Ringo Starr’s Beatles Drum Kit Sells for More Than $2 Million

The Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl drum kit that Ringo Starr used in the early days of the Beatles is no longer in the hands of the drummer. It was sold last week at an auction for $2.11 million.

Rolling Stone reports that the purchaser was Jim Irsay, the owner of the Indianapolis Colts who has been buying up all sorts of classic rock memorabilia. In recent years, he bought the guitars used by John Lennon on "Paperback Writer" and the Fender Stratocaster Bob Dylan played at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. Meanwhile, the Colts' defense still needs a lot of help.

According to Julien's Live, the house that conducted the auction, Starr used the kit from May 1963 through Feb. 4, 1964, a few days before their arrival in America. It had been purchased at Drum City, Ltd. in London by Starr and Beatles manager Brian Epstein, who then asked store owner Ivor Arbiter to create the logo that appeared on the bass drum head.

In addition, his copy of the White Album, which was stamped "No. 0000001," sold to an anonymous buyer for $790,000, a new world record for an album. It had been estimated to sell for between $40,000 and $60,000, while the drum kit's expected sale price was between $300,000 and $500,000.

Starr decided to auction off more than 1,300 pieces of his archives to raise money for the Lotus Foundation, which he founded with wife Barbara Bach. According to its website, "the objectives of the Lotus Foundation are to fund, support, participate in and promote charitable projects aimed at advancing social welfare in diverse areas including, but not limited to substance abuse, cerebral palsy, brain tumours, cancer, battered women and their children, homelessness, animals in need."

Ringo Starr's 10 Most Historic Moments

You Think You Know The Beatles?