RIAA Gold album award for Ricky Van Shelton's Loving Proof. The album was released on Sept. 16, 1988. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on December 2, 1988 for 500,000 copies sold.

The album produced three Billboard Top Country Singles chart #1's: "I'll Leave This World Loving You", "From a Jack to a King" and the title track. The album itself topped the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and Canada's RPM Country Albums chart. By late 1989, the album had been certified Platinum by the RIAA for 1 million sold.

Item Highlights:

• RIAA "flower hologram" Gold album award with LP and cassette
• In VG to Excellent condition
  
• First presentation award from 1988
• Presentation to music executive
• All original with manufacturer's sticker on rear
• Award measures approx. 17" x 21"
• Great collector's item for any Ricky Van Shelton fan

Detailed Item Description: This is a first presentation RIAA Gold award that would have been manufactured in 1988 when this style of RIAA award was made ("flower RIAA hologram"). That makes this award approx. 32 years old. It is presented to Sam Milicia, an executive with Handleman, a record industry distributor.

This award appears to be in original condition, i.e. unaltered components including an original back with Creative Glassics manufacturer's sticker. This award is in VG to Excellent condition, with only a very, very minor mar or two on the frame and plexiglas.

Notes on the condition of all vintage RIAA awards: Please do not buy this item if you want a brand new piece of memorabilia. These are historical artifacts from the year they were produced. As a result they may show signs of wear. Frankly, if you see a 20 to 50-year-old award purported to be in 100% perfect condition, it might be too good to be true. After all, an antique should have "good' wear. If not, you might want to question the piece.

As to where they came from, they could have been displayed in record label offices, recording studios, artist manager's offices, radio stations, private collector's homes and yes, of course, possibly the artist's or songwriter's home. Typically, we don't know all the places they may have been over the years other than what we've stated in the description.