Beatles’ ‘Love Me Do’ Demo Single Sells for $10,000

A rare demonstration copy of the Beatles' debut single 'Love Me Do' has sold for a whopping $10,255.74 on eBay.

The demo copy, which the seller said was from his personal collection, was reportedly one of just 250 made for radio station airplay in 1962. (This single has the label number 45-R 4949.) As such, this pressing actually predates all of more familiar Parlophone imprints of 'Love Me Do,' both black and red.

In fact, the Beatles were then such an unknown quantity that close inspection reveals the songwriting credit on 'Love Me Do' isn't given to the familiar Lennon-McCartney partnership but to "McArtney." Of course, both John Lennon and Paul McCartney would become music legends in the wake of this song's modest success. 'Love Me Do' only went to No. 17, but that was enough to afford the Beatles their chance to record the full-length 'Please Please Me,' and the rest is most certainly history.

Another in this series of demonstration copies of the 'Love Me Do' single sold for more than $17,000 in 2011.