CGC Authentication and Grading Lifts Cloud Hanging Over Market
Vintage concert handbills offer the same iconic art as the poster for a fraction of the price.
Over the past 12 months we have seen a huge surge in both interest and demand for Vintage Concert Handbills and Postcards. This renewed enthusiasm is focused on items that have been independently authenticated and graded by CGC.
Not surprisingly, this increase in collector activity is starting to drive up values, but clearly we are still in the very earliest stages of this market expansion. Let's start at the top, and closely examine this new opportunity now available to collectors.
Handbills and postcards were created by promoters as something that could be easily handed out on the street or at concert venues to advertise future events. Of course, postcards could also be mailed.
This organic, "hand to hand" advertising often featured the exact same artwork as the poster for the event. In many cases the artwork was simply printed in black onto standard issue white or colored "copy paper" available at any office supply store.
Prior to CGC, concert handbill and postcard collecting was considered somewhat of a backwater segment of the marketplace. The reason for this is simple. Compared to posters, It's EXPONENTIALLY easier to counterfeit a concert handbill, trim an edge flaw, hide restoration, etc.
For these reasons, collectors understandably kept away. You need to be a real expert and have total confidence to pay thousands of dollars for a small piece of paper with a black design printed on a piece of colored copy paper.
Handbills such as this are easily counterfeited. CGC authentication and grading has opened the floodgates of collector demand.
Third party authentication and grading by CGC has added mush needed stability and integrity to this area of the market. Finally, collectors can buy with confidence, secure in the fact that experts have ascertained that what they are acquiring is real!
This new market development has opened up the floodgates of demand for these beautiful pieces of counter culture history. Suddenly, this entire segment is being viewed in a completely different light.
Specifically, collectors are now focused on the many reasons why vintage concert handbills and postcards can in many cases be even more desirable for acquisition than the matching posters!
Here's why the interest and demand for vintage concert handbills and postcards is exploding now:
1) In most cases, concert handbills and postcards feature the exact same iconic art as the matching posters. At the end of the day, we collect these pieces of history because they are SUPER COOL!
2) Vintage concert handbills and postcards have every ounce of historical importance as the matching posters for the events.
Collectors are super excited with the superior packaging that makes it easy to store and display vintage postcards and handbills.
3) Many collectors believe the smaller size is a huge advantage. There is probably not single serious concert poster collector that has not run into issues about space and storage of concert posters. If you collect the handbills and postcards, PROBLEM SOLVED!
4) CGC has created an incredible package! Obviously, the safety and security that CGC offers is driving this market. But CGC has gone beyond that! Every CGC authenticated and graded handbill and postcard is encased in a holder that is prepunched for display in a standard issue 3 ring binder! This makes your collection super organized and easy to store. Just importantly, it's a super impressive way to show your collection to others!
5) Vintage concert handbils and postcards represent incredible value! Due to the many problems enumerated above, collector demand for concert handbills and posters has been a tiny fraction of the demand seen for the matching posters.
Not surprisingly, this low demand has resulted in bargain basement prices. Collectors now understand they can acquire the same iconic art, featuring the same legendary performers, with the same historical importance, for literally pennies on the dollar compared to the matching posters!
6) Unique handbills and postcards present unique opportunities. Collectors are also now excited to hunt down the handbills and postcards that were created for concerts where no matching poster was ever created! Special issues that were previously "off the radar" are now experiencing massive demand by collectors that are building complete sets but were previously scared off prior to CGC.
In conclusion, the interest and demand for CGC graded vintage concert handbills and postcards is at an all time high. Prices are currently at rock bottom levels, but this situation is rapidly changing. We recommend looking at this market segment NOW, while prices are STILL ridiculously inexpensive!
