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Jim Irsay collected several pieces of iconic sports memorabilia during his lifetime.
The late Indianapolis Colts owner’s collection was offered in a live online auction at Christie’s, an art and luxury auction house. From Thursday to Saturday, the collection generated more than $93 million at auction, far exceeding its pre-auction estimate of $40 million.
Aside from the coveted musical pieces, sports-themed items from Irsay’s collection sold at auction included Secretariat’s 1973 Triple Crown saddle, Wayne Gretzky’s Edmonton Oilers jersey he wore when he scored his NHL-record 500th goal, and one of Jackie Robinson’s bats from the 1953 season.
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Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay speaks with fans during the induction of Dwight Freeney into the Indianapolis Colts Ring of Honor at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 10, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
The saddle fetched a record price for a horse racing item of $1.524 million, the Oilers jersey fetched $952,500 and Robinson’s bat fetched $406,400.
“The Irsay sale did justice to the brilliance of the collector and the monumental pieces he brought together, iconic objects that tell the story of our culture and our time,” Julien Pradels, president of Christie’s Americas, said in a statement.
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“The Irsay collection is unique, but Christie’s will have other incredible sales in the space in the future.”
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay during warmups before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on October 26, 2014, in Pittsburgh. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
The Irsay memorabilia auction set 23 world records, including a Pink Floyd guitar that became the most expensive ever sold at auction. Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour played the black Fender Stratocaster on six of the band’s albums.
Late Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay is memorialized on a slide in front of Lucas Oil Stadium on June 3, 2025. (Kelly Wilkinson/IndyStar/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Irsay’s collection will be donated to philanthropic causes that the late NFL owner championed during his life, according to Christie’s.
The FBI launched an investigation into the circumstances of Irsay’s death, including a possible connection to her relationship with Dr. Harry Haroutunian, a California-based addiction specialist who reportedly prescribed her painkillers and ketamine.
