18 April 2004

by Anai Rhoads

AnaiRhoads.org - The late John Lennon's last autograph is on public sale for $325,000. The autograph, which has two quickly scribbled self-portraits of Lennon and Yoko Ono, was offered to a switchboard operator Rabiah Seminole before the couple rushed out of their New York recording studio to head home.

Seminole had no idea at the time that she was holding what will one day be known as the last autograph by the famous former-beatle. Not a half hour went by when the 40 year-old Lennon was gunned down in front of the Dakota by Mark Chapman.

No one was aware that Chapman had been stalking Lennon and his wife outside of their Dakota apartment building on 08 December 1980. Six hours prior to the shooting, Chapman approached Lennon asking him to sign his Double Fantasy LP. It was believed, up until recently, that Chapman held the last autograph. Chapman's signed copy sold for $525,000 in 2003 by the same website that is handling Seminole's sale.

Seminole plans to use the money to maintain her horse sanctuary, the Blue Horse Mukwa Equine Retirement and Rescue Centre. The sanctuary is home to 27 rescued horses, most of which suffered a great deal of abuse and injury in the past.

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