The Irsay family will auction off much of the memorabilia collection owned by Jim Irsay – a compilation of items for which the late indianapolis colts The owner once said that he was Over $1 billion offered,
there will be an auction Powered by Christie Starting in March, the Irsay family plans to hold select items and donate a portion of the proceeds to charity.
“This decision was not made lightly, but with deep consideration and love for the legacy he has created,” the Irsay family said in a statement released Thursday by the Colts. “Our father was a passionate collector, driven not by possession, but by a deep appreciation for the beauty, history and cultural resonance of the objects he collected. From iconic instruments to handwritten songs of legends to rare historical artifacts and documents, each piece in the collection tells a story – and he was always very excited to share those stories with the world.”
Known for its vast selection of musical instruments, including instruments owned by members of the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Prince, Kurt Cobain, and Eric Clapton, the collection also includes items such as Muhammad Ali’s “Rumble in the Jungle” championship belt, the saddle used for Secretariat’s Triple Crown run, and a more than 200-year-old copy of the Declaration of Independence.
Christie’s said the collection includes “extraordinary sports and film memorabilia, American presidential artifacts, extremely rare books, documents and manuscripts focusing on American history, the ‘Beatnik’ movement and much more.” Christie’s will hold free public exhibitions at its location in Rockefeller Plaza in New York.
“Christie’s is honored to offer this magnificent collection that renowned collector Jim Irsay has so lovingly compiled, maintained and shared over decades,” said Julian Predels, president of Christie’s Americas Region. “These extraordinary objects will be made available to passionate collectors around the world who will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a piece of history, providing this outstanding collection with its next chapter.”
The collection was selected as part of a series of traveling exhibitions and concerts in recent years, including a yearlong program that ended in September at Indiana University.
Irsay said in 2023 that he thought the collection would “always be together” but noted that ultimately it would not be up to him.
“Look, it’s not mine. I always say, you never see a hearse pulled by a U-Haul,” Irsay said. “I mean, I don’t own anything. Someone else is going to own it, and someone else is going to live here.”
Irsay, who had owned the Colts since 1997, died in May at the age of 65. His three daughters, Carly Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt and Kellen Jackson, have since taken over ownership of the team, following the quarterback’s NFL-best 7–1 start in 2025. Daniel Jones and running back jonathan taylorIrsay was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor earlier this season, and the Colts are wearing a “JI” patch on their jerseys.
Irsay’s daughters, who have put at least two of Irsay’s homes up for sale, said they believe “it is time for a new life for the collection.”
“Our sincere hope is that these artefacts will find stewards in the future who will understand and cherish their importance,” he said.
ESPN’s Stephen Holder and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
