Elvis has been merchandised for seventy years, which is wonderful if you are collecting and dangerous if you are not paying attention. There is more unlicensed Elvis product in circulation than almost any other musician, and plenty of it looks convincing in a photograph.
This is a guide to starting a collection that holds its value and that you actually enjoy owning.
First, pick a lane
The single most useful thing a new collector can do is narrow the field. "Everything Elvis" is unbuyable. A theme is not.
- One era. Only 1950s material, or only the Vegas years. This keeps a shelf visually coherent.
- One format. Vinyl only, or figures only, or books and print only.
- One event. The '68 Comeback Special and Aloha from Hawaii both have enough product around them to fill a cabinet.
Figures and Funko Pops
Funko's Elvis line is the easiest entry point: inexpensive, widely available, and immediately recognisable. The three mainstream figures are the '68 Comeback Special, Blue Hawaii and Jailhouse Rock Pops. The Diamond Glitter version of the '68 figure is a special edition and tends to hold value better than the standard release.
Three rules for figures:
- Keep the box, and keep it flat. A creased or sun-faded box can halve the value of an otherwise mint figure.
- Keep them out of direct sunlight. Vinyl yellows, and Elvis figures with white suits show it first.
- Decide early whether you are an in-box or out-of-box collector and stick to it. Mixing the two makes a display look accidental.
Beyond Funko, the Aloha from Hawaii and '68 Comeback bobblehead set gives you two eras in one purchase, and the Jada die-cast cars, the 1955 Pink Cadillac Fleetwood and the 1956 Purple Cadillac Eldorado, are 1:24 scale with a figure included.
Records
Elvis's catalogue has been reissued more times than almost anyone's, so a pressing's year matters more than the title. Three things to check before you buy second-hand:
- Grading. Sellers use Goldmine standards: Mint, Near Mint, Very Good Plus, Very Good and so on. Anything below Very Good Plus will be audible. Treat "VG" as a listening copy, not a collectible.
- The label and matrix. Original 1950s and 1960s RCA pressings are identified by label design and the matrix numbers etched in the run-out groove, not by the sleeve.
- The sleeve separately. Record and sleeve are graded independently. A Near Mint disc in a Very Good sleeve is normal and priced accordingly.
If you want the music rather than the hunt, modern official releases are far better value. The '68 Comeback Special 50th Anniversary 7-Disc Box Set, From Elvis in Nashville (4-Disc Edition) and Prince from Another Planet Deluxe Edition are all substantial sets. Our guide to the best Elvis albums covers where to start.
How to tell official from unlicensed
Licensed Elvis product carries an Elvis Presley Enterprises or ABG credit somewhere on the item, the packaging or the care label. Beyond that:
- Official apparel uses the registered marks, including TCB. Read what TCB means.
- Be sceptical of "signed" photographs. Elvis autographs are among the most forged in the business, and anything without third-party authentication should be treated as decoration, not investment.
- "Graceland authentic" and "sold at Graceland" are not the same claim as "owned by Elvis."
Print, paper and the cheap end
Paper collecting is underrated and inexpensive. Posters, programmes, ticket stubs and books all appreciate quietly and store flat.
- Elvis: The Official Graphic Novel and Elvis Presley's Love Me Tender for the bookshelf.
- The Inglewood 1970s concert poster and Undisputed King of Rock and Roll poster for the wall.
- The Movie Poster Collage jigsaw if you want the artwork without framing twenty posters.
- Browse the rest in Toys and Books and Home Decor.
Storage and display
- Store records vertically, never stacked, and never against an outside wall or a radiator.
- Use outer sleeves for anything you care about, and replace paper inners with anti-static ones.
- Keep ornaments and blow molds in their boxes between Christmases. The Christmas range is worth protecting.
- Photograph the collection once a year. It takes an hour and it is what your insurer will ask for.
Elvis collecting FAQs
What is the best Elvis item for a first-time collector?
A Funko Pop or a current official box set. Both are affordable, unambiguous and easy to resell if your taste changes.
Are Elvis Funko Pops a good investment?
The standard figures are inexpensive and stay that way. Limited and special editions, like the Diamond Glitter '68 Comeback, are the ones that move. Buy them because you like them.
How do I know if an Elvis record is an original pressing?
Check the label design and the matrix numbers in the run-out groove against a discography reference. Sleeve artwork alone is not evidence.
Will prices rise around the 50th anniversary?
Interest and demand usually climb into a major anniversary, and August 2027 marks 50 years since Elvis's death. Our Elvis Week 2027 guide covers what is planned.
Buying for someone else rather than yourself? Start with our Elvis gift guide.