I've been collecting for a few years now but I'm not too clued up on BPI and RIAA awards. Anyway, the following has been on eBay for a while. Anybody know if this is genuine? link
Either way I can't afford it but I'm curious about it's authenticity/legitimacy!
Why would it be presented not to the whole band, but rather the only member who is dead?
Did Roy Orbison get a platinum award for the Traveling Wilburys album?
QUEEN MADE IN HEAVEN November 07, 1995 March 26, 1996 HOLLYWOOD Standard GOLD ALBUM GROUP
(from RIAA website)
These awards are original, presented just like all other awards to every band member, the whole band as well as some of the supporting 'crew' and management.
The hologram style awards (1990 - 1997) are pretty common, and even though Freddie passed away in 1991, they would still make an award for him. These would be given in his honor to either a fellow band member, management or his family. As can be found on the RIAA website, MiH reached Gold status on March 26th 1996.
A while ago the same award to Brian was for sale in France. I've seen Freddie's award many on a number of occasions as it was/is in the collection of a long time fan from Holland (Rinus). He brought it to the Dutch fan convention multiple times, it is very nice and a large format.
In short, the award is original, but Freddie never recieved it personally.
How do these fall into the hands of collectors? Who knows, it just happens... Sometimes they are donated for charity auctions, given to friends, estate sales, money problems... Endless possibilities.
So a quick note for buying RIAA awards, basically every award with a hologram RIAA logo to anything related to Queen is still genuine, but if presented to Freddie, it was not presented to Freddie. There are many awards for multiple platinum albums like ANATO and NOTW (which are also really cool looking), all with the hologram and all are also done for Freddie.
