...and Bogart. ;)
Agree with Chris. My impression is that some genres such as westerns and musicals are not the trend right now. Which is fine by me.
Long live John Ford (and John Wayne)
Definitely the classics and very fine grades seem to maintain their value. And not so much classics (I love the Hope/Crosby/Lamour Road Shows :D and they seem to always command a pretty good price). But I did find it very interesting the comments above about the 1970's and 1980's becoming very popular, and that certain genres go through phases of popularity, with apparently Westerns and Musicals not being so popular right now.
Are the 1970's and 1980's seen as "old enough" now so as to be collectible?
One genre that I have seen over the last several years as being very hot is Sci-fi...particularly 50's Sci-fi. Is that a trend or has it always been highly sought after?
I mean, call me crazy, but I still don't see how Jaws or Blade Runner or Taxi Driver are going to go through the roof pricewise, because there are tons and tons of them around. They show up at auction a few times a month and are all over ebay. But then again, I joined the hobby when they were like 300-400 dollar posters, and I'm sure the old time collectors remember when they were like a dollar each. I would be shocked if these ever become 2k-3k posters. But who knows, crazier things have happened. Not every poster can be a Hannah and her Sisters daybill. eyeroll
In short, pricing trends change constantly and are completely unreliable. If you are collecting for investment, you are in the wrong hobby. Or you like risk.
I collect because I like collecting, I spend some of my discretionary income on posters and it brings me happiness. I don't know exactly why, but it does. That's as much as I can ask from the hobby (and from life in general).
There will be a few that sell for several hundred dollars, and many that I only get pennies for, but the average insures I get a good chunk of cash in the end. I will post separately about my experiences when the first payments have come in.
Oh, and Lars Erik, I tried, I tried. Glad I could help out though. I guess... :(
--Peter
As for that chunk of cash, it will probably go to shipping everything I own from USA to Japan! No new acquisitions until I have a house to put them in!
Moving again? Japan sounds like an excelent destination!! thumbsup.gif
I pretty much agree with T, especially this last part
collectibles have been touted as investments - wrongly IMO
I sell enjoyment, not investment
everyone's knows that old chestnut about original Star Wars figurines in mint packaging... Plus, what could be more fun than getting rich by buying stuff that you love?
Glitch in the matrix? Giant FU, Putin?
The trick I think, hold things that are NOT collected and saved, but have strong or rather will have strong nostalgic value in the future. Something that we won't use later, but will remember fondly, that nobody thinks to keep.
People over 55 do have disposable income, but generally are trying to shed possessions.I dont disagree with that at all. my dad collects more things now than we he did before he retired!
Has anyone ever noted a better or worse time of year to sell or buy?
I see it this way
the stuff from the 70's 80's is making good money because the people that grew up with that stuff are now earning perhaps the most they will will earn or certainly have some disposable income. Certainly in my experience the people i sold and bought from were generally between 30 and 55
Good titles from earlier will surely make good prices but the lesser stuff falls away exponentially. The reason i think is that the generation of collectors for lets say the fifties is retiring/downsizing and other than a few titles they possibly dont have the money or inclination to continue to buy. If you dont have a great pension then a lot of posters are out of your reach. where as the guy in a good job wants to pay top dollar for jaws star wars goonies etc
give it ten years and the eighties/nineties will be soaring and some of the early seventies stuff will fall away
just my thoughts!
Paul
summertime, before kids go back to school, before christmas, January
Are those times of high or low pricing?
Thanks for all of the replys. And they have made me somewhat wary. One of my alltime favorite films is Back to the Future. This poster makes a regular appearance on the auction sites, and habitually goes for around $150 (excluding one that was autographed by the Director and went for only $88 and that still puzzles me). I am not looking at this poster for an investment, but I don't want to buy a poster for $150 and have that value drop to around $40 after the 80's craze is over. So, I will keep watching and maybe snag one when the price begins to drop.
going further
if a 1931 Dracula poster can sell for $310,000 on day and $160,000 next time - no Rosa it is not holding it's value and by itself is an indication of the vagaries and travails of the business.
Movie posters is a hobby and unlike other hobbies, has been resistant to those things that make any market investible - there is no price guide.
I say collect what you love and try NOT to overpay that is the trick for me. At least it will always hold its value regardless of trends.
how much I can keep spending on posters without going insane.
I love you too Rich :-*
Hehe
All true about not thinking of the investment. It seems like every auction has a BTTF poster in fine condition. Every time I talk myself out of it for the aforementioned reasons. But I just know that one night I will be overtaken, and press that Bid button. And probably thrilled when it arrives in the mail.
we may be too late already wynk
Blimey. ..she just needs to have unibrows to be my spitting image :P
Rich's insights make me ask a different question.
When is the ideal time to purchase a poster that is going to appreciate in value.
1. Most will say forget value and buy new posters where the film speaks to you. Unfortunately, that often leads to one saying "What was I thinking?" five years down the road. The Titanic/Avatar syndrome. You end up buying 20 turkeys for every gem.
2. Wait until everyone else is in a buying frenzy and pay market. This is not the time to buy BTTF, John Hughes or other 80's classics. But it may never be the time again in your lifetime. These posters are hot because people who now have money remember the film fondly and want a poster. Prices are likely to stay stable until these people die off. Then the prices drop because nobody who remembers the film is still able to remember much of anything. The remaining strategy here is to spend endless hours searching out a few gems where somebody doesn't know the worth of the poster, and then cheating them. Not for me.
3. My preferred strategy. Wait 5-10 years. If the movie still speaks to you, go ahead and buy it. The price will still generally be affordable, and may even be depressed due to people who followed #1. As Rich said, buy for your own pleasure and you won't go wrong. I won't get rich from this strategy, but I end up with things I like without breaking the bank, and limit the amount of 'back of closet' junk.
What about posters that are already 50+ years old?
Thanks Rich. Oh...of course...I wrote that.
hitself
To be honest I don't want to think about how much money I will make if any at all...just how much I have spent..and how much I can keep spending on posters without going insane. Luckily I have got 3 more posters to go and I am done...but can't bloody find them girly2.gif
I love this statement...3 more posters and I am done! Lucky girl, I wish I had that much restraint/end game. :)
3. My preferred strategy. Wait 5-10 years. If the movie still speaks to you, go ahead and buy it. The price will still generally be affordable, and may even be depressed due to people who followed #1. As Rich said, buy for your own pleasure and you won't go wrong. I won't get rich from this strategy, but I end up with things I like without breaking the bank, and limit the amount of 'back of closet' junk.
While you can probably find a Back to the Future 1-sheet for sale every week for the next 10 years, that is just not always the case with what the heart wants (right Rosa and her 3 posters?).
So if it finally shows up for sale and you can purchase it without breaking the bank, do it and enjoy it now.
I want a Jungle Woman insert, the last time I saw one for sale it sold for about $25 more than I was willing to pay. That was 10 years ago.
I may very well find it for less money whenever it turns up, but not only have I wasted a few minutes each week searching for it, I have missed out on 10 years of enjoying that poster. I was a blockhead to let it get away when I could have easily afforded it.
I would even apply this to Back to the Future. Let's say that for some reason in 10 years no one wants that title (doubtful, but let's say...) and you can buy it for $50 instead of $150. Is it really worth $100 to delay enjoyment for 10 years?
You wouldn't get $10 a year worth of enjoyment from owning that poster?
If not, this probably isn't the hobby for you.
While you can probably find a Back to the Future 1-sheet for sale every week for the next 10 years, that is just not always the case with what the heart wants (right Rosa and her 3 posters?).
So if it finally shows up for sale and you can purchase it without breaking the bank, do it and enjoy it now.
I want a Jungle Woman insert, the last time I saw one for sale it sold for about $25 more than I was willing to pay. That was 10 years ago.
I may very well find it for less money whenever it turns up, but not only have I wasted a few minutes each week searching for it, I have missed out on 10 years of enjoying that poster. I was a blockhead to let it get away when I could have easily afforded it.
I would even apply this to Back to the Future. Let's say that for some reason in 10 years no one wants that title (doubtful, but let's say...) and you can buy it for $50 instead of $150. Is it really worth $100 to delay enjoyment for 10 years?
You wouldn't get $10 a year worth of enjoyment from owning that poster?
If not, this probably isn't the hobby for you.
Rich's insights make me ask a different question.
When is the ideal time to purchase a poster that is going to appreciate in value.
1. Most will say forget value and buy new posters where the film speaks to you. Unfortunately, that often leads to one saying "What was I thinking?" five years down the road. The Titanic/Avatar syndrome. You end up buying 20 turkeys for every gem.
3. My preferred strategy. Wait 5-10 years. If the movie still speaks to you, go ahead and buy it.
Wait, poster dealers advising to buy NOW NOW NOW...? Crazy!
(I actually agree tho...)
You talking about Jayn_j? Didnt realise he was a dealer. Not that matters tho
I've never sold a poster. Given a few away.
You talking about Jayn_j? Didnt realise he was a dealer. Not that matters tho
I am waiting for mine!!
Referring to Schan and Rich's comments about not holding out...
.. but I need the poster..... I N-E-E-D the poster
Need your address, then Ishtar is on its way. >:D
Hope you get it Rich.
Interesting topic here, I buy what I like. If I really liked the movie, and likewise the poster then when I find it I buy/bid it.
I have been focusing on my Resident Evil collection. Ironically as new as the movies are, they are proving to be difficult to find in a desirable condition. I will never sell them, so the value or future value in my case does not influence my decision to buy.
Now a question for you folks. Have you noticed a trend in value increasing when studios release new movies/sequels of films. For example, do you think the value will go up on Star Wars stuff when the new movie is released later this year? OR the demand for the original Avengers stuff when the sequel releases?
Or when they remake an old movie like Robocop, or Dread, or Total Recall?
possibly the opposite as shitty sellers all list their stuff and its flooded (I don't know - just thinking out loud).
Like the dead people dealers (listing just after someones death).
Now a question for you folks. Have you noticed a trend in value increasing when studios release new movies/sequels of films. For example, do you think the value will go up on Star Wars stuff when the new movie is released later this year? OR the demand for the original Avengers stuff when the sequel releases?
Or when they remake an old movie like Robocop, or Dread, or Total Recall?
possibly the opposite as shitty sellers all list their stuff and its flooded (I don't know - just thinking out loud).
Like the dead people dealers (listing just after someones death).
Did you get all the Japanese B1s? They're the ones to collect, imo. I only got 5 for Apocalypse and Extinction, never got the rest because if I remember correctly, they look liked US OS. These 5 are different, though. The two character B1s for Apocalypse are textured. Quite cool in person. The undisputed king of B1s himself, Holiday, tried to get them from me on multiple occasions, but I resisted.
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8668/16773802716_647f8b49dc.jpg)(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7605/16179745013_3283cd04c1.jpg)
T
Apocalypse is BY FAR the best of the 5
There are five of them now? I have clearly lost touch...
Where is that picture of my office throwing up posters when you need it. I don't remember which thread it was in.
T
Alright, well, what I had first envisioned to be a fun experience really turned out to be a nightmare. Mainly because trashing posters is not fun to any collector. I will not recoup my $200, and in retrospect, I should have sent it to the Red Cross. Another problem is that I am extremely anal and expect modern posters (post 1990) to be in extra mint condition. I mean, not a flaw. Well, 99% of these posters did not pass the test. Plus, I already owned a lot of these titles, and the rest of them were lame, lame movies (Ice Cube, anyone?) So out the door they go.
This is the outside of my garage, an hour ago. Did I mention it's about to rain?
Oh well, live and learn, right? Someone, somewhere, is laughing at me...
(http://www.eatbrie.com/large_posters_files/Photos/Trashposters1.jpg)(http://www.eatbrie.com/large_posters_files/Photos/Trashposters2.jpg)(http://www.eatbrie.com/large_posters_files/Photos/Trashposters3.jpg)
T
Paying top Dollar is fine if you have deep pockets like Rich and Sean, but us poor collectors, do have to watch the Pennies...
who can sight the $500 poster in T's trash pile....
I didnt know Dakota Fanning's posters were going for that much now, Rich. ;D
I'm surprised you can't see it.. look again
Still haven't seen it, Rich.
Can you give a clue? prayer.gif
it's one of the posters shown in the pile.
.......plain and simple robbery from someone who got the stuff for free and now wants to make an easy buck.
I am not so much as worried with the posters I own raising in value but more afraid of overpaying because sometimes there are quite different prices for the same posters and it gets real hard to tell what is fair and what is pure speculation or even plain and simple robbery from someone who got the stuff for free and now wants to make an easy buck.
I recently paid someone x10 what they had paid for a true unicorn poster only 3 weeks earlier
I managed to get another one from the original seller for the price my seller had paid
so not a true unicorn ???
it's very hard not to cause damage just by simply handling them...
It really is not. There are a few sellers out there who know exactly how to handle paper and whose stuff is always pristine.In my very short experience I have been able to slightly deteriorate the condition of one or two pieces just because I rushed and mishandled them thinking it would be ok... silly me.
T