‘Rare of the rare’ Beatles bootleg to go on sale

A Beatles bootleg described as “a rarity among rarities” is going on sale for $250,000. Superfan Piers Hemmingsen acquired the high-quality recording of the 1965 concert at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens while writing a two-volume history titled The Beatles in Canada.

Hemmingsen initially thought the tape was poor quality like most of the band’s bootlegs, the FT reported — until he discovered he’d been using the wrong type of player; when played on a half-track machine, the difference was “day and night.” He plans to use the sale proceeds to publish his next book, but told The Toronto Star that hearing the tape was the real reward: “It’s made everything I’ve done over the years worth it.”