• Handwritten lyrics by David Bowie for song “Starman” fetch over £200,000.
• Five times the original £40,000 estimate was paid for the handwritten lyrics.
• The vocalist, David Jones, passed away in New York in 2016 at the age of 69.

David Bowie’s original handwritten lyrics for the hit song “Starman,” which is from the album that made him famous throughout the world, were auctioned off on Tuesday and brought in £203,500.

The song about a Starman who would “want to come and meet us but he believes he’d blow our minds” was included on the Ziggy Stardust concept album and was released as a single in 1972.

Five times the original £40,000 estimate was paid for the handwritten lyrics.

On behalf of a private collector, Olivier Varenne, director of acquisitions, alliances, and collections at the Museum of Old and New Art in Tasmania, placed the winning offer.

Paul Fairweather of Omega Auctions remarked, “We had virtually unparalleled interest from around the world for this iconic piece of memorabilia.

We’re thrilled with the astounding bid amount and confident that the winning bidder will appreciate and treasure the lyrics as they should.

The verses were previously on display as a part of the David Bowie Is collection at the V&A Museum. Since the 1980s, the same person had owned them.

The vocalist, David Jones, passed away in New York in 2016 at the age of 69.