£40K for a Love Letter? John Lennon’s 1962 Note Goes to Auction

A rare handwritten letter from John Lennon, dating back to April 1962, is up for auction at Christie’s London with an estimated value of £30,000 to £40,000.

Written to his then-girlfriend Cynthia Powell while the Beatles were performing in Hamburg, the letter reveals Lennon’s complex emotional state just days after the death of his close friend and former bandmate Stuart Sutcliffe.

The note offers a deeply personal mix of humor, vulnerability, and early fame—from reflections on Sutcliffe’s sudden passing to playful complaints about Paul McCartney snoring in the bunk above.

Described by Christie’s experts as “a snapshot of Lennon before global stardom,” the letter is partially redacted, with Cynthia later removing some of the more private passages.

It will be part of Christie’s Valuable Books and Manuscripts sale on July 9, alongside letters from figures like Admiral Nelson and masterpieces by Canaletto and Titian.

The artifact provides a rare glimpse into Lennon’s inner world before Beatlemania, capturing the innocence, anxiety, and intimacy of a 21-year-old still unaware of the cultural icon he was about to become.