Led Zeppelin’s Original Debut Album Cover Art Sells Big at Auction

The original artwork from the cover of Led Zeppelin's self-titled debut album has sold for a hefty price tag.

Per Christie's, the 1969 artwork by George Hardie, which was based on the iconic Sam Shere photo of the Hindenburg crash, sold for $325,000. The auction house estimated the original print would sell for between $20,000-30,000.

The $325,000 price tag is incredible considering Hardie was paid £60 (about $74 USD) by Zeppelin for the artwork.

Peter Klarnet, Christie’s senior specialist of Books and Manuscripts, told Rolling Stone of the artwork, "In terms of rarity, this is a unique object — I don’t think you can get rarer than that... The historical significance of this album cover cannot be understated. It marked a major turning point in the history of pop music, heralded by the debut of Led Zeppelin."

Klarnet added, "It was louder, bolder than what had come before and would come to define the shape of hard rock for generations. This simple rendering of the Hindenburg exploding over Lakehurst stands as a monument to that important historical moment. And the image has endured in a way that most other album covers have not — it very much has taken on a life of its own."