
The guitar John Lennon used to record “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves You” sold at auction Saturday for $2.4 million.
The 1962 J-160E Gibson Acoustic guitar had been lost for more than 50 years after it disappeared after a concert in 1963, according to a release from the auction house that sold the instrument. Lennon purchased the guitar in September of 1962 for £161, according to Julien’s Auctions. Fellow Beatle George Harrison purchased an identical guitar at the same time.
Other hits that Lennon recorded using the guitar include “Please, Please, Me,” “All My Loving” and “From Me to You,” according to the auction house.
The final sell price significantly exceeded the $600,000 to $800,000 estimated by the auction house.
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Write to Justin Worland at justin.worland@time.com