Most Valuable 2Pac Collectibles (2024)

Tupac Shakur is one of the most famous rappers of all time, and his memorabilia still maintains its popularity. With people spending anything from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars on this merchandise, we’ve taken a look at some of the most popular items below.

First Record Contract Ever Signed

Tupac signed his first contract with TNT Records at the age of 20 in 1991 for his debut album, 2pacalypse Now. Although it is now certified gold, it wasn’t a very lucrative deal for 2pac, who only kept 50% of his earnings. Copies of the contract are highly valued because they feature his signature in three places. In 2017, the original contract was sold at an auction for $8,000.

Dolce & Gabbana Jacket

Tupac was well known for wearing a loose-fitting Dolce & Gabbana jacket, so when it went up for auction, it was a fan favorite. Bids started at $6,000, and it finally sold for $8,000. The jacket has been authenticated through a letter of provenance from one of the rapper’s friends.

Death Row Chain

Estimated at $7,000 and possibly one of the most recognizable items, the 14-carat gold medallion that Tupac wore on his All Eyes on Me album cover represented the infamous Death Row Records. This chain appeals not only to Tupac fans but also to hip-hop fans across the globe, with artists like Snoop Dogg and Suge Knight having chains of their own. The chain sold for an impressive $110,000 in November 2023.

License Plates

Tupac had several high-end vehicles, with his favorite being the 1995 Rolls-Royce Corniche 4 that he was frequently seen driving. Unfortunately, his mother was unable to gain possession of the car after his passing, as it belonged to Suge Knight, who was forced to sell it when he filed for bankruptcy. The license plates were sold for $15,000 by the car’s new owner, a memorabilia dealer.

Prison ID

Many of Tupac’s songs were written during his time in prison, and the rapper’s long-standing brush with the law underlined much of what he had to say; he even conducted his most famous interview at Clinton Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison. So, it is no surprise that his plastic laminated prison ID, complete with mugshot, height, weight, and birthday, is among the most intriguing memorabilia pieces. It was sold at auction for $30,000 in 2019.

Original Lyric Notebooks

Among the most sought-after items are Tupac’s rhyme books containing handwritten lyrics, some of which hadn’t been seen before 2016. That year, several notebooks and an unreleased CD were discovered by chance when a Craigslist ad for baseball cards led the buyer to these items. Despite Tupac’s mother attempting to block the sale of these items, they were ultimately sold for $20,000.

Nose Ring

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Tupac is well known for making nose rings popular among males. In 2017, the 14-carat gold nose ring with a 15-point diamond from his All Eyez on Me album cover was sold at the Alexander Historical Auctions for $20,000.

Quran

It is well known that Tupac turned to religion after getting shot in New York, and he adopted the Muslim faith in which he purchased a Quran that he always had in his possession. The near-pristine book, complete with the inscription ‘property of Tupac Shakur,’ was sold at Alexander Historical Auctions for $30,000 in 2017.

Crown Pendant

Arguably the most coveted Tupac memorabilia of all time is his gold and diamond crown medallion. It has a dent at the bottom, which is believed to have been caused by a bullet during the shooting that took his life. It was sold by an unnamed family member to a memorabilia dealer who later put it up for sale, despite Tupac’s family protesting the sale. It is rumored to have sold for $125,000, but neither the amount nor the buyer was disclosed.

Thug Life Is Dead Letter

In May 1995, Tupac handwrote a four-page letter titled “Thug Life Is Dead,” addressed to former Death Row Records employee Nina Bhadreshwar. In it, he discusses how the thug life he once considered essential to him was glamorized, and he encourages his people to level up. He explains that his behavior as a youth wasn’t worth the trouble it caused him and that his new goals were to help his community by teaching the youngsters about the mistakes he made to avoid them doing the same. The letter sold for $172,000 in 2016.

Hummer H1

One of Tupac’s final big purchases was a fully loaded 1996 Hummer H1 that he had customized. It has a 3.6-liter turbo v8 engine, off-road lights, and a 360-degree spotlight. The interior boasts burl wood, beige leather upholstery, a Clarion sound system, and a Sony GPS. Following the rapper’s death, it remained in storage until it was donated as a prize in a 2003 BT raffle. In 2016, it was reportedly sold in auction for $337,144. It was again put up for auction in 2022, but the sale wasn’t finalized as the reserve wasn’t met.

Bullet-Ridden BMW

Perhaps the most interesting of the items we are discussing today is the 1996 BMW 7-Series that Tupac was traveling in when he was shot during the drive-by in Las Vegas that ended his life six days later. The Las Vegas Police Department impounded it, but it has since had several owners, landing at a car dealership for celebrity cars in 2017. It was fully restored, though the bullet holes are still visible inside the door panels. With interest from several hip-hop artists, car collectors, and even the crew of Pawn Stars, who offered a staggering $900,000, the car is yet to be sold.

With such a variety of collectibles, it would be interesting to see what the market would be like now if he had lived longer. Who knows what type of merchandise he would have inspired? Perhaps a video game? A graphic novel about his life? A casino slot featuring free spins from the gaming experts? While we’ll never know for sure, there’s no harm in dreaming, right?

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