Rock's Hottest Ticket: U2 on TIME magazine

by Matt McGee

I can't help but think of the millions of copies of the April 27, 1987 issues of TIME magazine which were tossed into the garbage shortly after those copies were read ... and how I wish I owned one of them today! It's actually hard to think of something so mass produced as a copy of TIME as a "collectors' item," but it certainly is -- thanks to all those people who trashed their copies way back when.

The background is no secret: in 1987, U2 was on top of the music world thanks to the success of The Joshua Tree album, the singles released from it, and the sold-out tour that saw U2 play its first-ever headlining show in a U.S. stadium.

The magazine included a glowing, six-page profile of U2 (read it in @U2 News) and several photographs.

Time-Warner, Inc., produced millions of copies of this issue for subscribers, newsstands and stores, and the leftovers of any issue are made available via back order, usually at a minimal, extra cost.

But you can't get this issue via back order today -- it's been unavailable for years. You can get a reprint, but it will cost you about $5 per reprint and the minimum order, according to a TIME customer service rep, is 1,000 reprints. Even then, you don't get a reprint of the actual issue - you get a replica of the cover and a reprint of just the article you're interested in.

So you add all of that together, and you're left with ... a collectors item. So it helps to know what to look for if you're thinking about adding this 12-year-old magazine to your collection.

• Much like the grading of vinyl, mint condition copies of this issue are the most valuable. But be realistic -- magazines are made to be folded, bent, twisted, turned, etc. Truly mint condition copies of this will be rare. It's only reasonable to expect some creasing and/or bent corners. But don't spend a lot of money if the magazine is missing a staple and pages are falling out, or if there's a big imprint from a coffee mug on the cover thanks to someone's decision to use it as a coaster.
• The magazine is more valuable if there is no mailing label.
• The magazine is more valuable if the colors are still true, and not fading. This goes back to the first item about mint condition.
• Any rips or tears, aside from very small ones you might expect from a magazine of its age, will lessen the value of the magazine.

What it comes down to is this: make your own determination on what quality you're willing to accept, and how much you're willing to spend on it.

One last suggestion: if you do acquire or already own a copy of this issue and you want to preserve its quality, stop by your local sports card/comic book store and buy a protective magazine display cover. Very inexpensive, and very good at keeping your copy of "Rock's Hottest Ticket" in good condition.