David Gilmours Black Strat Sells for $14.55 Million Record

A record-breaking auction at Christie's in New York on March 12 saw David Gilmour's iconic Black Strat guitar sell for $14.55 million, becoming the most expensive guitar ever sold, while Jerry Garcia's custom Tiger fetched $11.56 million, securing the second-highest price.

The sales formed part of "The Jim Irsay Collection: Icons of Pop Culture," a series of auctions featuring memorabilia amassed by the late Indianapolis Colts owner and philanthropist, who died in 2025. Irsay, a passionate music collector, had acquired many of the items over decades, including the Black Strat, which he purchased for $5.245 million at a 2019 Christie's sale. That earlier auction stemmed from Gilmour's decision to sell over 120 guitars to benefit the environmental charity ClientEarth, raising approximately $21.5 million in total. The Thursday event alone generated nearly $85 million across 44 lots, with proceeds partly directed to causes Irsay supported during his lifetime. The full collection auction continues through March 17, offering additional rarities such as a signed Paul McCartney Hofner bass, handwritten lyrics by McCartney, an Eddie Van Halen Frankenstrat, Muhammad Ali's boxing gloves,...