The NFL lost a longtime owner last year when Jim Irsay passed away. Irsay owned the Indianapolis Colts and brought the city its lone Super Bowl title.
Following his passing, the Irsay family announced that his estate would be auctioned off in accordance with his wishes.
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The auction took place on Thursday, and one extremely valuable item set a new record. A rare Pink Floyd guitar used across six albums sold for a staggering price.
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The ‘Black Strat’
A tribute to the late Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay is shown on the screen Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, ahead of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.
The instrument is the famous 1969 Fender Stratocaster that fans call the “Black Strat.”David Gilmour played the guitar on six albums, and it now holds the record as the most valuable guitar ever sold.
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Christie’s facilitated the sale during a rock memorabilia auction in New York. Irsay’s guitar fetched an incredible $14.6 million from an unnamed buyer.
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Before the auction, Christie’s estimated the guitar would sell for between $2 million and $4 million, according to the BBC. The final price far exceeded expectations, underscoring the guitar’s significance to rock enthusiasts.
Irsay collected rare musical instruments throughout his life. Given the price it commanded, the Black Strat may have been the most valuable piece in his collection.
Guitars from the who’s who of music are on display during the Jim Irsay Collection exhibition, featuring a performance by The Jim Irsay Band, on Friday, Sept. 9, 2022, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Finals 19
Irsay’s desire to eventually sell many of his prized possessions had been well documented. As far back as 2023, he emphasized that the valuables he owned were only temporary.
“I always say, ‘You never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul,'” Irsay said. “I don’t own anything. Someone else is going to own it, and someone else is going to be in here.”
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