Just how much did People magazine pay for the first photos of Christina Aguilera’s baby Max? It depends who you ask — but we’ve got a very good hunch.

First, remember that no magazine wanted these photos — or wanted them enough. As Jossip relayed two week ago, Christina was looking for a bigger payday than any magazine was willing to offer. She felt her celebrity entitled her to a larger fee; tabloid editors, knowing how poor Xtina sells on the newsstand, couldn’t rationalize her demands. (Sales of her naked-pregnant Marie Claire cover weren’t so hot. Neither was her wedding in OK!.)

That meant no tabloid published the photos in the week of Max’s birth, which is when something like that is, uh, supposed to happen. (Um, Shiloh?)

OK!’s Sarah Ivens was said to be offering the biggest dowry, but then Aguilera’s camp insisted whoever bought the photos couldn’t run pics of Nicole Richie’s new baby at the same time. OK! was bidding for both when Christina dropped that bombshell and, rather than cave to her demands, we understand OK! left the bidding war.

So who’s pocketbooks were left? Turns out, just People’s; Christina and Max appear on this week’s cover, out today. (Somehow they got Page Six to play nice with the details.)

And just how much cash changed hands?

Two million dollars worth.

A source with direct knowledge of the transaction details says People wrote a $2m cheque for the exclusive shots. And how’d they handle Aguilera’s demand that Richie’s baby not appear in the same issue?

Simple: As we understand it, the sale of Richie’s baby isn’t complete, which means no magazine has finalized access to the photos. So People could still be in the running for those pics, too.