Believe it or not, Queen Elizabeth's least famous rock band (we presume), the Sex Pistols, could hold the key to a very stable alternative asset...
Today (May 31) is 34 years to the day that the BBC famously banned the Pistols' Monarchy-bashing punk rock anthem, God Save the Queen, in 1977.
And, over three subsequent decades, it appears that the very same song has grown into a viable collectible investment that rivals... well, Royal memorabilia.
Last month, a rare record of God Save the Queen was named the most valuable vinyl disc of all time. According to the experts, its estimated value is £8,000 (nearly $13,178).
Why? Well the story begins back in the late-70s. Prior to signing to music giant EMI, the Sex Pistols originally produced their God Save the Queen single with A&M records.
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However, the group were dropped for their anarchic antics before A&M's version of the song was released. Subsequently, most copies of the single were destroyed.
Whether anyone back then had the foresight to realise that there'd be cultural longevity in spiky hair and safety pins is anyone's guess... Nevertheless, some copies of the original A&M God Save the Queen singles survived.
Needless to say, these are very rare. So much so that Record Collector magazine placed the Pistols at the top of its recent list of the 51 most collectible vinyl records.
Today it appears that the foul four, lead by notorious singer Johnny Rotten (pictured top right), are up there with The Beatles and The Rolling Stones in terms of legacy.
The Fab Four's Please Please Me on the Black and Gold label came second in Record Collectors' chart with an estimated value of £3,500. And the Rolling Stones self-titled debut record from 1964 could be worth £1,000, and is placed at #5 in the list.
In fact, Sid Vicious's band and value have gone hand-in-hand for years. An original acetate for the 1977 song, cut at Townhouse Studios in London, sold for £10,766 on eBay in 2006.
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