Kirk Hammett’s iconic Gibson SG guitar has made auction history — selling for $76,800, over twelve times its estimated value, and proving the Metallica legend’s enduring power in rock culture
Kirk Hammett has once again made noise in the rock world — this time offstage. The legendary Metallica guitarist saw his silver Gibson SG, famously played during Black Sabbath’s final concert with Ozzy Osbourne in Birmingham, sell for an astounding $76,800 at Julien’s Auctions. The sale shattered initial estimates of $4,000–6,000, reaffirming that Hammett’s musical legacy — and anything bearing his name — remains priceless to collectors and fans alike.
The instrument isn’t just a guitar; it’s a piece of rock history. Played during Ozzy’s final live performance in July 2025, it became a symbol of farewell and unity between generations of heavy metal icons. Hammett’s appearance on stage alongside the legendary Sabbath marked a crossover moment — a tribute from one titan to another.
At the auction, the Gibson SG was one of the night’s highlights — not just for its craftsmanship but for the emotion it carried. Following Ozzy Osbourne’s passing, the guitar’s significance grew exponentially. As Lars Ulrich later said, “That performance wasn’t just music — it was history being written one last time.”
Julien’s Played, Worn and Torn auction, which featured over 150 of Hammett’s guitars, also included memorabilia from Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and The Rolling Stones. Still, Hammett’s guitars drew much of the spotlight. His 1985 Gibson Custom Shop Michael Schenker Flying V fetched $160,000, and a 1996 ESP Wavecaster with a transparent body sold for $89,600, both stunning results that speak to his cultural impact and technical artistry.
The auction’s top item, a 1960 Gibson Les Paul Standard once owned by Keith Richards, reached $192,000 — but collectors agreed that Hammett’s SG carried the night’s emotional weight.
For Hammett, guitars are more than tools — they’re extensions of his soul. He’s often said that every guitar represents a chapter of his life, and this particular one symbolizes a powerful collaboration, respect, and farewell. Fans didn’t just buy an instrument; they bought a moment in rock eternity.
The Julien’s event served as more than a sale — it was a celebration of musical memory and legacy. Each instrument tells a story of sound, sweat, and soul. As digital music increasingly dominates, collectors are gravitating toward tangible pieces of the past — and few hold as much resonance as the guitars of Metallica’s master of metal.
The timing of the sale also added to its emotional intensity. Following Ozzy’s death, fans around the world revisited that last concert — the lights, the crowd, the sense of history. Hammett’s Gibson SG became a physical reminder of that final night, a relic of the moment metal bowed its head in respect to one of its founding fathers.
In a recent interview, Lars Ulrich described the atmosphere at the Birmingham show: “We all knew it was special — none of us said it out loud, but we felt it. When Ozzy started singing, every note felt like a goodbye wrapped in gratitude.”
That same emotion rippled through the auction. It wasn’t about money — it was about memory, passion, and connection. Hammett’s instruments, filled with decades of energy, continue to embody what rock truly stands for: authenticity, rebellion, and unity through sound.
The Metallica guitarist has long been a beloved figure among collectors. His ESP KH-2 “Ouija” models have fetched impressive sums in the past, yet the Gibson SG carries a unique gravitas — representing the bridge between generations of heavy metal greatness.
As Hammett often says, “A guitar isn’t just wood and strings — it’s a storyteller.” And for fans, his guitars are the storytellers of an era that shaped their lives.
In a time when digital files dominate music culture, collectors are returning to the tangible — instruments that were played, worn, and torn by legends. This explains why guitars like Hammett’s command prices once reserved for fine art: because they are fine art.
Kirk Hammett’s latest auction triumph is more than a commercial success. It’s proof that rock history isn’t fading — it’s alive in every chord, every scratch, every sold-out stage. His Gibson SG now belongs to a collector, but its story continues to echo through the legacy of Metallica and the spirit of rock itself.
Because in the end, the value of music isn’t in dollars — it’s in the memories it leaves behind.
