Jim Irsay Collection Nets $93 Million as Pink Floyd Guitar Sets $14.6 Million Record

The 1969 Fender Stratocaster guitar belonging to Jim Irsay's collection was sold for a record $14.6 million.

Jim Irsay Collection Nets $93 Million as Pink Floyd Guitar Sets $14.6 Million Record

Late Colts owner Jim Irsay and David Gilmour's guitar (Image via IMAGO/CNN)

In Short
  • A guitar played by David Gilmour sold for a record $14.6 million at a New York auction.
  • Jim Irsay's entire collection, including items from Kurt Cobain and Jerry Garcia, netted $93 million.
  • Irsay passed away in May 2025, with investigations into his death ongoing.

One of Jim Irsay‘s long-held dreams recently came true this week. A guitar once played by David Gilmour on six Pink Floyd albums, part of Irsay’s collection, was sold at a rock memorabilia auction in New York on Thursday.

According to the BBC, after a 21-minute bidding war, the guitar sold for a record $14.6 million (£10.9 million), making it the most expensive guitar ever, far surpassing Christie’s Auction House estimate of $2 to $4 million. The name of the buyers remain unknown.

Gilmour played the 1969 Fender Stratocaster, nicknamed the ‘Black Strat’, on all the British rock band’s albums between 1970 and 1983. Whoever got the piece is one lucky individual.

In 2019, Irsay purchased the 1969 Fender Stratocaster from Gilmour for $3.975 million. That said, it was not the only rare piece Irsay had collected in his lifetime. The late Colts owner also owned Kurt Cobain‘s blue Fender Mustang guitar, famously featured in the ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ music video, which later sold for $6.9 million.

An NBC Sports report documented that every item from Jim Irsay’s collection was sold at the auction.

A custom-built guitar owned by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead ($11.6 million)… A piano owned by John Lennon ($3.2 million), a drum set owned by Ringo Starr ($2.4 million), and Sylvester Stallone’s handwritten script for Rocky ($508,000).

How did the Colts owner Jim Irsay die?

Irsay passed away peacefully in his sleep at the Beverly Hills Hotel in California on May 21, 2025, at the age of 65. Shortly after his death was reported, the Colts organization sent out a statement.

Jim Irsay Collection Nets $93 Million as Pink Floyd Guitar Sets $14.6 Million Record
Jim Irsay (Image via IMAGO)

The statement read,

We are devastated to announce our beloved Owner & CEO, Jim Irsay, passed away peacefully in his sleep this afternoon. Jim’s dedication and passion for the Indianapolis Colts, in addition to his generosity, commitment to the community, and most importantly, his love for his family, were unsurpassed.

The exact details of his death continue to remain a mystery. That said, he suffered from respiratory illness and remained a frequent visitor to the hospital up until his death. In 2024, the Colts revealed that Irsay was found in his bed unresponsive due to a drug overdose. It reached the point of Code Blue, and the doctor managed to bring him back from the brink of death.

An FBI investigation discovered that an overdose of pain pills and ketamine may have caused Irsay’s death. The feds connected the medication to a doctor named Harry Haroutunian. According to The Washington Post, Dr. Haroutunian was staying at the same hotel as Irsay and was the one who issued the death certificate. The certificate listed the cause of death as cardiac arrest brought on by pneumonia and heart problems. An autopsy was not performed.

After his death, the ownership of the Colts was transferred to his three daughters, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt, and Kalen Jackson. Among the sisters, Carlie Irsay-Gordon has been the most involved in the inner workings of the Colts’ organization. She attended Colts training camp and NFL games and celebrated the wins in the locker room with the players.

Initially, the Colts played like a team bound for the playoffs. However, the season fell apart after quarterback Daniel Jones suffered an ACL injury. The Colts finished 8-9 and third in the AFC South, missing out on postseason football.

Jones recently signed a two-year deal worth $88 million, which could rise to $100 million. Wide receiver Alec Pierce signed a four-year, $114 million extension.

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