Food & Culture

Fan Wants $10,000 for Ticket Stub Chris Cornell Signed In Final Hours

But is it even real?

By Michael Rietmulder June 15, 2017

cornell-cc-ticket

Whenever a celebrity dies, it’s inevitable that some people will try to profit from it. This is America after all and, boy, has some guy on the internet got a deal for you.

Following the death of Chris Cornell, touching and heartbreaking stories have been shared online. Others are so fantastically Seattle we can’t help but smile.

But judging by some fans’ reactions, the latest story has left a bad taste in their mouths. As Stereogum reports, one opportunistic fan is trying to cash in a memento from the final Soundgarden concert the night Cornell was found dead in his MGM Grand hotel room.

The fan is hocking a ticket stub from the Detroit show allegedly signed by Cornell at the hotel “about an hour before he passed away,” according to the eBay listing. The asking price? A mere $10,000.

Any Soundgarden fans with this kind of disposable cash a) probably aren’t paying Seattle rent prices and b) will have to be the trusting sort. As the seller notes, in more words or less, they can’t actually prove it’s Cornell’s signature. But if we’ve learned anything from the “fake news” phenomenon, it’s that you should always believe everything you read on the internet. Always.

Here’s the seller’s posting in its entirety. Buyer beware (or be damned).

“Up for grabs here is an original concert ticket of Chris Cornell’s final show that was hand signed by Chris himself. This ticket was signed at his hotel immediately following the concert, and this happened only about an hour before he passed away. He signed a couple vinyl records and CD covers for me and my ticket stub. Please see the date of the ticket stub. This item was signed in permanent black Sharpie.

“Chris is a ROCK LEGEND and his place in music history is solidified. This is an amazing collectible that won’t hang around long. The ticket is in good used condition. There are some signs of handling wear. Some bending and creasing. Please see photos for exact condition details as the images are part of the item description. Please do not hesitate to ask me any further questions regarding the condition of the item. I do not have a photo proof of Chris signing this item or other autographs from that date. This was signed as he was entering his hotel. He had a police escort after the show, was traveling with private security, and there was hotel security. The situation didn’t really permit photos.

Shipping will be $20 in the US and will include insurance and tracking. All international orders will also include insurance and tracking. Please go to the “shipping” area on the auction page and enter your country to see what shipping costs are to your particular part of the world.

“About my autographs: – All signatures were obtained by me, in person, and were signed in my presence with no third party involved whatsoever. That is how I guarantee their authenticity. – I do not offer a COA/Certificate of Authenticity, or other type of document. I witnessed the signing. All a COA does is state someone else’s opinion – it guarantees nothing. – I will provide exact dates, places, etc. to the winning bidder as to where their item was signed at auction’s end (upon request) – I will include proof photos in the auction description whenever I can to show proof of the signing. Although, many times I am busy obtaining signatures and a proof photo is not possible. Proof photos are not included in the purchase price and are not for sale.”

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