The Bible on Elvis Presley’s bedroom nightstand the night he died at Graceland has sold at auction. Presley’s Bible fetched $150,000 at Kruse GWS Auctions over Memorial Day Weekend. The Bible received 23 bids before the final gavel came down.
It broke the previous record of $94,000 set in 2017.
“The Bible is embossed with ‘Elvis Aaron Presley’ in gold, and contains a large amount of book marked pages and underlined passages that seemingly spoke to Elvis,” Kruse GWS Auctions writes in the description lot. “One of these underlined passages in particular is from the book of Job, 31:24-26, which reads, ‘If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence; If I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because mine hand has gotten much; If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness.'”
Presley died of a heart attack on Aug. 16, 1977, at the age of 42.
After Presley’s death, his cousin, Patsy Presley, kept the rock-and-roll legend’s Bible.
“This Bible comes with a handwritten letter from Elvis’ cousin Patsy Presley, with whom he was very close. The letter states in part, ‘Shortly after Elvis’ passing my uncle Vernon (Elvis’ dad) and I went up into Elvis’ bedroom at Graceland to organize and pack many of his personal belongings. This Holy Bible was one of three that Elvis had on his night table. After packing them Uncle Vernon had me take them home for safe keeping and eventually gave them to me,'” the auction’s description lot reads.
Elvis Presley was a deeply spiritual man and would read the Bible before shows.
“A lot of people don’t realize that after every show, he would unwind by singing gospel songs until the sun came up,” Billy Stanley, Presley’s stepbrother, tells Fox News Digital. “He was in touch with the Lord. A lot of people said, ‘Well, he did this and that.’ [But] we all fall short. We’re all human.”
In 2016, another Presley Bible — one he used while he was a patient at Baptist Memorial Hospital in April 1977 — sold for $2,560 at Julien’s Auctions.
Other Presley items sold at Kruse GWS Auctions over the weekend include:
- Elvis Presley’s 9.81ctw Diamond “First” TCB Ring ($525,000)
- Elvis Presley Gifted Diamond and 14K TCB Necklace ($140,000)
- Elvis Presley TCB Necklace Gifted to Sammy Davis Jr. ($75,000)
- Elvis Presley’s “Elvis on Tour” Neostyle “TCB” Sunglasses ($47,500)
- Elvis Presley’s Custom Made Leather and Mink Coat W/Photo ($32,000)
Presley’s emergence in the 1950s marked a seismic shift in popular music. His unique fusion of blues, country, and gospel, coupled with his electrifying stage presence, captivated audiences and revolutionized the music industry. Hits like “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Hound Dog,” and “Jailhouse Rock” not only topped the charts but also challenged societal norms and broke down racial barriers. Presley had 18 songs that topped the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Chart during his career.
Throughout his career, Presley showcased his versatility as an entertainer. He starred in numerous films, such as “Love Me Tender” and “Viva Las Vegas,” which further solidified his status as a cultural icon.
More than 1 billion Presley records have been sold worldwide.