History

• The Grateful Dead formed in 1965 in San Francisco, California. They became a favorite of the "hippie" movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their sound was a combination of influences, including folk, bluegrass, jazz, rock and even gospel. They later became known for their long "jam" sessions during live performances, improvised music sets and solos by the band.
  
  

Types

• Posters range in size and image. Some "posters" are really just small flyers, posted outside of small events. Depending on the year of the printing and the quality of the flyer, these can actually be more valuable than larger posters. Grateful Dead posters can also be what is known as "gig posters," which denote the time and place of a live performance, as well as any other bands that performed on the same night. Grateful Dead posters have also been printed with images visible under "black lights" that are often sold at novelty stores.
  
  

Identification

• Grateful Dead posters contain recurring symbols and images. One image frequently used in Dead merchandise is a line of dancing bears, first drawn by Bob Thomas on an album cover. Another often seen image is a skull with a lightning bolt through it. The colors of the image are red, white, and blue---a possible nod to the colors of the American flag. Other recurring images are skulls, roses and skeletons.
  
  

Considerations

• The value of Grateful Dead posters is often dependent on the rarity of the posters. Posters that were originally posted at live performances by the band are far more valuable than modern day reprints. The further back or more obscure the poster is, the more value it will have to the collector. On top of this, posters are often valued depending on their condition. A poster showing little to no signs of wear and tear, sun fading or holes will be valued much more highly than a crumpled or otherwise damaged poster.
  
  

Significance

• For many who collect Grateful Dead posters, they are a reminder of the person's time spent seeing the band live during these performances. Others collect these posters because they are fans of the "hippie" movement, but were not old enough to experience it and therefore surround themselves in representations of it.