Colts owner buys Kurt Cobain’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” guitar for $4.5 million

Anyone who even remotely enjoys Nirvana would kill to own Kurt Cobain’s guitar from the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” music video. But sadly, the kind of guys who Cobain likely thought were herbs are the ones who get to afford buying such a cool guitar. The “Smells Like Teen Spirit” 1969 Fender Mustang was auctioned by Julien’s Auctions over the weekend, and Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay won the bid for $4.5 million.

Though you wouldn’t necessarily expect a rich guy in sports to be the one to own one of the most recognizable guitars in rock history, Irsay actually has one of the world’s largest guitar collections. It includes guitars previously owned by legends like Jerry Garcia, Les Paul, George Harrison, and Lou Reed.

According to Variety, the Cobain family is “donating a portion of the proceeds of the legendary select Kurt Cobain items to Kicking The Stigma, the Irsays’ initiative to raise awareness about mental health disorders and remove the stigma associated with these illnesses.”

Before Irsay bought it, the guitar was displayed at Seattle’s MoPOP Museum of Pop Culture. Besides appearing in the music video for “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” the guitar was used while recording both Nevermind and In Utero, and was played during live sets, too. Though it’ll now be in the possession of Irsay instead of permanently displayed somewhere fans can visit at any time, Irsay is known for taking his collection on the road, so there may be more chances to see it in the flesh.