Collecting
Elvis’s Rhinestone Jumpsuit Tops $1.5 Million Memorabilia Auction
Legal contracts, a guitar-shaped ring, and even a pistol were also hot lots.
American singer Elvis Presley performing on tour.
Photographer: Sunset Boulevard/Corbis HistoricalForty years ago today, Elvis Presley left the building—permanently. The original rock-and-roll superstar died Aug. 16, 1977, of a myocardial infarction, but his death gave birth to a multibillion-dollar industry that seems to be immortal.
Right now, tens of thousands of devotees are in Memphis for Elvis Week. Of course, that takes place at Graceland, the King’s residence and the second most visited home in America (after the White House). It has undergone significant upgrades in the past year, including the addition of a 450-room luxury hotel, the Guest House at Graceland, and an entertainment complex, both the result of a $137 million makeover by Authentic Brands Group LLC.