A rare dreadlock from reggae legend Bob Marley is expected to sell for up to £25,000 when it goes under the hammer next month, offering collectors a unique piece of music history.
The 1.5-inch lock of hair — taken during a 1978 appearance on Top of the Pops — will be auctioned by JC Auctions on April 9. It is believed to be the first authenticated piece of Marley’s hair to be offered publicly since 2003.
According to auction officials, the hair was obtained when a teenage fan approached Marley following a performance at BBC Television Centre in June 1978. Marley and Bob Marley and the Wailers had just performed their single Satisfy My Soul.
The fan recalled that Marley appeared amused when she asked to take a piece of his dreadlock.
“After Bob Marley had finished singing, myself and a friend went up onto the platform where he was performing. He was chuckling away and I asked if I could take off a piece of his hair,” she said in a statement. “He just kept nodding and chuckling… so I twisted a piece of his dreadlock off. And he of course gave me his autograph as well.”
The autograph — valued at approximately £4,000 — is included with the dreadlock as part of the auction lot.
Paul Fraser of JC Auctions said interest in Marley memorabilia remains strong, noting the scarcity of authentic items linked to the reggae icon.
“Demand is strong for Bob Marley memorabilia. He died so young, there just isn’t much around,” Fraser said. “Marley ignited global awareness of Rastafarianism and dreadlocks, and brought the religious significance of the hairstyle to the world’s attention. This lock is the physical embodiment of that legacy.”
The dreadlock is among more than 50 rare historical items featured in “The Memorabilia Auction,” which runs online until April 9.
JC Auctions is the auction arm of Paul Fraser Collectibles, which specializes in authenticated rare manuscripts, autographs, watches, stamps, coins, and other historical memorabilia.
Marley, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in reggae music, continues to attract global interest decades after his death in 1981, with collectors increasingly seeking personal items connected to the Jamaican music icon.
