John Lennon's copy of The Beatles' White Album sells for £128,000 at auction

28 February 2024, 14:38 | Updated: 28 February 2024, 14:40

John Lennon with a copy of The Beatles White Album inset. Picture: Mirrorpix via Getty Images/Heritage Auctions

By Jenny Mensah

The late Beatle's copy of the band's 1968 self-titled record has raised the impressive sum at at the Beatles 60th Anniversary Auction For Heritage.

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A copy of The Beatles' White Album belonging to the late John Lennon has fetched $162,5000 (£128,000) at auction.

Earlier this month, it was reported that the late musician's copy of the band's 1968 self-titled album (most commonly known as the White Album) was set to go under the gavel with a starting bid of $50,000.

Lennon gifted the album to his chauffeur and bodyguard Les Anthony, who passed the record onto a relative. According to the auction house: "The LP was re-discovered after a television show named Find a Fortune was discussing rare records and the owner contacted the TV program and expressed his interest in selling the album.

"The program then contacted Mike Vandenbosch of More Than Music who purchased the historic piece."

According to auction site, the album comes complete with the original poster that served as a lyric sheet, the four colour photos of each individual Beatle and the black inner sleeves that only appeared with early editions of the LP.

They also stated that "the jacket cover is in overall VG-EX 6 condition with some ring wear, bending, creasing, expected discolouration and staining" while the vinyl condition ranges from "Excellent" to "Near Mint" condition across the four sides.

It's long been thought that former Beatle roadie and manager of the band's Apple company Neil Aspinall held the mono edition of number 0000006 of the "White Album" and that only the group's inner circle held copies of numbers 0000001 to 0000020.

Back in 2015, Ringo Starr's mono copy of the "White Album" number 0000001 sold for an incredible $790,000 - £627,000 in British money today.

The Beatles The White Album No. #0000006 John Lennon's Copy

The news comes after it was recently reported that four individual Beatles biopics are on their way, with Sam Mendes at the helm.

Conceived by the critically acclaimed and award-winning Mendes, who will direct the four feature films – one from each band member’s point-of-view – will intersect to tell the epic story of the most iconic band in history.

Sony Pictures Entertainment will finance and distribute the films worldwide with full theatrical windows in 2027- the dates and details of which will be shared closer to the time.

Mendes will direct all four films and produce alongside his Neal Street Productions partner Pippa Harris and Neal Street’s Julie Pastor. Jeff Jones will executive produce for Apple Corps Ltd.