What Makes a Vintage Concert Poster Valuable?

There are 5 main factors that determine a concert poster’s value: The artist and artwork, the band performing, the rarity of the poster, the poster’s state of preservation (condition), and the historical importance of the concert. This section will explain and explore each of these factors in greater detail.

The 5 Most Sought After Concert Poster Artists of All Time.

There are literally millions of concert posters have been created by thousands of artists over the past 50+ years. However, there are five world famous artists that are universally recognized as being directly responsible for creating a ground-breaking, genre shifting body of artwork that’s directly responsible for setting this hobby in motion.

These five legendary concert poster artists are collectively known as …wait for it…The Big Five! The Big Five are Rick Griffin, Wes Wilson, Alton Kelley, Stanley Mouse and Victor Moscoso.

It is not an understatement to say that any poster created by any of these five legends is important, inherently valuable, and highly sought after by collectors today. 

Thankfully, these were not the only 5 influential concert poster artists of the era. 

Other important 1960’s concert poster artists that are also highly respected and sought after by collectors include Lee Conklin, Greg Irons, David Byrd, David Singer, John Van Hamersveld, Randy Tuten, Carl Lundgren, Gary Grimshaw, Bob Fried, and Bonnie MacLean. 

All of these artists are well known, highly respected, and collectors have been scrambling to acquire their creative output ever since it “hit the street” beginning in 1965. 

In more recent times, there has been a literal explosion of young artists that are using new technology and materials in their quest to expand the boundaries of concert posters and make their own valuable contributions to the genre.

Hundreds of new artists have succeeded in creating truly awe-inspiring artworks. Perhaps a few dozen have earned national reputations. 

However, there are two modern concert poster artists that are valued higher by collectors than all the others - Emek and Chuck Sperry. Both of these artists are well respected and their output is valuable and eagerly sought after by collectors around the world.

The list of artists discussed here is not meant in any way to be comprehensive. There are many valuable concert posters that have been created by other artists, including some that are well known and others where the artist remains a mystery. 

Nevertheless, if you are lucky enough to have a concert poster that has been created by one of the legends discussed here, you can be confident that you own something that is both desired and valuable.