memorabilia and NFT markets really are with a new auction of Beatles and John Lennon memorabilia from his personal collection that has been minted as non-fungible tokens. The Lennon Connection: The NFT Collection sale will take place online on Feb. 7 via Julien’s Auctions.
The sale includes such items as the black cape John Lennon wore in Help! and Paul McCartney’s handwritten notes for “Hey Jude” (originally titled “Hey Jules,” McCartney wrote the song for Julian Lennon when John and his wife, Cynthia, divorced). Potential bidders should keep in mind, though, that the items up for sale are only those one-of-one blockchain tokens — the actual coat, McCartney’s actual notes, and all the other actual items are not for sale and will remain in Julian Lennon’s possession.
Additionally, the sale includes NFTs of John’s Afghan coat from Magical Mystery Tour, and NFTs of three Gibson guitars John gifted his son. As far as prices, the “Hey Jude” NFT is expected to fetch the biggest price, with an estimate of $50,000 to $70,000, while clothing item NFTs could go for $8,000 to $20,000; the three guitar NFTs are estimated to sell for $6,000 to $8,000 (a portion of each sale will be donated to the White Feather Foundation).
So what will several thousand dollars get you in this sale? The NFTs were minted with images of the physical items, as well as an accompanying audio clip in which Julian shares a personal memory tied to the item. So while you may not get to play John Lennon’s guitar or wear his cool Help! cape, the winner will get to “share in that exclusivity of Lennon history as the sole owner of the NFT” (per the Julien’s Auctions website).
“As an artist, I have great respect for all that my father accomplished in his career,” Julian Lennon said in a statement. “As a son, I hold dear the good memories I have of my time with him. I feel incredibly lucky to live in a day and age where innovation allows me to share such personal pieces of my Lennon family history. Through this NFT collection, I’m able to grant exclusive access to special items that I cherish and carry on the legacy of my father in a new way.”
