Today, we have a colorful issue on investment-grade concert posters from Mike Storeim.
Mike is the founder of Classic Posters. We've known Mike for years, but this is his first guest post with Alts.
Let’s go 👇
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The cultural revolution begins
It's 1965.
The first American combat troops are arriving in Vietnam.
Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and 700 demonstrators are arrested in Selma, Alabama. Malcolm X is killed at a Harlem rally.
The Sound of Music is the top-grossing film of the year.
And cultural change is exploding with the Flower Children and Hippies gathering in Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco.
The intersection of Haight Street and Ashbury Street, in San Francisco is considered ground zero for the the Summer of Love. That record store is long gone, but Amoeba Music a few blocks away continues to thrive.
A musical revolution was taking place, with bands like Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead leading the way.
Bill Graham, a highly influential concert promoter at The Fillmore Auditorium, and Chet Helms at the Avalon Ballroom began to promote these bands’ concerts with colorful posters to display around San Francisco.
The Avalon Ballroom at 1268 Sutter Street. The famous SF music scene hub closed in 1969 and has since been rented out to tech startups & media companies. You can rent it today.
See, this shift in culture wasn’t just about rebellion — it marked a fundamental change in how people communicated, expressed creativity, and envisioned the role of art in everyday life.
The convergence of political activism, civil rights struggles, anti-war protests, and free-spirited counterculture created fertile ground for a new form of artistic output that extended beyond gallery walls.
San Francisco, in particular, became a beacon for this transformation, as its streets buzzed with psychedelic music, spiritual exploration, and an ethos of communal living.
It was in this context that the concert poster emerged not just as an advertisement, but as a time capsule of the era’s social and aesthetic values.
How concert posters became artwork
Posters to advertise events were nothing new, but the artists who created the concert posters of the 1960s took the art form to new levels.
Most pieces from the early 1960s are plain: block text and perhaps a picture of the band were used. But the art that emerged in early 1966 was on a whole different level — exploding with color and undulating lettering.
Drugs had a lot to do with this shift — in particular marijuana and LSD being. (LSD was legal until October 1966! It's use was widespread among artists like Rick Griffin who created these vibrant images.)
These posters were not just tools of promotion; they became vibrant, mind-bending experiences that mirrored the music they advertised.
Artists intentionally pushed the boundaries of legibility, bending typography until it looked like it was dancing on the page—sometimes requiring viewers to decode the message like a visual puzzle.
Fillmore Poster (1966) - Wes Wilson. The obtuse text was part of the appeal. These were meant to be stared at, absorbed, and interpreted, often under the influence of the very substances that inspired them.
The poster became an extension of the concert itself: a sensory journey and a prelude to the psychedelic immersion that awaited.
Innovators in poster design
Many of the first posters for The Fillmore and Avalon venues were creations of Wes Wilson (1937–2020).
(To be fair, Wilson styled much of his lettering based on the works of Alfred Roller, a designer from Austria.)
Before long, other artists began to create art for rock concerts, including Stanley Mouse, Alton Kelley (1940–2008), Rick Griffin (1944–1991), Bonnie MacLean (1939–2020), David Singer, Lee Conklin, David Byrd (1941–2025), and Victor Moscoso.
This poster was designed by Wes Wilson to advertise a series of concerts by Jefferson Airplane, James Cotton Blues Band, and Moby Grape at San Francisco's Fillmore Auditorium.
Each of these artists brought a distinct visual vocabulary to the scene. Mouse and Kelley, for example, were known for blending surreal imagery with counterculture symbolism — skulls, roses, and skeletons were common motifs that became synonymous with bands like the Grateful Dead.
Rick Griffin's work, influenced by underground comics and surfing culture, took on a fluid, hallucinatory quality that pushed the limits of visual abstraction.
Meanwhile, Victor Moscoso introduced advanced color theory and formal design training from Yale into the freewheeling poster world, giving his work a polished yet radical edge.
Collectively, these artists transformed the ephemeral into the iconic.
The psychedelic music movement spread quickly to areas such as Detroit, Chicago, New York, Austin, and Denver, and with it spread more poster art from artists such as Gary Grimshaw (1946–2014), Gilbert Shelton, Carl Lundgren, Jim Franklin, and a host of others.
Since these posters were created as “throw away advertising”, very little thought was given to the printing quality— producing them economically was the primary consideration.
But this is great for investors! The earliest pieces were printed in small quantities as cheaply as possible, leading to their rarity today.
As the concerts continued, and a new poster was printed every week, people began to save them. In short order, the quantity printed went from 100 or so to 1,000, and the promoters gave them to attendees each week.
As the popularity grew, the need to reprint the earlier pieces became apparent, and some were reprinted several times. Eventually, the pre-show print runs grew to around 6,000 pieces with many sold by poster shops around the country.
The FD series was short-lived, ending in late 1968, while the BG series survived until June 1971. In general, that 1965 to 1971 era was the Golden Age for concert posters, and production dropped greatly after then.
Some bands continue the tradition, most notably Pearl Jam, who has a poster for every show. The most popular Pearl Jam poster creators are modern-day artists Chuck Sperry and Emek (who kind of looks like he belongs in the band).
Pearl Jam played the Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, NC on Oct 4, 1996. The powerful imagery makes this one of our favorite Emek pieces and it is in constant demand.
By the late 1960s, posters had begun to transcend their original purpose.
Collectors (many of them concertgoers themselves recognized the artistry and began preserving them with care. Some artists even started signing their work or issuing limited editions.
This transition from promotional material to collectible artwork happened organically, driven by both cultural passion and a desire to memorialize a golden era of creativity.
Cities like Austin and Detroit became important regional hubs, developing their own subgenres of poster art that mirrored their local music scenes and political climates.
What began as a grassroots movement was quickly becoming a national phenomenon.
Tips for collecting and preservation
Concert-poster collecting is quite varied and there are endless ways to collect them.
Many people try to acquire complete sets of the popular series like the BG and FD. Others collect by band, artist, or venue.
The main thing is to collect posters that appeal to you. Enjoy the art for art’s sake.
Once you have acquired a poster or two, an inevitable question arises: How do I protect and preserve them?
I suggest keeping posters flat and in a protective mylar sleeve or portfolio book.
CGC certification helps provide both authentication and long-term value protection. Think of it like grading for comics or coins: a third-party seal of trust that serious investors and collectors rely on.
Posters also can be framed, if done carefully using archival materials. Even if framed correctly, it is important to keep the pieces from direct sunlight. Older inks will fade, even with UV protection.
Proper storage isn’t just about avoiding damage — it’s about preserving value. A crease, tear, or faded edge can drastically reduce the resale price of an otherwise rare piece.
Acid-free backings, UV-resistant glass, and climate-controlled storage are all worth considering for higher-end posters.
60-year anniversaries are approaching
As time passes, the music advertised on these posters remains popular, especially timeless acts like Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Janis Joplin, the Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin.
In the next few years, some important 60-year anniversaries will occur:
60th anniversary of the formation of the Grateful Dead in 2025
60th anniversary of the start of the Bill Graham and Family Dog shows in 2026,
60th anniversary of the Monterey Pop Festival in 2027
60th anniversary of Woodstock in 2029
These anniversaries will likely drive renewed attention to the music, the bands, and the art that defined an era.
Just as the Beatles' milestones brought new waves of fanfare and merchandise, the 60-year marks for these legendary events are poised to reignite nostalgia — and collectibility.
Museums, cultural institutions, and auction houses are already preparing retrospectives. Expect surges in demand and visibility, particularly for museum-quality prints tied to the biggest acts and venues.
Valuing vintage concert posters
When compared to similar collectibles such as comic books, sports cards, and rare coins, vintage concert posters might seem undervalued.
If collecting or investing in these timeless works of art appeals to you, we suggest starting with a pair of books:
Paul Grushkin illustrates the Bill Graham and Family Dog series, as well as hundreds of pieces from venues around the world.
Original, or first print posters are the scarcest and most desirable, and we don’t recommend purchasing reprints unless an original is simply out of your budget. Acquiring these works of art should be undertaken with the help of an expert to assure that you get the correctly attributed posters with accurate condition grades.
Today, original first print posters are available in price ranges as low as $75, with many great pieces in the $2,500–$20,000 range. Certain rarities command strong six-figure prices, but posters exceeding $50,000 are the exception.
Once you find a piece of rock concert memorabilia that interests you, it is critical to buy only first print posters in the best quality you can locate, keeping in mind that some posters do not exist in great condition. (In general, pieces from the larger series can be found in Near Mint condition or better, so it is imperative to stick with the higher-grade pieces.)
Restoration was the rage about 15 years ago, but now most collectors prefer their posters to be in original condition, even with a few flaws. Also, keep in mind that many of the 1960s posters were reprinted after the shows. (Learn how to differentiate the print runs.)
As with any collectible asset, provenance and scarcity drive value. Posters tied to landmark shows — like the Grateful Dead’s Avalon Ballroom debut or Hendrix’s Fillmore sets — are especially prized.
Condition is paramount, but so is context. Was the poster part of a short print run? Was it designed by a key artist? Is it associated with a pivotal cultural moment? These are the questions seasoned collectors use to guide their decisions.
And just like fine art or wine, this market tends to reward patience, knowledge, and quality over hype.
The long-term outlook
A sound investment for the future
Vintage concert posters are not a get-rich-quick scheme, and the collectors who do the best in a financial sense are the ones who methodically acquire pieces and hold them for the long term.
Keep in mind that in 2010, a superb example of the famous FD-26 Grateful Dead poster with the skeleton and roses was worth $12,500 to $15,000.
We sold a gorgeous example (CGC-certified 9.8) to the ALTS 1 Fund a few years ago for $140,000. Two years ago, we sold a CGC-certified 9.9 example to an investor for $200,000!
Arguably the most famous concert poster of all time, the Grateful Dead 'Skeletons and Roses' poster was illustrated by Edward Joseph Sullivan. The resulting poster has lived on through time and has increased in value at a dramatic pace. We recently sold a top-condition CGC graded 9.9 original for $200,000.
The enduring appeal of rock concert posters
The future for this art form looks very promising.
As digital culture becomes increasingly dominant, there’s growing appreciation for tactile, analog artifacts of the past.
Vintage posters, with their hand-drawn designs and screen-printed textures, offer a physical connection to history. Investors who understand the crossover between art and music memorabilia stand to benefit not only from financial returns but cultural relevance.
We are often asked whether we think the interest in vintage concert posters will die, along with the Baby Boomers who grew up with this music. The answer is a resounding “NO!”
As we said before, much of the music is timeless, and several well-known museum curators believe rock concert posters are the greatest American art form of the 20th century. One need only look as far as the Dead & Company shows at the Sphere in Las Vegas to gauge the interest.
New generations are discovering the power of these posters not just as historical relics, but as expressive works of art. Social media, museum exhibits, and pop-up retrospectives have introduced the medium to younger audiences who value authenticity and aesthetic depth.
As the cultural memory of the 60s lives on through reissues, tribute concerts, and documentaries, I think the demand for original visual ephemera should only increase. 🌈
That's it for today.
Come find me in the Alts Community! I'm happy to answer any questions Alts readers might have about collecting these incredible artifacts from America’s colorful history.
See you next time, Mike
Disclosures
This issue was authored by Mike Storeim and edited by Stefan von Imhof
Classic Posters did not pay for placement in this issue
This issue contains an affiliate link to Bookshop.org
