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Jackson items soar in value, but for how long?

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-06-27 20:40

"Notoriety might be great for say, the autograph market," said Martin Brochstein, senior vice president at the New York-based Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association. "He's not signing any more, to put it bluntly.

"But in terms of licensed merchandise bearing his likeness, the notoriety is not necessarily such a good thing."

Flowers and other items are placed outside the Jackson family home in Encino, California June 26, 2009. [Agencies]

The rich Jackson collectibles market is the legacy of his huge popularity in the 1970s and '80s, when all sorts of mass merchandise emerged, from Jackson dolls to posters to commemorative coins. That period also produced a trove of signed valuables, from autographed album covers to the signature white sequined gloves he wore on stage.

Jackson "was a guy who toured the world, and signed autographs, and was very public," Lentz said. "There is a fair amount of inventory out there."

There's also a market for Jackson's personal belongings. However, a Beverly Hills auction was canceled in April after Jackson and Julien's Auction House reached a settlement to their dispute over whether 2,000 of his personal items from his Neverland property in Southern California were ever intended for sale.

At a celebrity auction in Las Vegas that coincidentally occurred Friday, 21 pieces of Jackson memorabilia fetched a total of $205,000. A crystal beaded shirt worn by the performer during his 1984 Victory tour was the top-selling item in the collection, at $52,500.

The auction, at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, had been planned for months and also featured Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe items.

Full coverage:  Michale Jackson: King of Pop Related readings:  50 facts about Michael Jackson that made him a legend  Michael Jackson death still unsolved after autopsy  Michael Jackson's death speculation  Madonna in tears over Jackson death  Quotes about the death of Michael Jackson

Arlan Ettinger, president of Guernsey's, a New York-based auction house, helped conduct a Las Vegas auction in 2007 during which more than 1,200 Jackson items grossed about $1 million. On Friday, he spoke a bit wistfully about that event's timing.

"Things would have been different had they come to auction now," Ettinger said. The items "got infinitely more valuable just a short while ago."

"The world," Ettinger said, "clearly is sort of willing to forget all of what has happened before of a less-than-thrilling nature, and really honored the memory of Michael Jackson, which is as it should be."

His death is also expected to inspire an array of commemorative gear of potentially dubious value, such as T-shirts.

"I'm honestly expecting to see a Web site pop up by the end of the day selling Michael Jackson commemorative plates," said Allison Southwick, a spokeswoman with the Better Business Bureau.

Elliott, the Pennsylvania woman who sold Jackson dolls on eBay, says she has other collectibles, but they have more personal than market value. Although she made money from selling the dolls, she won't part with other items.

"My kids grew up with him -- they're the reason I went to two concerts," she said. "I still have several CDs, 45s and VHS tapes. I even have my son's little 'Beat It' jacket, too -- and no, I won't be trying to sell it."

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