A New York auction house says it has sold the first recording contract ever signed by the Beatles for over $90,000.

Heritage Auctions says the 1961 contract was for a recording of a rock and roll version of "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean."

The single from the recording session in Hamburg was released only in Germany. But it led to the Beatles being discovered by manager Brian Epstein.

The session was before Ringo Starr joined the Beatles. Drummer Pete Best signed the contract along with John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison.

The contract was sold Saturday by the estate of German Beatles collector Uwe Blaschke (OO'-vah BLASH'-Kah).

Heritage Auctions did not identify the buyer who paid for $93,750.