An auction of George Best memorabilia raised some £200,000 in the United Kingdom today.
A 1968 European Cup winner's medal awarded to the Manchester United great sold for £156,000 at auction in Chester.
The medal, which Bonhams had expected to fetch between £90,000 and £120,000, was presented after United's 4-1 win over Benfica when they became the first English team to win the European Cup.
The medal was among 13 awards presented to Northern Ireland international Best during his career which were auctioned by the executors of his estate. The proceeds from the sale today will go to Best's sister Barbara McNally.
A replica of the European Cup winner's medal, made for Best when he misplaced the original, fetched £9,000, Bonhams said.
The BBC Lifetime Achievement Award Best won in 2002 sold for £7,800, while a limited edition George Best Faberge egg commemorating his part in the 1968 cup final sold for £25,200.
The last shirt worn by the player for Northern Ireland while a Manchester United player on November 14th, 1973, sold for £6,000.
Belfast-born Best made 470 appearances for United between 1963 and 1974, scoring 179 goals, but after leaving the club his glittering career went into decline as his celebrity lifestyle began to take its toll.
The player died aged 59 in 2005 after a long battle with drink and its associated health problems.
Today's auction also featured the shirt worn by Brazilian footballer Pele in his final international appearance for Brazil versus Yugoslavia on July 18th, 1971, which made £$8,640. There was also a collection of Muhammad Ali memorabilia, signed and donated by the celebrated former boxer to Parkinson’s UK, which raised over £3,000 for the Parkinson’s disease charity.
Reuters