The only known Buddy Holly poster, “The Day the Music Died,” went up for auction for a record-breaking price of $447,000. Unfortunately, Holly Valens and the Big Popper (real name J.P. Richardson) airplane crashed and killed all three.
The group had just finished playing a concert in Clear Lake, Iowa, and were heading to Moorehead, Minnesota. Unfortunately, their airplane crashed into a cornfield due to bad winter weather on Feb. 3, 1959, sadly taking the lives of all who were on board.
According to CBS News, “The Day the Music Died” was an original advertising poster of the show that never was. The famous sign was stuck to a telephone pole and fell to the ground, which was later picked up by a maintenance man who took it home with him and placed the poster in his closet, where it was forgotten for about 50 years.
“Heritage is thrilled to break the previous record for a concert poster by more than $170,000,” said Pete Howard, director of concert posters at Heritage Auctions, “but not the least bit surprised, given the importance, the uniqueness and the gravitas of this amazing window card, which advertised rock and roll’s first tragedy.”
