Beatles for sale: Only the rich need apply

Lennon and McCartney lookalikes Gary Gibson (left) and Lawrence Gilmour modelling two of the Fab Four's guitars up for auction today.

`Lennon' holds a Rickenbaker, the only guitar signed by all four members of the band, expected to fetch between pounds 80-pounds 100,000, while `McCartney' has a gold-plated Hoffner violin bass (pounds 100-pounds 150,000). The sale of Beatles memorabilia, which includes McCartney's school maths book (tipped to fetch pounds 25- pounds 30,000) and his birth certificate (pounds 8-pounds 9,000), should raise more than pounds 1m. Also for sale are the original lyrics to `Penny Lane' and Lennon's Afghan coat worn on the cover of Magical Mystery Tour. The auction will take place simultaneously in Japan and London, with bidders linked by satellite.

Photograph: Andrew Buurman