An original “I Am A Man” poster from the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers strike fetched one of the biggest prices in history for civil rights collectibles.

[caption id="attachment_8447" align="aligncenter" width="607" caption="I Am A Man"][/caption]Today at Swann Auction Galleries in New York the winning bid was $34,000.00The auction is still in progress and includes 392 lots. The poster was put up for an initial minimum bid of $4,000 and an estimated value of $8,000 to $10,000.Memphis collector Larry Moss tried to purchase but finally relented at the $20,000.00 mark.The price quickly rose. “I chased it way on up there, but I got whupped,” said Moss, who said he dropped out shortly after bidding hit the $20,000 range. “I went considerably higher than I meant to and still was not in the hunt.” Moss said bidding for most auction items was in the estimated range. “That poster was far and away the highest priced piece in the auction.”