Tupac Shakur’s ring fetches $1 million at auction in New York How Israel came to the brink of collapse

A ring that rapper Tupac Shakur, who died in 1996, designed himself and wore during his last public appearance has been auctioned in New York for about a million dollars (about 860,000 francs). The auction house Sotheby’s announced on Tuesday that there was “determined competition between bidders” at the auction. It was not initially disclosed who ended up buying the ring for $1.016 million.

Sotheby’s had previously valued the crown-shaped ring with gold, diamonds and rubies at only about $300,000. The amount now reached is the highest ever paid for a hip-hop memorabilia at auction, it said.

Shakur (“All Eyez on Me”) was one of the most successful rap artists of the 1990s. In 1996, at the age of 25, he was shot dead under unclear circumstances on a Las Vegas street. At the time, there were clashes between rival rappers from the east and west coasts.

Shakur had the jewelry made to celebrate his engagement to girlfriend Kidada Jones, according to Sotheby’s. The inscription “Pac & Dada 1996” is engraved in the ring. In 1996, the musician wore the ring at the MTV Video Music Awards, his last public appearance. Now his godmother Yaasmyn Fula has released the piece for auction. (sda/dpa)