Make a mint from memorabilia
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The King is dead – but it seems he’ll never be forgotten. Interest in Elvis Presley hit fever pitch this week as fans across the world commemorated the 30th anniversary of his death. We look at the best Elvis collectables in our guide to investing in memorabilia
We’re becoming a nation of collectors in the hope of building a nest egg for the future, according to new research. Insurance giant Direct Line claims that the memorabilia market is growing rapidly – with the over-50 age group alone spending a massive £2.5bn on collectables over the past five years.
Pop memorabilia is particularly sought after – not least original vinyl singles and albums. Some early Beatles records are estimated to be worth more than £4,000, for example – but perhaps the hottest music collectables are Elvis Presley items.
The King continues to be a one-man industry 30 years after his death, and original records are the most essential of all his collectables – with prices to match. A pristine copy of debut single ‘That’s All Right’ on the Sun Records label can command anywhere between £2,000 to £3,000 but there are more affordable items available for discerning collectors.
top up your savings
A picture sleeve 7” of his gorgeous 1965 gospel ballad ‘Tell Me Why’ on the RCA Victor label can be picked up for as little as £10, according to Record Collector, while for UK pressings of better-known tunes such as ‘Hound Dog’, expect to pay anywhere between £50 to £200.
Other items worth tracking down are concert tickets (worth at least £20) and sheet music. ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ was the first Elvis classic published in sheet music form and copies now fetch between £75 and £100.
Why collecting pays
Figures from specialist insurers Hiscox show that collectables have gone up in value on average by more than 75 per cent over the past decade. And with profits like that up for grabs, it’s no surprise that more of us are prepared to invest in memorabilia as an investment vehicle.
Online auction houses such as eBay are a favourite way to buy and sell items but bear in mind that values can fluctuate wildly. Very rare items often fail to reach their reserve price while comparatively common items can go for sums far in excess of their actual worth.
But what are the best items to go for? It can pay to follow your passion – and whether you love films, football or books, we look at the items set to become the antiques of tomorrow.
With thanks to Tim Jones at Record Collector
