When Michael Jackson died in June last year, he had reported debts of nearly $494m, a reputation dented by personal problems and lacklustre public performances, and hoped that a final series of sell-out shows in London would end his career on a high...
Since then, the old adage that 'you don't know what you have until it's gone' has been proved beyond doubt. Following his untimely death, Jackson was immediately elevated to the pantheon of greatest and most iconic entertainers, including Elvis Presley to Marilyn Monroe.
Now, news has emerged that, in terms of money, Jackson's legacy is likely to surpass Elvis's. According to reports earlier this week, Jackson's estate has risen to a value of $1bn in the year since he died - overtaking Yves Saint Laurent's posthumous earnings of $350m.
This total was aided by various successes, including 31 million album sales since Jackson's death, and $145m made by cinema ticket, DVD and Blu-Ray sales of This Is It, the documentary of his aborted final gigs.
However, such figures only prove what Jackson's loyal fans have known all along - that he was truly one of the all-time greats. That's why many of his fans still treat their unused tickets from the This Is It gigs as collectibles, rather than cashing-in on them.
So, to mark Jackson's ascent to "highest earning Dead Celebrity" status, our Video of the Week takes a look at some of the memorabilia which has contributed to the King of Pop's ongoing legacy.
The above exhibit can be found in the Ponte 16 Resort Hotel in Macau, China.
Meanwhile, with a series of reissued albums and unheard tracks set to hit the market, the legacy of Michael Jackson - and the values of his collectible memorabilia - will continue to grow and grow...
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