Late Colts owner Jim Irsay’s collection fetches record $105 million, largest sale in memorabilia history
The private memorabilia collection of late NFL team owner Jim Irsay set an all-time auction record, bringing in more than $105 million through a series of highly competitive sales.
As confirmed by Christie’s Auction House, the multi-month mission concluded on July 1 after setting nearly 30 individual world records, most notably the legendary rock guitar that achieved a historic price of $14.55 million.The sprawling estate of the late Indianapolis Colts owner spanned five separate auctions and saw 404 lots change hands. Experts have long rated the collection of items as uniquely important because of its enormous cultural diversity, which links historical American documents with sports relics and music history.
At the heart of the music sales was a collection of 199 guitars, a collection previously described by Guitar World magazine as the greatest guitar collection on Earth.The pinnacle of musical instrument sales occurred when David Gilmour’s iconic black Fender Stratocaster went to auction, receiving a winning bid of $14.55 million to secure its place as a record-breaking piece of music history. After Irsay died in May 2025 at the age of 65, the ultimate fate of these treasures remained uncertain until his family partnered with Christie’s New York to launch public sales in March.
The rock monuments break records
Aside from the multi-million pound guitar sales, auction halls witnessed intense bidding on rare pieces with origins in American history, literature and popular culture. Among the most popular historical items sold was a pair of tickets to Ford’s Theater dated April 14, 1865, the night US President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Bidders also competed for a personal letter written by George Washington to Thomas Jefferson regarding an early draft of the United States Constitution.The decision to distribute the massive collection was an emotional milestone for the Irsay family, who ultimately chose to keep only a select few pieces for themselves.“This decision was not made lightly, but with deep thought and love for the legacy he built.” The Irsay family made the statement in an official statement issued through the Indianapolis Colts organization.
The return trip to the Big Book
While high-profile guitars dominated the financial headlines, the psychological centerpiece of the entire group was a unique literary manuscript.
Affectionately recognized by Irsay as the crown jewel of his holdings, Irsay was the original 1939 manuscript of Alcoholics Anonymous, often referred to as the Big Book. Irsay originally purchased the document for $2.4 million during a 2018 auction in Los Angeles.During the final day of bidding at Christie’s Rockefeller Center in New York, the landmark text was initially expected to fetch between $1 and $2 million.
However, competitive bidding pushed the final hammer price to $2.4 million.
The winning bid was submitted by the Stepping Stones Foundation, the dedicated non-profit organization that cares for the historic home of Bill and Lois Wilson. Bill Wilson was one of the co-writers of the script, writing it alongside his recovery partner Henry Parkhurst, a former Standard Oil executive.“He’s coming home,” said Sally Corbett Turco, executive director of the historic home of Bill and Lois Wilson, immediately after securing the winning bid.““The Stepping Stones Foundation is grateful to have the manuscript brought home as the centerpiece of the Stepping Stones collection,” Corbett-Turco added in an official statement. “As Lewis Wilson had hoped, the manuscript would be available for future generations of people in recovery to see and be inspired by. They will experience it in a place closely linked to its history and meaning.
Transforming suffering into hope
The manuscript itself contains handwritten notes and extensive collaborative revisions and edits made by the original founders of the movement.
For Wilson, the book was the culmination of a deeply personal journey. In 1934, he was a Wall Street businessman who had lost his career, health, and public reputation to alcoholism. During his final hospital stay, Wilson experienced a profound spiritual awakening that convinced him of the necessity of a psychological and spiritual approach for lasting recovery.This realization led directly to the formation of the popular 12-Step Program, an initiative designed to provide a structured, accessible path to sobriety for millions of individuals around the world.
It was this global influence that prompted Irsay to purchase the document and protect it during his lifetime.Reflecting on their father’s motivations, Irsay’s daughters and current Colts owners, Carly Irsay-Gordon, Casey Voigt and Kalin Jackson, cited his desire to support those facing addiction.“Our father understood the struggles that countless people everywhere face every day, and he wanted so badly to bring hope and comfort to anyone who was suffering,” His daughters participated in a joint statement. “This manuscript did just that by introducing the 12-step program to the world and saving millions of lives everywhere. As he was fond of saying, “Its enormous impact on the world makes it one of the most influential books of all time.”
‘”The family confirmed that 100% of the millions raised from the sale of the big book will be completely directed towards charities and charitable causes that were close to their late father’s heart.
