Have you ever wondered why Friday the 13th is such a revered day in tattooing? Before you head out to get your $13 tattoo, check out some research I did on how this “Black Friday” of the tattoo world came to be.
The first big Friday the 13th tattoo sale was in 1995. The party lasted an impressive 24 hours and was inspired by other Halloween specials that were popular at the time. Peck wanted to create his own tradition and, boy, did he succeed.
Oliver Peck is a famous tattoo artist of Elm St. Tattoo and is also known as a judge on the television show, Ink Master. Peck has an impressive tattoo portfolio and is widely credited for starting the craze of Friday the 13th tattoos. Peck has a long and storied history of tattooing and began practicing on himself and friends in 1988 and began professionally tattooing in 1991.
Friday the 13th tattoos have lasted the test of time due to some quirky flash art and an affordable price tag. The low prices are especially impressive because most shops have an hourly rate of $150 for a tattoo. Unfortunately, the downside of this tradition is how it’s grown in popularity. If you’re looking to get a deal on Friday the 13th, you can expect to wait in ridiculously long lines. Peck has admitted that Elm St. Tattoo can expect to tattoo approximately 1,200 customers on an average Friday the 13th. Just like the first party that started it all, Friday the 13th continues to be a 24-hour affair to accommodate the huge crowds.
Peck credits sailor’s historical impact on tattooing that inspired the date. Since the number 13 has always been considered bad luck, sailors would get the number tattooed as an antidote that would keep bad luck away. Peck explained that “bad luck would come your way, it would see the number 13, see that bad luck is already there, and it would pass by.”
