Courtesy of Julien's Auctions

Courtesy of Julien’s AuctionsA rare copy of the “butcher cover” version of The Beatles‘ 1966 album Yesterday and Today — once owned by John Lennon — is going up for bid May 9 at a memorabilia auction at The Beatles Story museum in Liverpool, U.K.

The LP jacket, which contains a stereo prototype disc, has a blank back cover.  Lennon autographed the front and decorated the back with a personalized drawing for a Beatles bootleg collector named Dave Morrell.  Lennon traded the album to Morrell in exchange for a reel-to-reel recording of the Yellow Matter Custard bootleg.

John’s signature on the front reads “To Dave from John Lennon Dec 7th 71” —  and Morrell later got both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr to autograph the cover too.

It’s expected to fetch between $160,000 and $180,000.

The LP is among many items going on the block at the “Music Icons: The Beatles in Liverpool” sale, presented by Julien’s Auctions. The event will be streamed live at JuliensAuctions.com; bidding will be accepted both at the museum and online.

Other notable collectibles being auctioned include:

–A baseball signed by The Beatles at the band’s final U.S. concert, in 1966 at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park, estimated to sell for $80,000 to $100,000

–A guitar strap owned and signed by Lennon, which is expected to fetch $20,000 to $30,000

–A Liverpool Airport poster, signed by the Fab Four, that announced the band members’ arrival in their hometown to attend a 1964 screening of A Hard Day’s Night.  It’s estimated at $30,000 to $50,000.

Julien’s Auctions also is partnering with the museum to host a “Memorabilia Day” on May 10, where fans and collectors can bring in their rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia to be appraised for free.

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