FD-82 Grateful Dead 1967 Denver, CO "The Head" Concert Poster w/Rare Printing, Graded a Unique 9.8. ...

Description

GET A HEAD: RARE VERSION OF THIS COLORADO EVERGREEN

FD-82 Grateful Dead 1967 Denver, CO "The Head" Concert Poster w/Rare Printing, Graded a Unique 9.8. First-printing Denver, Colorado Family Dog concert poster for the Grateful Dead and Mother Earth playing at the FD's Denver venue on West Evans Street on Friday and Saturday nights, September 22 & 23, 1967. Known as FD-82 (D-3) in the Family Dog numbered series, this poster is nicknamed, for obvious reasons, "The Head."

Heritage is very proud to be offering, for the first time ever, this poster in the OP-2 version which contains the Dead's name emblazoned across the skull's forehead. It also has the ticket information printed down below, which the OP-1 version doesn't have either. It's really hard to find this completely flushed out version in any condition, so we can't believe our first specimen has been graded a skull-shattering 9.8 Near Mint/Mint by CGC (the Certified Guaranty Company). This is the single highest-graded copy of this rare version that exists; no other 9.8's or higher have been certified by CGC, so this is a population 1/1.

Fun things this OP-2 print has in common with the version we usually offer (see next lot)... it's amazing the way "Grateful Dead" is spelled out in hidden fashion in the skull's teeth, artfully hidden by poster artist Dennis Nolan. Check it out! Many people focus instead on the skull's nose and try to figure out who that center man is. There's no answer; he seems like just a typical long-haired, mustachioed man of the day. Measures 14" x 20". COA from Heritage Auctions.

More Information: Opening act Mother Earth was a San Francisco band by way of Madison, Wisconsin, fronted by singer/songwriter Tracy Nelson. They shared the Avalon and Fillmore stages with the likes of the Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix throughout the late 60's. From 1968-1973, Mother Earth released four albums on Mercury Records, two on Reprise and one on Columbia. Three of them made it onto Billboard's album chart, but not very high.


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