In a quirky piece of Beatles history, a discarded slice of toast, reportedly eaten by George Harrison in the early 1960s, has found a new home with a devoted collector.
The toast, which has been preserved in a scrapbook since the early 1960s, was purchased by Joseph O’Donnell, a passionate Beatles memorabilia enthusiast. Though the purchase price remains undisclosed, O’Donnell shared his excitement, describing the toast’s story as “bizarre” and “historical.”
The tale behind the piece of toast begins with 15-year-old Beatles fan, Sue Houghton, who was visiting Harrison’s family home when she took the crust left behind on his plate. Houghton kept it in a scrapbook, dated February 8, 1963, the day before the Beatles’ final performance at Liverpool’s iconic Cavern Club.
This piece of memorabilia made its first appearance at auction in 1991, fetching a notable price along with a love letter from John Lennon to his ex-wife, Cynthia. Harrison himself even joked about the authenticity of the toast in a 1992 interview, saying, “I ate all my toast! I never left any!”
The toast’s new owner, O’Donnell, who continues to collect pieces of Beatles history, joins an ever-growing list of Beatles fans eager to own a piece of the band’s legacy. From love letters to instruments, memorabilia from the Fab Four has long been a hot commodity, with high-profile auctions reaching astronomical figures for rare items.
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