Los Angeles-based auction house Julien’s Auctions ended 2024 with record-breaking sales and expansion into new categories and markets in the thriving pop culture and celebrity auction scene. It dominated and set new world records in the industry led by the high-profile sales of John Lennon’s long-lost “Help!” Hootenanny guitar ($2.9 million), LeBron James’ Sports Illustrated “The Chosen One” basketball jersey ($1.
3 million), George Harrison's early Beatles-era Futurama guitar ($1.27 million) and “Star Trek” holy trinity of William Shatner’s Captain James T. Kirk’s phaser ($910,000), communicator ($780,000) and yellow tunic ($455,000).
Here are Julien’s Auctions’ top 10 auctions in 2024. 1. John Lennon’s Long-Lost “Help!” Guitar is the Top of the Pops Julien’s top selling item of the year was John Lennon’s long-lost Framus 12-string Help! Hootenanny acoustic guitar sold for a record $2.
9 million at Hard Rock Cafe New York. The extraordinary guitar was found in an attic in the UK after being unseen for over 50 years. Considered the most important Beatles guitar ever to come to market, the guitar enters the pantheon of Julien’s world record sales of Beatles memorabilia including a previous John Lennon acoustic guitar ($2.
4 million) and Ringo Starr’s Ludwig drum kit ($2.2 million) and The Ludwig Beatles “Ed Sullivan Show” drumhead ($2.1 million), and “The Beatles” (White Album), owned by Ringo Starr, that sold for $790,000.
John Len.
