The judge's decision came after Madonna sought an emergency court order. She claims she only learned the letter was no longer in her possession when she read about it in press reports.

The company Gotta Have It! Collectibles had planned to sell the item as part of its rock n' roll themed auction Wednesday. A number of additional personal items belonging to Madonna were also pulled, including a pair of her underwear, and old chequebook, cassette tapes with unreleased demos, and a hairbrush with strands of the singer's hair.

In court papers, the 'Like A Virgin' singer expressed her outrage.

"The fact that I have attained celebrity status as a result of success in my career does not obviate my right to maintain my privacy, including with regard to highly personal items," she said. "I understand that my DNA could be extracted from a piece of my hair. It is outrageous and grossly offensive that my DNA could be auctioned for sale to the general public."

The singer also named art dealer Darlene Lutz, someone who frequently stayed overnight in Madonna's home, as the person behind the sale of her personal belongings.

A spokesman for Lutz and the auction house said the allegations are to be "vigorously challenged and refuted" in court. He also said the items were Lutz's "legal property."

The letter from Shakur was expected to sell for around $400,000 (€347,000), according to court documents.

Website TMZ had published the handwritten letter earlier this month. In it, Shakur detailed the reasons he had broken up with Madonna and made a heartfelt plea to remain friends. The pair had dated in the '90s.