A police lieutenant’s badge presented to Elvis Presley in 1971 will cross the block at Graceland Auctions.

The lot was given to Elvis by Eddie Bond, then Tennessee’s chief of police.

Elvis had a huge collection of police badges 

Elvis was famously obsessed with police gear and often received such gifts.

But the relationship between the two men went much further back - right to the start of Elvis' career.

Elvis had turned up to audition with Bond’s band in 1954 and performed two songs with them.

However Bond rejected him outright, even advising him to stick to being a truck driver and to give up on his dream of being a singer.

A couple of months later Elvis recorded his first acetate with Sun records.

Despite Elvis’ phenomenal success, the rejection clearly stuck with him long afterwards.

In 1957, on the way to filming for Jailhouse Rock, he said to friend George Klein: “I wonder what Eddie Bond thinks now. Man, that sonofabitch broke my heart.”

By the 1970s though, Elvis had clearly forgiven Bond.

The badge is accompanied by a letter from Bond asking whether Elvis would buy $10 worth of raffle tickets for an upcoming festival.

In typically generous fashion, Elvis obliged.

The piece is valued at $3,000-5,000 ahead of the March 4 sale.

We have a strand of hair from Elvis’ most famous haircut for sale. Intrigued? Click here to find out more.  

Please sign up to our free newsletter to receive exciting news about music memorabilia auctions.