'I don't believe you're that insane': Angry Beatles breakup letter sells for $40,000

A Texas collector has paid nearly $A40,000 for an angry John Lennon letter to Paul and Linda McCartney written shortly after the Beatles' breakup.

The Beatles

The Beatles. Source: SBS Movies

An angry letter from John Lennon to Paul and Linda McCartney written shortly after the Beatles' breakup has been sold at auction for nearly $US30,000 ($A40,000).

The two-page typed draft , with handwritten annotations by Lennon, was sold on Thursday by Boston-based RR Auction.

RR says the letter is believed to have been written in 1971 in response to criticism Lennon received from Linda McCartney about his decision to not publicly announce his departure from the band.

The profanity-filled and sometimes rambling letter reads: "Do you really think most of today's art came about because of the Beatles? I don't believe you're that insane - Paul - do you believe that? When you stop believing it you might wake up!"

The letter was sold to a collector in Dallas who requested anonymity.

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