QTheMusic.com

As the old saying sort of goes, one man's junk is another man's priceless piece of rock'n'roll history. Having just finished a four-month tour across the USA showcasing some of the most iconic pieces of band memorabilia of all time, Hard Rock Cafe rock and roll memorabilia expert Jeff Nolan is one person who can tell apart merchandise treasure and ticket stub tat. "Sometimes people don't realize the stuff in their attic could be a part of rock heritage," he explains. So could you be have a valuable piece of music culture gathering dust in your attic? Here's Nolan's top ten tips for rock 'n' roll memorabilia hunting - so get digging...

1. Handwritten setlists are pay dirt
"Handwritten stuff is great. It's tougher and tougher to find nowadays, as it's all computer generated. But a handwritten Crosby Stills Nash & Young set list? A reply to a fan letter by one of The Byrds? That's really valuable, very special. It's a personal part of the band."

2. Don't forget punk and heavy metal
"People discount heavy metal, but it's the genre that will never die - and that's because its fans are arguably the most devout and passionate of any genre. They really treasure and appreciate little pieces of metal heritage - a poster ripped down from a wall at a show from The 'Pistols, The Clash and The Damned tour of '77, that sort of thing."

3. Hey Scenesters!
"The best memorabilia is stuff that is indicative of a period, that speaks to a time and place in rock history. The early 1990s Seattle scene, nothing has matched that in the States since - it was the last organic rock scene over here. Anything Kurt Cobain has obvious value for that reason."

4. Biggest-selling doesn't mean best
"It's not necessarily the biggest selling artists who have the most valuable memorabilia. What really matters is the artists whose music resonates emotionally - you'll have pop acts selling millions upon millions of albums, but might not have any true lasting emotional impact."

5. Be a hoarder
"Don't throw things out. When I was 14, I went to a Black Sabbath show and one of the band tossed out his feathered roach clip. I kept it for ages, but eventually threw it out. I really wish I hadn't!"

6. Death increases value
"It might sound bleak, but band memorabilia definitely becomes more sought after when an artist dies. The amount of money going at the Michael Jackson auction was obscene. I imagine Amy Winehouse signed bits and pieces is already being hawked on eBay, too. There's a cottage industry of fake Beatles autographs on there, beware."

7. Strength in numbers
"Ticket stubs and smaller piddly things like that tend to be worth most in collections. If you have a ticket from Hendrix's last show or Metallica's S&M recording or something iconic, that's great. Otherwise, big bulk collections are of more value."

8. Get it checked out...
"If you think there's some value to your old band memorabilia, there are verified experts who will be able to tell you for sure. They'll make you pay - it's their livelihood after all - but it's worth nothing unless you get it checked for authenticity."

8. Voodoo magic
"On the other hand, sometimes you can just feel it. I don't want to sound like a hippy, but when you hold the black flying V Guitar that Hendrix played at the Isle Of Wight Festival in 1970, there's just a voodoo to it. You can feel it."

9. Money doesn't always matter
"People constantly ask me: how much is this worth, how much is that worth? But the monetary amount of these things is eclipsed by what it means to the owner and to history. You can't put a dollar amount on a piece of history. You wouldn't go into a museum, see the Mona Lisa and ask how much its worth. It should be the same for Bob Dylan as it is for Da Vinci."

10. Stop to appreciate what you've got
"I never stop getting a buzz from seeing and touching iconic pieces of merch. On the Hard Rock tour we had the original red zipper jacket Michael Jackson wore in the Beat It video and even after four months of seeing it every day, I still was amazed by it. It never stops."

The Hard Rock Cafe exhibition, which Nolan describes as "Willy Wonka land for music nerds" is on at London's O2 Arena at the British Music Experience until 27 September. For more information, visit the Britishmusicexperience.com.

10:44 AM | 31/08/2011