BUILDING AN A-LIST COLLECTION DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A ‘REEL’ CHALLENGE IF YOU KEEP THESE KEY FACTORS IN MIND
By Merritt Martin | July 16, 2025
Once upon a time, for every movie released in the theater, there was a once-in-a-lifetime (or maybe two weeks) chance to see it, and movie posters were the main way those passing by or standing in the lobby could find out about an upcoming release. But those posters weren’t always respected for the service, nor the art, they provided. “Movie posters were viewed as ephemeral, disposable things,” says Zach Pogemiller, Heritage’s Associate Director of Movie Posters. “Once a movie left the theater, the poster was at the end of its lifespan. They were either packed away in a storeroom or discarded.”
Now, however, what was once trash is now treasure, with some of the most sought-after vintage movie posters fetching sums in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
This one-sheet for Charlie Chaplin’s 1921 comedy ‘The Kid,’ available in Heritage’s July 24-25 Movie Posters Signature® Auction, represents the perfect storm of popularity, rarity, and compelling design.
“For much of their history, movie posters were not considered collectible items,” says Charles Epting, Heritage’s Associate Director of Posters. “Today, the situation is almost the opposite. Much of Hollywood’s marketing is now digital, and physical posters are often produced with collectors in mind. The posters we deal in at Heritage are cultural artifacts, offering a window into how films were promoted and experienced across decades. It’s remarkable that any have survived and that they continue to inspire and connect with audiences all these years later.”
Not all vintage posters score five stars in value, however. Here, we look at the key factors to consider when plotting out a movie poster wall of fame.
‘The Wizard of Oz’ is one of the most collected film titles in the poster hobby. This half sheet for the 1939 classic sold for $108,000 in a March 2019 Heritage auction.
It’s a Popularity Contest
Beloved classics like The Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, along with major franchises such as Star Wars and James Bond, tend to prove both popular and valuable. While horror and science fiction are hands down the most popular genres, nostalgia for any film increases value for a collector. Cultural impact is also a big player, because it means more people connect with a film. If more collectors love the same title or franchise, the value correlates. Take John Alvin’s touching fingers for 1982’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, the Greg and Tim Hildebrandt artwork for Star Wars, or Dorothy and her friends. The iconic images on these posters are burned into our collective brains. “The more obscure and forgettable titles will be obtainable for next to nothing, while a one-sheet on The Wizard of Oz might sell for $40,000,” Pogemiller says. Epting notes that titles like Back to the Future, Blade Runner, and The Goonies are also gaining traction with collectors. “We’re seeing a surge of interest from collectors who grew up in the 1980s,” he says, “and that is driving up prices.”
In a November 2017 Heritage auction, this 1931 ‘Dracula’ one-sheet realized $525,800, the highest price ever achieved for a movie poster at Heritage.
Survival of the Scarcest… and Scariest
Vintage movie posters are already scarce, as a rule, but certain decades prove particularly challenging – and desirable. “1920s silent films didn’t get reissued very often after the advent of sound film, so there was no real need for that promotional material,” Pogemiller explains. The world’s most valuable movie poster dates to 1927: the German three-sheet for Fritz Lang’s sci-fi masterpiece Metropolis. The poster, designed by Heinz Schulz-Neudamm, sold for a record $690,000 in 2005. As for the 1930s, very few posters survived what was a big decade for Hollywood after poster distribution changed when antitrust rulings forced movie studios to divest of their theater chains. U.S. posters related to the original Universal Horror films (particularly, 1931’s Dracula and Frankenstein) are often considered holy grails due to their rarity and cultural impact. “Universal released four different one-sheets for Dracula in 1931,” Pogemiller says. “There are fewer than 20 total examples known of the four styles combined.” It’s a fun hunt to sink your teeth into.
With its bold colors and swirling, disorienting illustration, the 1958 one-sheet for Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Vertigo,’ featuring artwork by the legendary Saul Bass, stands as one of the most striking and collectible posters in cinema history. This example of the unforgettable image is available in Heritage’s July 24-25 Movie Posters Signature® Auction.
Design Turns a Dime
There’s a reason people use terms like “iconic,” “haunting,” or “intriguing” when describing certain movie posters. And it’s one of the biggest rules of marketing. Good art and design attracts and resonates. “Artwork is one of the prime influencers of value,” Pogemiller says. “An ugly poster for a great movie won’t have anything like the value of an exciting graphic.” Many artists are highly collectible. Consider designers like the Stenberg Brothers, Aleksander Rodchenko, Saul Bass, Hap Hadley, Al Hirschfeld, Bob Peak, Robert McGinnis, Drew Struzan, Ercole Brini, and Gosta Aberg. Even renowned illustrators like Alberto Vargas, Frank Frazetta, Norman Rockwell, and James Montgomery Flagg designed a few movie posters. “In many cases, a strong design by a respected artist can elevate a poster for a film that might not otherwise be considered highly collectible,” Epting says.
Featuring artwork by Anselmo Ballester, this Italian poster for 1947’s ‘The Lady From Shanghai’ is widely considered among the best for this film. The poster is available in Heritage’s July 24-25 Movie Posters Signature® Auction.
To Niche Their Own
Emotional and personal appeal can determine what a collector seeks in a broad sense, or in a very specific one. Some focus on a favorite actor, director, or genre, while others pull focus onto foreign posters. While collectors typically prize country of origin over international posters (a U.S. poster for an American movie, a French poster for a French film, etc.), Pogemiller notes that there are some exceptions. “French and Italian posters from the ’40s and ’50s are thought to be far superior artistically to those produced in America,” he says. But the appeal of foreign posters goes beyond the quality of the artwork. “Seeing how different countries interpreted the same movie or applied their own visual identity is fascinating,” Epting says. “It’s fun to see another culture’s take on something so familiar.” That word “fun” is really the most important. A niche that’s enjoyable to collect makes the hunt as rewarding as the score. And satisfaction from a completed – or multilingual – collection can rank higher than any estimated value.
This 1977 first-printing Style A one-sheet for ‘Star Wars,’ which shows only minor signs of wear, realized $10,200 in an April 2023 Heritage auction.
Save Them From a Rainy Day
There’s no point in investing in a collection of posters if they’re in poor condition or left unprotected. While it’s important to remember that vintage movie posters were utilitarian marketing tools, meaning signs of wear most likely will be present, condition can impact value and becomes more of a factor for modern and more common posters. “Star Wars would be the prime example here,” Pogemiller says. “There exist mint condition Star Wars Style A one-sheets, and these will sell for much more than a copy that’s been around the block.” Pogemiller also notes that unlike other hobbies, restoration isn’t frowned upon with movie posters. “Collectors generally want their pieces to appear as close to pristine as possible,” he says.
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When it comes to displaying and/or storing posters, collectors have different preferences. Some opt for linen backing, which involves mounting fragile or heavily used posters to a canvas and acid-free paper for stability and easier display. Others prefer to keep their posters in their original format (folded or rolled), depending on how they were issued. Pogemiller advises that flat files and large-format portfolios are the best means for storing posters flat but offers caution if framing. “Do not dry mount a poster to board and do not tape it to the mat or backing board,” he says, noting that some framers do this because it’s easier to get the piece to stay in place, but “it will devalue the poster.” Regardless of storage or display preference, both Heritage experts agree the fundamentals are the same: Always use acid-free materials and avoid humidity and direct sunlight. “Some of these posters have already survived a century,” Epting says. “With proper care, they can last another.”
