1966 FD-26 Grateful Dead Avalon Ballroom Poster CGC 8.5

Psychedelic Art Exchange is kicking off our November CGC poster auction with an exceptional first printing FD-26, the 1966 Grateful Dead Skull and Roses Avalon Ballroom Poster. This original printing boasts bright, well-saturated inks, perfect registration, and only a few minor flaws on the paper. The Stanley Mouse and Alton Kelley designed 57-year-old off-set litho advertising poster you see here has been authenticated and graded 8.5 by CGC. 

This seminal work is the centerpiece of the San Francisco poster movement and has evolved into a seriously valuable collectible over the years. PAE has auctioned 15 original printings over the years. To see PAE's past sales, click here.

The online collector's price guide at GoCollect reports that 75 total copies have been graded by CGC, of which 55 auction results have been recorded. The graded population is relatively low by CGC comic book standards but is still immensely helpful when determining current market value. As a comparison, CGC has graded 4,833 copies of Amazing Spider-Man #1 with 2,047 verified sales.

The FD-26-OP-1 was the first to break the six-figure sales mark at Heritage Auctions in 2019, and posters later set a high sale mark of $137,500 in 2020. The highest-graded copy ever sold at auction was a CGC 9.9 for $116,000 in 2020.

Condition Details: light crease top left corner and right edgeby “17”, light foxing

--CRITICAL DETAILS--
--TITLE: FD-26 Poster
--GRADE: CGC 8.5
--PERFORMERS: Grateful Dead, Oxford Circle
--VENUE: Avalon Ballroom
--CITY: San Francisco
--DATE: 09/16/66
--PRINTING: OP-1; Original Pre-Concert First Printing Poster
--SIZE: 14.13 x 20

A 20% Buyers Premium will be added to the final hammer price of this lot. 
High resolution HD photos available on request. 
For a personalized eyewitness examination call 410-464-6180, 10:00 am to 5:00pm EST.