Beatle-mania descends on Wolverhampton again 60 years on
A Beatles and music memorabilia specialist company is hosting a free valuation day in Wolverhampton to celebrate the 60th anniversary of The Beatles first playing in the city.
Next week marks six decades since one of the most famous bands of all time played in Wolverhampton's Gaumont Cinema, Snow Hill, on Thursday March 14, 1963.
To celebrate, Lancashire-based company Tracks is hosting a valuation day at Molineux on Saturday between 11am and 4.3pm in the Executive Suite.
Tracks are not only offering free advice and valuations but are also interested in buying items relating to any major artist or band on the day - immediate payment can be made by bank transfer.
The market for Beatles and music related memorabilia which began in the eighties has since grown exponentially in size and significance.
It is a market worth millions now and the scope is becoming increasingly wide in terms of the artists it includes.
The memorabilia market
In the world of music memorabilia the artists and bands whose ephemera attract the highest prices are: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Queen, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, The Who, Pink Floyd, Bob Marley, Led Zeppelin, Madonna, Prince, Michael Jackson and Nirvana/Kurt Cobain.
Autographs and written material are of great interest to collectors and he signatures of The Beatles have always brought the most money.
A good clean set of autographs can be £4,000 upwards and a set from 1967 can be in excess of £5,000. Album sleeves autographed by The Beatles can bring £15,000 to £20,000 and even more if signed on one of the later releases.
An album signed on the front cover by Led Zeppelin or Jimi Hendrix can realise over £10,000.
Concert memorabilia is another strong area of interest. Vintage concert posters from the 1960s relating to the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix or a poster from the 1970s relating to Led Zeppelin can bring around £10,000.
Punk memorabilia relating to the Sex Pistols and the Clash and other groups of that era have become highly sought after as of late, as has material pertaining to bands such as The Smiths and Joy Division.
Handwritten lyrics, stage used or personally worn clothing, instruments, awards, personal effects and record company promotional items from any major group or artist are the types of items which Tracks are interested in appraising and evaluating.
The Beatles in Wolverhampton
The Beatles performed in Wolverhampton twice. The first, at the Gaumont Cinema, was part of the Tommy Roe & Chris Montez tour, where John Lennon missed a third concert due to a persistent cold. He was able to re-join the group on stage the following night in Bristol.
Their set list on this tour was: ‘Love Me Do’, ‘Misery’, ‘A Taste Of Honey’, ‘Do You Want To Know A Secret’, ‘Please Please Me’ and ‘I Saw Her Standing There’.
The Beatles returned to the Gaumont Cinema for a second and final time on Tuesday, November 19, 1963, the 14th date of their 1963 Autumn tour.
Other high-profile names performed in Wolverhampton during the 1960s and 1970s, including The Kinks (April 29, 1964), The Rolling Stones (October 5, 1964), and Chuck Berry (January 28, 1965).
