So you’ve just found out a draft of Don McLean’s American Pie sold at auction for more than a staggering £800,000.

Most expensive memorabilia of all time.
Don McLean in 2012 (Charles Sykes/AP)

While you are still reeling from the fact that a piece of really old paper with lyrics of a famous song scribbled by a famous folk musician has managed to fetch such an eye-watering amount under the hammer, here are some of the most expensive rock memorabilia to ever sell at auction… just to make you gasp a bit more.

1. John Lennon’s 1965 Rolls-Royce Phantom V

Sold for: £1,748,462 in 1985

The Beatle caused a sensation when he had the vehicle painted in psychedelic swirls, upsetting fans of the classic car, but it didn’t put off the bidder who paid a huge amount for it.

2. The piano John Lennon wrote Imagine on

Most expensive memorabilia of all time: The piano John Lennon wrote Imagine on
(PA)

Sold for: £1.45 million in 2000

It was another incredibly successful singer-songwriter who stumped up the cash to buy the instrument used by Lennon to write what is arguably his most famous song – George Michael forked out the cash saying he wanted it to stay in the UK.

3. Handwritten lyrics to The Beatles song A Day In The Life

Most expensive memorabilia of all time: Handwritten lyrics to The Beatles song A Day In The Life
(John Stillwell/PA)

Sold for: £810,966 in 2010

Another Lennon artefact – these lyrics to the track from the Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band were snapped by a collector in the US after more than six minutes of feverish bidding.

They were believed to have been sold by the family of Beatles assistant, and friend from their early days in Liverpool, Mal Evans.

4. The drum skin from the cover of The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album

Most expensive memorabilia of all time: The drum skin from the cover of The Beatles Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album
(Lefteris Pitarakis/AP)

Sold for: £541,000 in 2008

Originally estimated to sell for around £150,000, the original drum skin – which is familiar to millions of Beatles fans – went for almost four times that amount.

It came with a hand-written letter from Sir Peter Blake, who designed the famous album cover, saying he had examined it and was happy that it was the real thing.

5. Eric Clapton’s guitar

Most expensive memorabilia of all time: Eric Clapton's guitar
(Sang Tan/AP)

Sold for: £527,198 in 2004

The Fender Stratocaster – dubbed Blackie – was used by Clapton on stage and in the studio for around 15 years from 1970.

The guitarist described it as “part of me” but let it go under the hammer as part of a sale that raised almost £5 million for a drug and alcohol treatment centre he set up.

At the same auction, he sold the 1939 acoustic guitar he played in his MTV Unplugged set raising another £421,250.

6. Jimi Hendrix’s guitar

Sold for: £198,00 in 1990

Another Fender Stratocaster, this guitar was used by the legendary musician at the 1969 Woodstock festival.

It had been given to Hendrix’s drummer Mitch Mitchell who sold it on more than two decades later.