A handwritten copy of “Hey Jude,” penned by Paul McCartney himself, just sold for almost six times its estimated value – cashing in at $910,000.
The item sold Friday as part of Julien’s Auctions The Beatles auction, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ breakup.
Nearly 250 items were sold as part of the auction, including guitars, rare vinyl and autographed items.
The lyrics to the 1968 classic Beatles’ track were used at Trident Studios in London during the song’s recording, according to the website. Written in black felt pen and featuring McCartney’s half-cursive script, the lines in the lyrics are numbered and include little notes like “BREAK” and, at the end, “Ending. Fading.”
McCartney originally wrote the song to comfort John Lennon’s son during his parent’s divorce, according to the auction house. It was originally titled “Hey Jules,” after Lennon’s son, Julian.
The song went on to be nominated for multiple Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
The auction house had estimated the lyrics would go for between $160,000 and $180,000.