We've
been making a lot of updates and changes!!!! so look around again..
From ad pricing to lists of all the serials that were put out. We're
adding more samples and photos. We have a lot more to put in and change
so if you see anything that you would like added, have a comment,
or you see a mistake (my wife made it not me:). email us to let us
know
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03/10
NSS NUMBER/TITLE PROJECT:
Jon
Warren, a long time poster dealer, is embarking on a MAJOR UNDERTAKING
which will prove to be a major tool for movie poster collectors. To
complete this job, Jon is asking for help from dealers and collectors.
Jon's project involves a complete compilation of all NSS numbers and
the title of the movie assigned to them. He has free software designed
to help anyone interested in assisting with this project. Jon plans
to make this available to all collectors and dealers. If you would
like more information, wish to add a poster to the database or to
volunteer to help, click on the website at: http://www.knowa.com
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03/10
WELCOME OUR NEW SPONSORS:
We
would like to welcome our two new sponsors. Remember, it's these sponsors
that bring this site to you FREE OF CHARGE! THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Unless you are new to movie poster collecting, EVERYONE IN THE INDUSTRY
knows BRUCE HERSHENSON. He has made major contributions with his inexpensive
auctions, his many books (we lost count), and weekly newsletters that
keep everyone informed. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT HIS SITE AT: http://www.emovieposter.com
Old Burrito is a quickly expanding site dedicated to movies and games
trivia. They offer a haven for "Movie Dorks Anonymous" and one of
the best NES Nintendo databases on the web. Other fun stuff as well.
http://www.oldburrito.com
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ANNOUNCEMENT
OF RELEASE OF 2001 POSTER PRICE ALMANAC:
For
the novice's benefit, movie poster collecting is quite unlike most
other major collectible hobbies. Stamps, comic books, sports cards
etc. are created to sell to the public so they also have price guides
that will list each issue, tell what it's worth and sometimes how
many were made.
Movie
posters are quite unique in this pricing arena. Because of the way
the movie industry came about and all the independent factions that
broke off from the main stream, there's no way to make a list of all
the MOVIES that were made in the US, no less make a list of the advertising
by-product called 'movie posters'.
Since
these were NOT meant for sale to the public and considered advertising
trash by the studios until recently, there's very little record of
how many were produced on a majority of the films released. This makes
it quite difficult to have any type of pricing structure to determine
the worth of movie posters. It basically comes down to the theory
of 'supply and demand'. And, unfortunately, there's always the dealer
whose 'demand' is a lot higher than it should be.
I've
seen dealers take a reissue, call it an original issue, mark it 10
times the going market rate and sell it to a tourist who didn't know
the difference, just because they could get it and knew it was doubtful
that they would ever see the client again. This is the importance
of finding a reputable dealer.
On
the other hand, you have the auctions that say they are the true way
to set a price for a piece. Well, auctions are broken into 2 major
categories: auction houses, where you go and physically look at the
piece; and 'online' auctions (auctions conducted over the internet).
First,
the auction house has the benefit of an 'appraiser' looking at the
piece and giving an estimate of what HE thinks the value of the poster
is. ven with the appraiser being able to see and feel the poster,
and other benefits that an auction house brings, there’s a down side.
By the time you finish with the appraiser fee, insurance fee, storage
fee, listing fee, catalog fee, photograph fee, shipping fee and then
on top the AUCTION HOUSE FEE, (whew!) well, you get my point.......
Next,
you have the hailed price savior of the 'online auction'. This seems
well and good to try to set prices. BUT, even though you ARE charged
a shipping fee (the seller pays the auction fee and listing fee),
what you don't have...is the ability to personally see the poster
(and unfortunately we estimate that at least 1/3 of ALL online auctions
have misrepresentations, whether intentional or not, just because
they don't have an expert to judge what the item really is). You don't
really know for sure, if you're bidding on an original, reprint, commercial,
foreign or reissue. Then you’re also dependent on the seller for his
opinion of the condition, so you don't really know what you're bidding
on.
I've
had friends make GREAT purchases, and others that made great purchases
only to find out when it came in, that it was a commercial poster
portrayed as an original.Unfortunately, this happens a lot, but the
buyer don't know enough about what he's buying to know that the steal
he just got wasn't worth the money to begin with. So he's elated that
he got a great deal, but later finds out that he was taken.
This
is why I revel in an updated price almanac coming out!!! The price
almanac contains listings of poster prices from both auctions and
dealers. And the best we have found on the market is: The Poster Price
Almanac released by John Kisch The Poster Price Almanac is a fantastic
tool (I use it all the time) BUT remember IT IS ONLY A TOOL......
There
are several factors that must be taken into consideration when utilizing
a price almanac. The first that I hear the most about is that only
the high priced posters are listed. I can see both sides to this.
Even though I would love to know if a poster was sold for less somewhere
else, I also realize that I would get a hernia picking up a book with
all those listings - which, by the way, I would have to mortgage my
house to pay for. So I realize, something has to give. You are then
left with the opinions of the dealers as what they have priced it
for.
Though
I question some pricing, it’s better than someone pricing the item
that doesn’t even collect or have any idea of what to price it at.
When you are looking at dealers’ prices, remember that you are looking
at what different dealers around the world THINK this poster should
sell for (I think all mine are worth a fortune:), NOT what it sold
for.
A
poster's value is worth different amounts in different regions in
the country and/or in the world. For example, we live in New Orleans.
The posters for the movies "Big Easy" and "Bellizaire the Cajun" are
very sought-after down here. Dealers in California, New York, Chicago,
etc., can't GIVE these posters away. Why? Because there is a local
interest and demand here - where there is no such demand in other
parts of the world -- back to "supply and demand."
These
types of factors CANNOT be addressed in a price guide and must be
taken into consideration when using one. Also what can’t be factored
in is overhead of different dealers. A small dealer working out of
his house can sell a poster for a lot less money than the dealer that
has a large retail outlet and employees. Then, on the other hand,
the dealer with the large showroom usually gets the better grade posters.
This shouldn’t be a factor…….BUT IT IS.
Next,
when reviewing listings from physical auction houses, you have to
take into consideration the "atmosphere" of a live auction. Is the
item really worth the final bidding price, or did "deep-pocketed"
bidders get caught up in a "competitive bidding frenzy" and cause
the value to skyrocket past its actual value. THIS HAPPENS and must
be considered when reviewing auction house results.
On
the other hand, if no bidders are present when a particular item is
placed for bid OR if it happens to be the last item on the block at
the end of the auction and everyone has already spent their budgets,
then an item may be auctioned at FAR BELOW its Any time you have "live
bidding," EXTREMES CAN RESULT.
Be
sure to look for these extremes when using a price almanac as a tool!
The other auction is done "online." Unfortunately, with online auctions,
you do not have the benefit of seeing and feeling the item. Is it
an original theatre one sheet, a reprint, a reissue, a foreign issue,
or even a commercially printed poster?
Online
auctions depend solely on the descriptions given by the seller - and
if an item is misrepresented (either intentionally or accidentally),
it can cause an item to either be underpriced or overpriced. Here
again, look for extremes in pricing in the almanac.
The
Poster Price Almanac has done a remarkable job in attempting to compile
large amount of price data from different directions to be used as
a reference tool. It is a massive undertaking and a remarkable accomplishment!
For more information, click HERE.
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