Fleet Foxes auction rare $3,350 signed record for tsunami relief

At Paul Fraser Collectibles, we always recommend the established greats if you want to buy music memorabilia that's sure to prove itself as a long-term investment - whether it's Elvis, The Beatles or Madonna.

With musicians, their longevity and legacy is key to their long-term collectible value. Take an artist like Lady Gaga, for instance... She's already enjoyed some success on the auction block, including the £1,300 sale of one of her stage costumes in February 2010.

But the jury is still out as the whether or not Ms Gaga will be remembered in 20 years' time - and consequently whether her memorabilia will be worth anything in the distant future.

The same goes for musicians who prefer guitars to drum machines and dance moves. Like folk rockers Fleet Foxes, for example. The Seattle-based four piece have been hyped all over the music press in recent months...


Using collectibles for a good cause: Seattle folk stars the Fleet Foxes

It turns out that Fleet Foxes are also the latest musical artists to venture into the collectibles markets, following the sale of a signed test pressing for their debut album. It was auctioned online for $3,350 (£2,082.56), with the money being kindly donated to Japanese tsunami relief efforts.

According to online reports, the winning bidder was the UK's Green Man Festival, whose organisers now hope to re-auction the test pressing to raise even more money for the relief fund. The company reportedly outbid 56 other contenders in the auction.

As with Lady Gaga, it remains to be seen whether Fleet Foxes' legacy will withstand the years. Although if you are looking to buy the band's memorabilia, something as rare and singular as a test pressing wouldn't be a bad choice - especially if it happens to be autographed.

Otherwise, it's great to see musicians using collectibles to benefit charitable causes. Fleet Foxes aren't the first to auction their memorabilia to aid the Tsunami relief - other artists, including Blink-182 and former Megadeth guitarist Marty Friedman, have also gotten involved.

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