Smashed Taylor Swift guitar put up for sale after man destroyed it in viral video after buying it for $4K
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: A guitar once belonging to Taylor Swift, smashed in a viral video, is back on the auction block, creating a buzz among fans and collectors alike.
Initially purchased for $4,000 at a charity auction, the instrument became notorious after a Texas man destroyed it with a hammer, capturing the attention of social media.
Now listed on eBay, the seller claims the guitar was signed by Swift herself; however, this assertion has been met with skepticism from a source close to her merchandise team. As the bidding begins at $100, the tale of this shattered guitar raises questions about authenticity, celebrity memorabilia, and the lengths fans will go to own a piece of pop culture history.
Smashed Taylor Swift guitar up for sale on eBay
The smashed Taylor Swift guitar featured in a recent viral video is back up for auction on eBay.
According to the seller, this is the same guitar that a man infamously purchased at a charity auction for $4,000, only to smash it with a hammer in a widely circulated video. The eBay listing states that the man donated the guitar back to the Texas nonprofit he originally bought it from, the Ellis County Wild Game Dinner, with proceeds from the sale earmarked to support agricultural education for local youth.
While the seller claims that Taylor Swift signed the guitar, a source close to her merchandise company denies this, stating that Swift did not sign it. The source also clarified that the guitar is not an official Taylor Swift product and that her merchandise company did not issue a certificate of authenticity.
However, photos from the eBay listing show a signature on the guitar, which features decorations from Swift's "Eras" tour images. Furthermore, a certificate of authenticity from the original auction, asserts that "the guitar has been personally signed by Taylor Swift and is guaranteed to be authentic."
It's worth noting that this certificate lacks a seal, which is usually present on such documents. Regardless, the damaged guitar from the viral video is now up for sale to the highest bidder, with a starting bid of $100.
Texas man revealed reason for smashing Taylor Swift’s guitar
According to Daily Mail, the Texas man who purchased the Taylor Swift guitar, identified as 67-year-old Gary Estes, was filmed walking up to receive the instrument at the Ellis County Wild Game Dinner in Waxahachie on Saturday.
Once he had the guitar in hand, Estes gleefully smashed it with a hammer, prompting laughter from the crowd. Estes insists that his actions were not intended to be malicious.
The dinner is an annual charity event aimed at supporting agricultural education for local youth, and Estes felt it was the perfect opportunity for his prank.
He said, "It was just a joke at an auction to raise money for kids, right? That's all it was. There was nothing mean about it, nothing bad about it. It was just a joke that they were making up on stage, and we just followed through."
The listing currently stands at $2,550 with 23 bids.
A description in the listing claims that Estes donated the guitar back to the Ellis County Wild Game Dinner, and the proceeds from the sale will go towards the nonprofit's original mission of supporting agricultural education, as per DailyMail.
Internet mocks seller for auctioning Taylor Swift's smashed guitar
After discovering that the smashed guitar belonging to Taylor Swift is up for sale, several Internet users have scrutinized the man’s motives and his plan to destroy the instrument, with some even mocking him
One user mocked, "That would be awesome if someone purchase it then put it back together then sell it again."
The second declared, "That guitar won't hurt you anymore. You're safe now." The third said, "Immaturity of someone begging for attention!"
The fourth said, "Genius. I hope he gets more than he paid for it." One stated, "Fun fact. Swift didn’t sign it. It was forged"
Someone else added, "So this person smashed the guitar not because he has an issue with TS but for money." One of the Internet users claimed, "Makes all the others more valuable. Nice move hillbilly!"
One netizen wrote, "The dude Is trying to get his money back." One person on Facebook claimed, "Imagine being an elderly man, but looking so childish." The last user asserted, "Buy it, smash it more, resell it."
