John Lennon document signed the day he died sells for $63,750

The last document signed by John Lennon has sold at Gotta Have Rock and Roll auctions for $51,000, a total $63,750 including auction commissions.

John Lennon's last letter sold by Gotta Have Rock and Roll Auctions
Image: Gotta Have Rock and Roll auctions

 

The typed letter was signed by Lennon on 8th December 1980 just a few hours before he was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman.

The letter was addressed to Lennon's accountant Barry Nichols instructing him with the names of Lennon's three representatives to vote on his behalf  regarding the Beatles Company business.

Lennon had also requested that Neil Stanley Aspinall be appointed to vote for him at the Apple Corps  Annual Meeting on 17th December 1980.

Aspinall was a British Music Executive and a childhood friend of Lennon and McCartney.

It's most likely this is the last legal document signed by Lennon prior to his death.

After signing the document Lennon then left for his recording studio with Yoko Ono and on their return home he was shot on the doorstep of his apartment at the Dakota Building in New York.

Lennon had earlier signed an autograph for Chapman on his Double Fantasy album cover.

Chapman's signed copy of Double Fantasy has had a secretive history, having been sold privately in 1999 before appearing at public auction Goldin Auctions in November 2020.

Starting with an opening bid of $400,000 it attracted 10 bids before selling for $900,000. It had been expected to sell for $1,500,000 - $2,000,000.

The most expensive piece of John Lennon memorabilia remains his Gibson J-160E guitar that was sold by Juliens Auctions in 2015 for $2,400,000.

 

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.

1 of 3

Selling your memorabilia?

If you have interesting items we'd love to hear from you. We will either buy directly, offer on your behalf, or introduce you to one of our partner auction houses to ensure you achieve the highest price possible, with the lowest commission.