You'd better take your diamond ring, you'd better pawn it, babe -- if you want to afford Bob Dylan's famous 1965 Stratocaster

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Sony Music Entertainment/Legacy via Bloomberg

Bob Dylan is seen in this photo taken circa 1970.

Bob Dylan’s performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival is widely considered a seminal moment in rock ‘n roll history, primarily because he played a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar, which many of his fans took as a betrayal of his folk roots. Next month, on Dec. 6, that guitar will go up for auction at Christie’s in New York City, according to a report by the Associated Press.

The guitar is being sold by a New Jersey family that apparently came into possession of it when Dylan left it on an airplane piloted by the current owner’s father. The pilot picked it up and attempted to return it to Dylan through his management company, but never received a response to his inquiries, the AP said. Dylan’s representatives are aware of the auction, a Christie’s spokesperson told the AP.

Rolling Stone noted that Dylan’s representatives originally denied that the guitar was, indeed, the one he used at Newport, but the instrument was authenticated as part of a PBS television show, and then this summer the guitar’s owner and Dylan settled a legal dispute that allowed the sale to move forward. The event will also include the sale of several pieces of handwritten lyrics found in the guitar case, Rolling Stone said, which are estimated to be worth up to $5,000 at auction.

It’s not clear how much Dylan’s guitar might fetch, but Sky News speculated it could attract a bid as high as $500,000.