These Vintage T-Shirts Are Worth Thousands
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Vintage collectibles can be worth quite a pretty penny, and vintage T-shirts are no exception. T-shirts from the 1980s and 1990s, especially band T-shirts and ones from movie promos, are back in style.
Their value has grown with their popularity, and these shirts are some of the most valuable tees ever sold.
Vintage Iron Giant 1999 Movie Promo T-Shirt
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Price: $1,500
Bottom line: This vintage tee was from a promo of "The Iron Giant," an animated sci-fi film produced by Warner Bros in 1999. The seller stored the tee and its matching hat in sealed plastic bags for over two decades, so they were essentially brand-new at the time of sale.
They were also (supposedly) less than 25 shirts made, originally intended for cast members only.
Vintage Fleetwood Mac T-Shirt
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Price: $1,600
Bottom line: Fleetwood Mac has sold over 120 million records to date. It should come as no surprise that their retro merch is worth a lot.
This vintage tee was clearly worn, but even with some discoloration, it went for well over a grand on eBay.
Rare Misprint Vintage '90s Baby Kurt Cobain T-Shirt
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Price: $1,691.61
Bottom line: Kurt Cobain's death was a tragedy, but his angst-inspired compositions are immortal. This rare T-shirt is an anomaly: On the front, in small print next alongside the photo, the text reads: 1995, the end of music, while on the back, the year 1993 is printed.
It's unclear whether that was a misprint, or whether the 1993 date is referencing the year the lyrics printed on the shirt were written. Either way, the shirt was worth a bucketload.
Vintage Neon Genesis Evangelion Anime T-Shirt
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Price: $1,721.77
Bottom line: This old T-shirt featuring anime characters from Neon Genesis Evangelion was made in 1998. Like most vintage graphic tees, it's not perfect. The printed graphics are cracking, and the dye is faded but other than that, it was in great condition.
Looks like washing your clothes with care pays off.
Vintage Mosquitohead T-Shirt
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Price: $2,025
Bottom line: Ever heard of The Cramps? Founded in the late '70s, The Cramps was best known for leading the punk rock movement and contributing to the development of the psychobilly genre. Their music was dark, even grotesque, but fans loved it.
The tee was made in the '90s and was heavily worn, but to certain collectors, that's not a dealbreaker. Some appreciate the softness and authenticity of a worn-in tee.
This one was also made by Mosquitohead, an apparel manufacturer known for hand-making each item.
Vintage Deadpool T-Shirt
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Price: $2,035
Bottom line: Band T-shirts aren't the only valuable ones out there. This Marvel Year-in-Review shirt was made in 1993, showcasing the three latest villains. At the time, that included Deadpool, Venom and Sabertooth.
The shirt looks a bit faded, but according to the seller, it was rarely worn, and the graphic was hardly cracked at all.
Vintage Nirvana Concert T-Shirt
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Price: $2,550
Bottom line: This is why it's worth waiting in line for a T-shirt whenever you go to a concert. This one was from a concert on April 9, 1993, at the San Francisco Cow Palace.
It was a benefit event for Tresnjevka Women's Group, and the shirt was sold from the collection of Nirvana's sound engineer Craig Montgomery. Since the shirt was only worn and washed once, it was in practically brand-new condition when it was listed on eBay.
Natural Born Killers Rare Vintage Promo T-Shirt
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Price: $2,700
Bottom line: "Natural Born Killers" was an American crime film produced by Warner Bros. in 1994. The riveting film portrays the story of two lovers with tortured pasts who turn into serial killers.
The film was gory enough to inspire horrific copycat crimes, and the shirt's price tag was practically a crime, too.
Vintage Ozzy Osbourne Tattoo T-Shirt
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Price: $2,905.88
Bottom line: This has to be one of the most colorful vintage tees we've ever seen. The bold, tattoo-inspired print captured the essence of Ozzy Osborne, the former lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath.
At the time, he went by the "Prince of Darkness," and it's easy to see why. Littered with skulls and fanged demons, the T-shirt was made at an exclusive screen printing show and was kept in storage all these years.
Vintage C-Murder Rap Tee
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Price: $3,000
Bottom line: Who else would go by a name like C-Murder other than a '90s hip-hop artist? Corey Miller was a rapper in the mid-1990s who released nine albums, including one that went platinum in 1998.
In 2002, however, his stage name hit a little too close to home. He was arrested on murder charges and later sentenced to life in prison. Not even a million $3,000 tees can get him out of that one, but witnesses rescinding their testimonies might.
Alice in Chains Vintage T-Shirt
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Price: $3,050
Bottom line: The grunge band Alice in Chains was formed in 1987 by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney. The pair later brought on Mike Starr on base and Layne Staley as the lead vocalist, leading to a distinctive style of harmonized vocals that was unique within the genre.
This shirt came from their 1991 tour. Reproductions of it are virtually worthless, but authentic band tees like this one are worth thousands.
1990 Alice In Chains Facelift Tour Tee
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Price: $3,500
Bottom line: Another Alice in Chains tee, this one was purchased at the July 10, 1991, Clash of the Titans tour in Greenville, South Carolina.
Most shirts like this are found in the attics of fans of the '90s grunge movement, led by Alice in Chains and similar bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Few are found in such good condition. If you have one without any rips or stains, consider yourself lucky.
Vintage 1990s Tank Girl T-Shirt
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Price: $3,999
Bottom line: If you've never heard of "Tank Girl," don't feel bad. "Tank Girl" was a post-apocalyptic British comic series that was turned into an American sci-fi flick in 1995.
While it received mixed reviews and wasn't a hit at the box office, it turned into a comic-book cult classic thanks to its undercurrent of feminist themes.
Since it wasn't the most popular of movies, tees like this are few and far between.
Andy Warhol Marilyn Monroe Pop Art T-Shirt
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Price: $5,000
Bottom line: $5,000 for a T-shirt?! We'd be more surprised if it weren't for this vintage T-shirt's backstory. It's an official Andy Warhol T-shirt made in the Netherlands and purchased at the National Gallery in Athens, Greece, all the way back in 1993.
It's officially licensed and has the original tag. We get it now.
Vintage Nirvana T-Shirt
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Price: $5,500
Bottom line: It's a little hard to see what the pattern is on this old Nirvana tee, but it's the pattern from their Heart-Shaped Box album, featuring realistic lily flowers and cookie-cutter hearts.
It's not brand-new, but it was rarely worn and was kept in storage from 2003 on. That must have been close enough to brand-new to whoever purchased it for over five grand.