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The Beatles Tickets

When it comes to music memorabilia, fans of The Beatles are probably the most likely to splash their cash in order to own however small and tenuous a piece of the fab four's history.

But while some items, such as the forthcoming auction of a pair of Elvis' stained pants (expected to make £10,000), reek of desperation and earning a quick-buck (among other things), fans still usually save the biggest sums for items that are far more obviously important pieces of cultural history.

So, whether guitars and cars or handwritten lyric sheets and manuscripts - here Gigwise lists some of the most expensive music memorabilia items ever sold at auction.