Gold Discs, Record Ltd. Edition, Photo Displays
Each display is a genuine limited edition, with an issue of just 50 per item, coming complete with a Certificate of Authenticity, bearing its issue number. The range of limited edition gold discs, gold records and photo displays in the "Q" sub-category is always likely to be limited, due to the infrequency of use of the letter.
Fortunately, London rock band, Queen, are one of the all-time most successful acts, with a host of gold records (or higher certifications) to their name, since their formation in 1971. According to record label EMI, the band's worldwide album sales were in excess of 300 million, as of 2009. Queen gold discs and memorabilia featuring former lead singer, Freddie Mercury, who died of AIDS-related bronchial pneumonia in 1991, are particularly collectible.
Amongst the band's gold records featuring Mercury is their 1986 album, "A Kind of Magic," based on the soundtrack of the film "Highlander." The album soon topped UK Albums Charts, in which it remained for some 63 weeks, being awarded 4-times platinum status from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Although only getting as high as no. 46 in the US Billboard 200, it spent 13 weeks in the US charts and was awarded platinum status by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It reached the Top 10 in a further dozen countries.
Queen's last album featuring Mercury, "Made in Heaven," was released in November 1995. The remaining band members incorporated vocals that Mercury had recorded before his death, along with their own new recordings. The album entered the UK Albums Charts at no.1 and peaked at no. 58 in the US Billboard 200. It was awarded 4-times platinum certification by the BPI and gold certification by the RIAA. The album also topped the charts in a further 12 countries, achieving at least platinum status in each of these.