Whether owning a piece of history from legendary sports games, iconic music events, or famous films, memorabilia connects us with history, celebrities, and moments that shape pop culture.
The team at Spin Genie UK has taken a deep dive into the most valuable memorabilia ever sold, adjusting prices for inflation to reveal the value in today's terms.
Babe Ruth’s Jersey Is the Most Expensive Sports Memorabilia Sold in the World
1. Babe Ruth ‘Called Shot’ Jersey - £18.4 million
The most expensive sports memorabilia is Babe Ruth’s legendary ‘Called Shot’ jersey, sold for over £18.1 million in 2024 - equivalent to £18.4 million today. Worn by Ruth in the 1932 World Series, the jersey is famous for the moment Ruth pointed out to the field before hitting a home run, with some saying that he “called his shot.”
While the identity of the lucky buyer isn’t known, there must have been some tough competition as a bidding war lasted throughout the night.
2. 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Card - £10.5 million
Before the Babe Ruth sale, a rare and pristine 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card held the crown of most valuable sports memorabilia. It sold in 2022 for just under £9.5 million, meaning it would be worth over £10.5 million today.
The card was awarded a 9.5 by the SGC card grading scale, which means it was close to perfect condition when sold, being labelled one of the finest Topps cards to survive from the era.
3. Michael Jordan 1998 NBA Finals Game 1 Jersey - £8.4 million
Basketball great Michael Jordan’s jersey from Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals fetched £8.4 million after adjusting for inflation.
Like the Topps card, it sold in 2022, which means the £7.5 million paid for it would be worth nearly £8.5 million now. Even with this massive price tag, it still went for less than half the price of Ruth’s jersey.
Most Expensive Music Memorabilia From Around the Globe
1. Kurt Cobain’s 1993 MTV Unplugged Guitar - £5.6 million
The most expensive guitar ever sold is Kurt Cobain’s 1959 Martin D-18E that he used during his MTV Unplugged session, filmed just five months before his death.
Seven bids were received, with the final one reaching more than £4.5 million in June 2020. When adjusted for inflation, that figure would be over £5.6 million. The winning bid came from Peter Freedman, the founder of Røde Microphones, who has since loaned it to the Royal College of Music Museum in London for a "Kurt Cobain Unplugged" exhibition.
2. ‘Reach Out to Asia’ Fender Stratocaster - £3.5 million
Coming in second is the 'Reach Out to Asia' Fender Stratocaster. Signed by artists including Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, and Keith Richards, this guitar isn’t just valuable, it’s a dream piece for rock fans.
The instrument was originally auctioned off in 2005 to raise funds for tsunami relief in Asia. At the time, it raised around £2 million, which would be over £3.5 million today.
3. John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ Piano - £2.9 million
John Lennon's iconic white piano, famously used to compose his timeless anthem, 'Imagine', was sold in 2000. While it didn’t reach the heights of Cobain’s guitar or the charitable Fender, it still sold for nearly £1.6 million in 2000, worth just under £3 million in today’s terms.
Singer George Michael was revealed to be the mystery bidder who bought the piano and kept it in the UK until his death in 2016. Since then, it has been loaned to Liverpool’s Strawberry Field museum.
The Most Expensive Oasis Memorabilia Ever Sold
While Oasis items might not top the global list, they're still massively popular with fans around the world. Noel Gallagher’s smashed Gibson guitar, sold in 2022 in Paris, is the band's most valuable item, selling for the equivalent of almost £339,000 today. Luckily for the bidder, the guitar had been restored by Philippe Dubreuille and was in usable condition.
The guitar is especially valuable, as some say it is a symbol of Oasis’ initial breakup, as it was smashed the night the brothers broke up.
Noel Gallagher’s lyric books and platinum discs also attract keen collectors, initially selling for nearly £8,000 and £6,000, respectively.
As their comeback tour proceeds, we may see more iconic merchandise go on sale — with some already being sold on the band’s website — as well as collaborations like the Man City-Oasis limited edition capsule collection and Amazon Music exclusive merch. Could these reach even greater heights than the guitars, cases, and signs?
Big Screen Memorabilia Sold For Over £24.4 Million
1. The Wizard of Oz Ruby Slippers - £24.8 million
At the very top of the most expensive film memorabilia sits the ruby slippers from the classic movie The Wizard of Oz (1939), valued at £24.8 million after inflation. These slippers, worn by Judy Garland as Dorothy, have become one of Hollywood’s most iconic and recognisable symbols.
The slippers were auctioned fairly recently in 2024 and are one of four pairs of shoes that survived from the set. One reason for the high price tag could be the global success Wicked was experiencing at the time.
2. Robby the Robot - £5.3 million
Coming second is Robby the Robot from the 1956 science-fiction classic Forbidden Planet, selling for around £4 million, or £5.3 million after inflation. The bidder didn’t just receive the robot, though. The lot also included the Jeep he drives, his control panel, and his MGM packing crates.
At its time, Forbidden Planet was revolutionary, even by sci-fi’s standards. It was the first film to feature an all-electronic musical soundscape2 and may have influenced the likes of Star Wars and Star Trek.
3. The Seven Year Itch White Dress - £5 million
The famous white dress Marilyn Monroe wears in The Seven Year Itch holds third place. It was sold for nearly £3.5 million in 2011, as part of an auction that was dedicated to selling the movie memorabilia collection of Debbie Reynolds.
There’s a good reason why this was so valuable to collectors. It’s one of the most famous pieces of clothing in cinema. When you think of Marilyn Monroe, there’s a good chance you may picture the scene of her standing over a subway grate as her dress billows up.
What is the Most Valuable Memorabilia in the UK?
James Bond fans will be excited to know that memorabilia from the iconic spy films leads the UK charts. The Aston Martin DB5 from Goldfinger, initially going for more than £3 million in 2010, easily tops the British memorabilia market when adjusted for inflation, which is almost £4.7 million.
But Bond isn't the only British legend making waves. Music fans have plenty to celebrate, too. John Lennon's 'Imagine' piano, going for nearly £3 million when adjusted for inflation, and David Gilmour’s Black Fender Stratocaster guitar at almost the same amount, are in second and third place with just £14,286 between them.
The only item outside cinema and music is a first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which sold for over £1.4 million in 2024 and sits in tenth place.
The Most Expensive Memorabilia To Come From Celebrities Under 35 Years Old
Memorabilia isn’t just for antique pieces. We’ve also looked into the most expensive items related to celebrities aged 35 or under that people have bought.
Patrick Mahomes’ autographed rookie card is the most expensive, costing nearly £4 million after inflation. This made it the most expensive American football card ever sold and the fourth most valuable sports trading card in general.
But let's talk about the more bizarre finds…like Niall Horan’s half-eaten Vegemite toast selling for £75,121 in 2012 on eBay. And where did this come from? Horan tried the famous spread during an interview before immediately spitting it out.
The Most Expensive Miscellaneous Memorabilia Sold Around the World
Niall Horan’s half-eaten toast isn’t the only strange memorabilia item out there. Lady Gaga's broken acrylic nail was snapped up for just over £9,000 in 2013. It was worn during the launch of her Fame Fragrance and is a black pinkie nail with gold beads and glitter.
Even stranger is Russell Crowe's jockstrap from the movie Gladiator, which sold for over £6,000 in 2018 to none other than John Oliver during Crowe’s famous 'Art of Divorce' auction.
Lastly, the toast market seems to have been thriving for a while, as Justin Timberlake's half-eaten French toast sold for £770 in 2000, costing around £1,442 when adjusted for inflation.
Methodology
We used a series of articles, including Love Money, Paul Fraser Collectibles, and Ultimate Classic Rock, to compile a list of expensive memorabilia pieces sold. We split these pieces into the following categories: TV and film, music, and sport.
For each piece of memorabilia, we noted the year of sale and original price paid (in its original currency). We used Xe to calculate the cost of each memorabilia in $, £, and €. Conversions are accurate as of May 2025.
We used the Bank of England Inflation Calculator to calculate how much each memorabilia would cost in March 2025.
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