Late Billionaire's Legendary Guitar Collection Heads to Auction

Instruments owned by Kurt Cobain, Jerry Garcia, and other music icons to be sold at Christie's New York

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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The world-renowned guitar collection of the late billionaire businessman Jim Irsay, which includes instruments owned by legendary musicians like Kurt Cobain, Jerry Garcia, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Johnny Cash, Prince, and The Edge, will be going up for auction at Christie's in New York.

Why it matters

Irsay's collection has been called 'The Greatest Guitar Collection on Earth' by Guitar World magazine, making this a highly anticipated auction for music fans and collectors alike. The sale of these iconic instruments will provide a rare opportunity for the public to own a piece of rock and roll history.

The details

In addition to the guitars, the collection also includes other music and entertainment memorabilia, such as Ringo Starr's logo drum head from The Beatles' debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. The auction will be held at Christie's New York, giving music enthusiasts and deep-pocketed collectors a chance to bid on these one-of-a-kind items.

  • The auction will be held in New York City.
  • The sale is scheduled for March 6, 2026.

The players

Jim Irsay

The late billionaire businessman who amassed the world-renowned guitar collection.

Christie's

The auction house that will be hosting the sale of Irsay's collection in New York.

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What they’re saying

“The Greatest Guitar Collection on Earth”

— Guitar World magazine (Guitar World)

What’s next

Music fans and collectors will be eagerly awaiting the auction results to see how much these iconic instruments fetch.

The takeaway

This auction represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for music enthusiasts to own a piece of rock and roll history from the personal collection of a legendary billionaire.