Tupac Shakur’s ring has become “the most valuable Hip Hop artifact ever sold at auction” after bidding topped $1 million.
The ‘California Love’ hitmaker wore the custom gold, ruby, and diamond crown piece during his final public appearance at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards, just a week before he was shot dead, and it has now sold for an unprecedented $1,016,000 – far exceeding the $300,000 estimate it was expected to fetch.
Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby’s Global Head of Science and Popular Culture, said in a statement: “This one-of-a-kind, custom ring was meticulously designed by Pac and is among the final products of his boundless creative energy — a unique artifact from a period of time that is a testament to his enduring influence on Hip Hop.”
The rapper designed and commissioned the ring – which was engraved with ‘Pac and Dada, 1996’ in reference to his relationship with Kidada Jones – himself, and according to Sotheby’s, it was inspired by his affinity for Niccolo Machiavelli’s political manifesto The Prince.
In 2019, Tupac’s break-up letter to Madonna – which he wrote in January 1995 while in jail – was auctioned off, despite the ‘Hung Up’ singer’s attempts to block Gotta Have Rock and Roll auctioneers from selling the note.
