Southport Visiter

Beatles memories are just the ticket!

- BY JAMIE LOPEZ jamie.lopez@trinitymir­ror.com @jamie_lopez1

BEATLES fans with memorabili­a from their many performanc­es in Southport could be set for a big payday.

February 5 marked the 56th anniversar­y of The Beatles’ first performanc­es with Ringo Starr – a lunchtime performanc­e at the famous Cavern Club and an evening show at Southport’s Kingsway Club.

The group’s drummer at the time, Pete Best, was unwell and unable to perform that night and John, Paul and George’s first choice as temporary replacemen­t was Ringo.

Six months later he became the permanent drummer for The Beatles and the rest is history!

To commemorat­e the occasion, Tracks Ltd, experts in Beatles and rock ’n’ roll memorabili­a, is inviting members of the public to contact the firm regarding their items of Beatles and other memorabili­a at a free valuation day at the Royal Clifton Hotel, on Sunday, February 11.

According to Tracks, rock memorabili­a has soared in value in recent years.

The firm says that a Beatles concert poster from Southport in decent condition could now bring £8,000 to £10,000, compared with £5,000 five years ago; a small ticket stub £100; while a larger, more elaborate one such as those issued in 1962 or early 1963 would bring around £150 (more than triple this if complete).

Beatles programmes bring between £25 and £35, with handbills between £300 and £800.

An increasing­ly important factor in determinin­g the value and desirabili­ty of any type of memorabili­a is condition, with collectors becoming increasing­ly choosy about the condition of the items they purchase.

Items in moderate or poor condition are becoming harder to sell and will not gain significan­tly in value over time, no matter how scarce. But the price of rare items in excellent condition continues to rise.

A spokesman for Tracks said: “We are inviting members of the public to contact us with any pop music memorabili­a (concert posters, flyers, programmes, tickets, signatures, magazines, personal possession­s, negatives, lyrics etc) for a free valuation. Our service is an opportunit­y for peo- ple to have an item of memorabili­a that they own appraised.

“Sometimes people want to know the history of the items they have had stored in their attics for the last 30 or 40 years.

“What is it? Where was it made? How many were made? Is it real or fake? And most important of all…what is it worth?! These are some of the most commonly asked questions we hear.”

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 ??  ?? Beatles autographs such as these from Southport Floral Hall, 1962, are always popular with collectors
Beatles autographs such as these from Southport Floral Hall, 1962, are always popular with collectors
 ??  ?? Posters from the Beatles headlining at Southport Odeon, top, in August 1963, and supporting Joe Brown at the Cambridge Hall a year ealier in July 1962
Posters from the Beatles headlining at Southport Odeon, top, in August 1963, and supporting Joe Brown at the Cambridge Hall a year ealier in July 1962
 ??  ?? A theatre programme and ticket stubs from Southport Odeon, August 1963
A theatre programme and ticket stubs from Southport Odeon, August 1963
 ??  ?? The former Kingsway nightclub, where the Fab Four played in 1962, and a handbill, left, from the show
The former Kingsway nightclub, where the Fab Four played in 1962, and a handbill, left, from the show
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