Vintage T-Shirts are arguably the most popular garment in the vintage clothing industry. They were treated like blank canvases and the ensuing art made them timeless desirables by countless aficionados. Which Vintage T-Shirts should you get? Which are the most valuable? How do you authenticate the valuable Vintage T-Shirts that you come across? This article tells you all you need to know about Vintage T-Shirt collectibles, so you don’t miss it when you see it.
Rare CollectIble Vintage T-Shirts
3D Emblem x Harley Davidson
If you are someone who has been in the vintage thrifting scene for a while, there is a high chance that you have firsthand experienced the popularity of Harley-Davidson’s Vintage T-Shirts. Some sell for more and some for less but they move fast.
3D Emblem was a small-scale print shop that later went on to be known for its artistry in producing incredibly detailed and vibrant screen prints. It entered into a licensing agreement with Harley Davidson in the early 1980s till mid-1990s. The combination of bold and extremely intricate screen-printing artistry with the free-spirited nature of the American motorcycle brand resulted in iconic pieces of now-Vintage T-Shirts that are highly sought after.
Example of some 3D Emblem x Harley Davidson prints:
The prints are really a work of art. Vintage 3D Emblem x Harley Davidson T-Shirts are listed in the vicinity of around $400-500! For Vintage T-Shirts like these, people actually are willing to pay a heavy premium if they are faded, distressed or ripped. Admirers love the Harley T-Shirts that tell a story. The Pig/American Hog prints are considered collectibles and double-sides prints with the double American flag also increase the value of the T-Shirt.
3D Emblem’s pre-licensed Harley designs are also considered highly valuable Vintage T-Shirts. These are, however, hard to identify as it does not contain the black and gold 3D Emblem tag that is more identifiable. This thread offers good insights on how you can identify fake 3D Emblem x Harley Davidson Vintage T-Shirts.
Liquid Blue x Grateful Dead
The Liquid Blue brand began in the late 1980s, by founders who were greatly inspired by the counterculture movement of the 1960s and 1970s. It would not be an overstatement to say that Liquid Blue went on to perfect the art of Tie-Dye and Psychedelic prints which was archetypal to the groovy counterculture. It became known for its bold, vibrant and intricate designs.
The Grateful Dead was a band synonymous with the counterculture, representing an entire subculture of music lovers which the band referred to as Deadheads. As a result, the Liquid Blue x Grateful Dead collaboration produced some of the most valuable Vintage T-Shirts due to their unique designs and limited production runs. It is revered just as much, if not more, than the 3D Emblem x Harley Davidson Vintage T-Shirts.
Here are a few examples of prints from the Liquid Blue x Grateful Dead Vintage T-Shirts:
These can sell for upwards of a few hundred dollars easily, while some of the collaboration’s more valuable Vintage T-Shirts can be sold for much more. Make sure that the T-Shirts have a physical Liquid Blue tag attached to it (the screen printed tags became a thing during the 2000s), and spot the licensing and the date that is going to look something like this:
Vintage Band Tees and Mosquitohead
Band T-Shirts are arguably the Holy Grail of valuable Vintage T-Shirts. The reason why they sell so high is explained well in this article. Music has been at the core of the counterculture since Woodstock in the 1960s, and became a means of expression for many due to several iconic bands up until the 1990s. As a result, enthusiasts highly value getting to wear authentic band merchandise of their favourite bands. The T-Shirt you see above is currently listed for $2,300 on eBay as it is an original licensed Nirvana T-Shirt.
Examples of Vintage Band T-Shirts:
Interesting looking, no? These are, however, not even the most expensive vintage Band T-Shirts out there. In 2020, the 1991 Nirvana Nevermind Riverman UK tour tee sold for a whopping $12,100. The most expensive Vintage T-Shirt ever sold is the following 1994 Sonic Youth T-Shirt stage-worn by Nirvana’s lead singer, Kurt Cobain, sold for $25,000! Picture below.
Nirvana’s merchandise are generally considered the most valuable vintage T-Shirts out of all the old-school bands. Here is a list of some other bands whose original merchandise would fetch good value:
- Led Zeppelin
- Metallica
- AC/DC
- The Rolling Stones
- Guns N’ Roses
- Pink Floyd
- Iron Maiden
- The Grateful Dead
Authentic vintage tees from other iconic singers liker Tupac and Bob Marley also tend to do well.
Mosquitohead was a clothing brand known for its iconic hand-dyed T-shirts featuring unique prints of musicians and pop culture figures. These shirts became popular in the 1990s and are now considered premium vintage collectables that sell for crazy money. Example of Mosquitohead prints:
Cartoon Vintage T-Shirts
These Vintage T-Shirts are considered memorabilia that finds its value in the sense of nostalgia it is able to evoke in their potential admirers. In addition to this, their limited production runs often also make them harder to find. Cartoon Vintage T-Shirts generally sell for comparatively lesser than band T-Shirts (of course), for around a few hundred dollars. However, if you get your hands on a grail, it can go for much more.
Cartoon Network and NASCAR collaborated in the late 1990s and early 2000s, featuring Cartoon Network characters on race cars. This partnership included themed paint schemes and promotional events, combining the excitement of NASCAR with popular animated characters. The vintage T-Shirts promoting this collaboration are considered collectables and can each sell for $100+ usually.
Valuable Vintage T-Shirts from other cartoons like Tom and Jerry, Mickey Mouse, Dexter’s Laboratory and Betty Boop, among countless others, are also considered desirables. Some of Looney Tunes’ Space Jam Vintage T-Shirts classify as collectibles as well.
Other than this, Vintage Anime T-Shirts from the OG anime like Dragon Ball, Bleach, Naruto and Akira also have aficionados which pay well for the rarer finds.
This Vintage Akira T-Shirt is a rarer find and listed for around $1,000. Some of Akira’s more valuable Vintage T-Shirts can sell for absolutely bonkers $$
Video Game Vintage T-Shirts
This article provides in-depth insights about all you would need to know about retrogaming merchandise, including Video Game Vintage T-Shirts. In a nutshell, tees of the cult classic retro video games like Donkey Kong, Super Mario, Sonic and Crash Bandicoot tend to generally be considered valuable Vintage T-Shirts if authentic.
Vintage Sports T-Shirts
Licensed NBA tees, especially those of Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls, are highly valuable.
T-Shirts promoting sports events like the following 1994 Football World Cup USA (found by yours truly):
Vintage Boxing tees featuring icons like Muhammad Ali or Mike Tyson, and the Attitude Era WWF promo tees like the following:
In addition to the categories mentioned, promo tees of classic movies like the Pulp Fiction, Home Alone, Hoosiers etc are also Vintage T-Shirt collectibles.
How to Authenticate Valuable Vintage T-Shirt Collectibles?
Before reading on, I recommend going through this article. It gives a thorough 8-pointer checklist that is going to help you authenticate any Vintage T-Shirt out there.
Check the label for the manufacturer
In addition to the article, a bonus suggestion is to check the tag to see whether it is from any of these 7 manufacturers:
- Hanes
- Fruit of the Loom
- Screen Stars
- Giant
- Anvil
- Jerzees
- Oneita
These were the major Vintage T-Shirt manufacturers back in the day so if a T-Shirt you suspect is vintage has any of these brands’ older and larger physical tags, you can be sure that it is indeed a valuable Vintage T-Shirt.
Do not doubt the shirt’s value based on its condition
Read this one again! In many cases, aficionados value distressed and ripped Vintage T-Shirts more than the ones in good condition. For instance, if you see something like this featuring Alice in Chains, put on some gloves and pick it up!!
Conclusion
Admittedly, despite the depth that we tried to reach with this article, you can be sure that there are countless other categories of valuable Vintage T-Shirts out there waiting to be explored: the Hard Rock Cafe collection, Marlboro Racing Tees, Disneyland Tees, Nike x Jordan, vintage Adidas Tees and so on. So, whether you’re a seasoned collector or a curious newcomer, the world of Vintage T-shirts is an endless treasure hunt, brimming with nostalgia, artistry, and timeless style. Figure out what you feel best resonates with you and then dive right in; get your hands dirty and curate your unique Vintage T-Shirts collection. Happy Hunting!$