Julian Lennon, John Lennon’s son, is converting items from his collection of Beatles memorabilia into non-fungible tokens (NFTs) that are being auctioned off. The coat John Lennon wore in the “Magical Mystery Tour” video and three Gibson guitars that the music star bought his son are among the one-of-a-kind pieces.
The notes penned by Paul McCartney for the song “Hey Jude,” which was originally titled “Hey Jules” as a message to a 5-year-old Julian when John and his first wife, Cynthia, Julian’s mother, separated, are the focus of the “Lennon Connection” auction. The “Hey Jude” notes are expected to cost more than $60,000, according to experts.
Julian told Yahoo Finance Live that he has no plans to sell the things. “I don’t think I’d be able to part with any of them because, you know, I wasn’t given much [Beatles memorabilia] growing up.” So I’ve been collecting things not only for myself but also because I expect to have a family one day and want to be able to pass these objects down the generations.”
The NFTs are audio-visual treasures told by the philanthropist and musician, who is 58 years old.
“Doing NFTs like this was one method of sharing those experiences with followers while also providing them a little insight into each item,” he explained. NFTs have always piqued Julian’s interest, he noted.
“I’d known about it for a while, and believe it or not, it was my brother Sean (John Lennon’s kid with Yoko Ono) who really helped me understand a little bit more about this cosmos, and I’m glad for that,” Julian added.
Sean, 46, has gone on record as a supporter of bitcoin, saying recently on a podcast that the world’s first cryptocurrency “empowers individuals in ways they’ve never been empowered before.”
“Yes, Sean and Uncle Paul — McCartney — both gave me the thumbs up [for the sale],” Julian remarked. “I wanted to make sure he was okay with what I was doing, especially because the notes on ‘Hey Jude’ were one of the pieces. So knowing that he was okay with it was crucial for me. Indeed, it was the first time we’d spoken in a long time, and it was such a delight to reconnect after such a long period.”
Julian claimed he is “observing” despite not owning any NFTs or bitcoin. “I mean, there are a few pieces of artwork out there that I think I’d be interested in,” Julian said, but he felt it was the right time to offer the NFT collection now that the iconic British rock band is back in the spotlight thanks to the release of the docuseries “The Beatles: Get Back” on Disney+ in November.
The film gives a behind-the-scenes look at the Fab Four’s creative process while recording “Get Back,” as well as a look into the band’s dynamic.
Julian said he was “very swept away” by the film, which he saw for the first time with his brother Sean and Paul’s daughter, Stella McCartney. Julian stated that the NFT Beatles auction will coincide with the release of a new album he is currently working on and plans to release later this year.
Julian’s The White Feather Foundation, which supports a multitude of environmental and humanitarian initiatives, will profit from the proceeds of the NFT sale. Julien’s Auctions is hosting the auction on the NFT platform YellowHeart. Bidding will end on February 7 at 1 p.m. EST.
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