Drum roll, please. Investing in rare and antique musical instruments can enrich your collection and your portfolio. Violins, cellos, guitars, pianos and other instruments that make music can appreciate significantly in value—if you know what to look for.
Kerry Keane, a musical instrument consultant at Christie’s in New York, told Forbes that six main factors determine an instrument’s worth: its maker, build quality, condition, provenance, market rarity (how long it’s been off the market) and current desirability.
Expect to hold these instruments for the long term. Values often rise over decades rather than months. For example, the Stradivari Society notes that some Guarneri and Stradivari violins purchased around 1990 have roughly tripled in value over the past 30 years.
Below is a list of some of the most valuable musical instruments, ordered roughly from lower to higher value, with key details about each.
16. Gennaro Gagliano’s Violoncello
Christie’s
Year sold: 2009
Price: $362,500 (auction)
Made in Naples circa 1765 by a member of the Gagliano family, this violoncello—an early form of the modern cello—is considered one of the best-crafted instruments of its type. The Gaglianos are sometimes overlooked, but their instruments are prized for tone and workmanship.
15. Verne Q. Powell No. 365 Flute
Wikipedia / Library of Congress
Year sold: 1987
Price: $414,000 (auction)
Verne Q. Powell pursued the finest French-style flute designs, experimenting early on with repurposed silver and eventually moving to gold and platinum for special instruments. His No. 365 flute—once owned by flutist William Kincaid—was later bought by collector Stuart Pivar at auction in 1987.
14. Marilyn Monroe’s Baby Grand Piano
The Marilyn Monroe Collection
Year sold: 1999
Price: $662,500 (auction)
This baby grand originally belonged to Marilyn Monroe’s mother, Gladys. Years later Monroe tracked it down and purchased it back. Its sentimental connection to Monroe and its provenance helped the piano fetch a high price at auction; the buyer was singer Mariah Carey.
13. Eric Clapton’s ‘Blackie’ Stratocaster Guitar
Uwe Lein / AP Photo
Year sold: 2004
Price: $959,500 (auction)
“Blackie” is Clapton’s best-known Fender Stratocaster, assembled from three 1950s Strats for his ideal combination of neck, pickups and pickguard. Despite visible wear—chips, scratches and scorch marks—the guitar’s association with Clapton made it a highly desirable collectible.
12. ‘Ex-Havemeyer’ Guadagnini Cello
Tarisio
Year sold: 2016
Price: $1.5 million (auction)
Giovanni Battista Guadagnini made roughly 40 cellos during his career across several Italian cities. The “ex-Havemeyer” cello, dated around 1743, is slightly smaller than modern cellos but valued for its rich, focused tone. Guadagnini cellos seldom reach the auction block, contributing to this instrument’s strong sale price.
11. Ringo Starr’s Ludwig Drum Kit
Julien’s Auctions
Year sold: 2015
Price: $2.1 million (auction)
Purchased by Ringo Starr in 1962 and used on hundreds of performances, this oyster black pearl Ludwig kit was bought by collector Jim Irsay. The set—comprising tom, floor tom and bass drum—was played on many classic Beatles recordings and is a marquee piece for Beatles memorabilia collectors.
10. John Lennon’s Steinway Model Z
Wikimedia Commons
Year sold: 2000
Price: $2.37 million (auction)
Plain and unadorned, this Steinway Model Z gains its value from association: John Lennon purchased it in 1970 and composed the song “Imagine” on it. Singer George Michael later bought the piano at auction and donated it to a museum in Liverpool, preserving its historical significance.
9. The ‘Reach Out to Asia’ Fender Stratocaster
Fender Wiki
Year sold: 2005
Price: $2.7 million (auction)
This Fender Stratocaster was covered in signatures from stars like Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards and many others. Auctioned by Reach Out to Asia to raise funds for 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami relief, the guitar’s charity purpose and the roster of autographs drove it to a record sale at the time.
8. Heintzman Crystal Piano
Thomas Kienzle / AP Photo
Year sold: 2008
Price: $3.22 million (auction)
Built by Heintzman for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, this transparent crystal piano combined dramatic visual design with a clear, resonant sound. Lang Lang performed on a Heintzman instrument during the opening ceremony. The crystal piano was later sold to an anonymous bidder.
7. The ‘Casablanca’ Piano
Bonhams
Year sold: 2014
Price: $3.4 million (auction)
Used on the set of the classic film Casablanca, this upright piano plays a memorable role in the “As Time Goes By” scene. Likely made in 1927, the instrument is unusual—smaller than modern uprights with only 58 keys—but prized for its cinematic provenance and iconic cultural association.
6. Stradivari’s ‘The Hammer’ Violin
Lefteris Pitarakis / AP Photo
Year sold: 2006
Price: $3.544 million (auction)
Made by Antonio Stradivari in 1707, the violin later belonged to Swedish collector Christian Hammer, giving the instrument its nickname. Loaned for years to violinist Kyoko Takezawa, “The Hammer” is valued both for its exceptional craftsmanship and for a lineage of accomplished players.
5. David Gilmour’s 1969 Fender Stratocaster
Gregorio Borgia / AP Photo
Year sold: 2019
Price: $3.975 million (auction)
David Gilmour’s black 1969 Stratocaster was used on iconic Pink Floyd tracks such as “Comfortably Numb” and “Money.” The guitar sold at auction with proceeds benefiting ClientEarth, an environmental legal organization, and at the time became one of the most expensive guitars ever sold.
4. The Countess of Stainlein, Ex-Paganini Cello
stephanetetreault.com
Year sold: 2012
Price: $6 million+ (private sale)
Crafted by Antonio Stradivari in 1707, this cello later came into the possession of famed violinist Niccolò Paganini and cellist Bernard Greenhouse. After decades in private hands and careful preservation, it sold privately for more than $6 million and was subsequently loaned to a young cellist to promote its continued use.
3. The Vieuxtemps Guarneri Violin
anneakikomeyers.com
Year sold: 2014
Price: $16 million (private sale)
Made around 1741 by Giuseppe Guarneri, the Vieuxtemps violin passed through the hands of prominent musicians, including Henri Vieuxtemps, Yehudi Menuhin and Pinchas Zukerman. In 2014 it reportedly sold to an anonymous buyer who placed it on long-term loan to violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, ensuring continued public performance.
2. Duport Stradivari Cello
Misha Japaridze / AP Photo
Year sold: 2007
Alleged price: $20 million (reported)
Antonio Stradivari built this cello in 1711. It was famously played by the Duport brothers in the early 19th century and later owned by cellist Mstislav Rostropovich. Stories of Napoleon damaging the instrument are part of its legend. Reports of a $20 million sale emerged after Rostropovich’s death, though some sources dispute whether the instrument actually changed hands.
1. MacDonald Stradivari Viola
Sotheby’s
Year: 2014
Asking price: $45 million (failed to sell at auction)
Made circa 1719 during Stradivari’s “Golden Period,” the MacDonald viola is one of only about ten violas attributed to him. It has an exceptional pedigree and history of performance—Peter Schidlof of the Amadeus Quartet played it for many years—and in 2014 it attracted a record-setting asking price but ultimately did not sell at auction.
Collecting and investing in historic instruments requires careful research, trusted certifications and patient stewardship. Provenance, rarity and continued musical use are the strongest drivers of value, and instruments that remain playable and available for performance often hold the greatest appeal to both musicians and collectors.