As promised, UK superagent Ed Victor held off until this month to shop around Rolling Stones guitarman Keith Richards‘ memoirs, and the gambit has paid off handsomely, according to Crain’s Matthew Flamm. Bidding for a book by the Rolling Stones’ famed founding member, co-song writer and rhythm guitarist has reached $7.1 million for world English rights, according to publishing industry sources. With just three houses vying for the book, now the battle rages between HarperCollins and Little, Brown.

“This is Bill Clinton money,” an executive not involved in the bidding told Flamm. Knopf paid $10 million to $12 million for former President Clinton’s autobiography in 2001, while we’re guessing the final bid will be somewhere in the vicinity of $8 million. Alan Greenspan money, perhaps?