Movie Poster Grading Condition Guide What Are Movie Posters Worth

The condition of any collectible will substantially affect its value. No where is this more true than in the world of vintage movie posters.

Movie poster grading is unregulated and it can be very confusing. Unlike coins, baseball cards and comic books, there is no universally accepted grading scale or grading service. One dealer may grade a poster as “GOOD”, while another describes it as "NEAR MINT". Because most film posters were used at one time, their condition varies. Minor flaws that are common include handling wear, fold wear, creases, wrinkles, pinholes, tears, stains, writing, tape, etc..

We work hard to remove as much subjectivity as we can from the grading process. We use the scale below developed by Jon Warren, author of Warren's Movie Poster Price Guide. The grading scale is intended only as a guideline. We agree with about 99% of it. There are only one or two very minor things we disagree with, but it really is truly an excellent tool for reference and evaluating movie posters.

We use this 10 point scale because we believe just about everyone can relate to it. If people are not familiar with posters and grading terminology, they can better understand "8 OUT OF 10" rather than "VERY GOOD TO FINE".

Feel free to request a more detailed condition report on any poster of interest to you.

A poster that was "factory folded" can still be graded C9-C10 as these original folds are not considered a flaw.

Very rarely do we grade or sell a poster that we believe to be in true "C10 Mint Condition". "Mint Condition" is a term thrown around very loosely by many poster dealers. Posters are not minted. Most of our investment quality posters are graded C9 Near Mint or better. These posters are in the nicest condition one would expect to find. Perfect in just about every way. Out of all the posters out there not very many are graded C9 or better.

Some of our posters are "between grades". For example, a C8-C9 poster will contain all the qualities/characteristics of a Near Mint C9 poster except for one or two very minor flaws that we believe prevent it from being a true C9 poster.

When a poster has been linen backed and/or restored, grading the item can be difficult. A poster that was in poor condition could have extensive restoration and appear to be in near mint condition. Only an expert would be able to tell how much restoration was done. If a poster we have has had any restoration, we describe its condition before and after whenever possible.

Grading Standards for Movie Posters and Related Memorabilia

by Jon Warren

2006

Who should read this: dealers and collectors of movie memorabilia who have a long-term, vested interest in the growth of the market for movie memorabilia.

Collecting original movie posters and related memorabilia is gaining popularity in the United States and worldwide. The movie memorabilia areas on eBay are among their most popular, and auction houses are reporting record prices for rare items.

Until the introduction of our 10-point system, the movie poster marketplace suffered from a lack of a standardized system for ranking of condition. Each movie poster merchant more or less "invented" their own system. In our opinion, lack of grading consistency among varied merchants is a major obstacle to hobby growth. Why? Because buyers feel more secure with "sight unseen" internet buying when they are familiar with a consistent grading system. New collectors in any hobby become advanced collectors through knowledge, including knowledge of terminology. Without such a set of grading terms and definitions, buyers may feel confused and uncertain about the quality of items they are buying over the internet or through the mail. Confusion and uncertainty are not good for the growth of any hobby.

Our 10-point scale for rating movie posters is similar to systems being adopted in other hobbies. By using a set of standardized grading terms, we can ensure the growth of the movie memorabilia hobby now and in the future.

Green	Investment quality
Yellow	Collector quality
Blue	Unsuitable for collecting or investment

GRADE	GRADE DESCRIPTION
	General Notes: When grading items, one should remember the goal: to paint an accurate picture in the mind of the potential buyer of what to expect upon receipt of the item. Of course, a picture is worth a thousand words, and often a seller can include high-quality images to help describe the poster, but too frequently an image does not clearly show all flaws. This is when a good grading description becomes invaluable. The buyer relies on the seller's honesty and accuracy in disclosure. It is therefore incumbent upon the seller to do the best job possible. This being said, writing grade descriptions is more of an art than a science. One can be too brief, or too comprehensive, with equally bad effect. If too brief, the reader has an eerie feeling of uncertainty which causes a decision not to buy. Too much detail, and the opposite can happen: the buyer imagines the accumulation of flaws in the description of every tiny detail and pictures an item that is in horrible shape, when truly this is not the case. It is our opinion that the buyer must be satisfied with the condition of the item upon receipt. If not, the seller must be willing to give a refund to the buyer upon return of the item in the same condition as when sent. This follows generally accepted policies in other mail-order retail activities. If you order a gadget from Sharper Image, are unhappy with it upon receipt, you have the right to return it for a no-questions-asked refund. This is as it should be in our hobby as well. We should follow the "customer is always right" rule. Buyers are human too, of course, and are subject to the limitations of our species. In the course of your selling, you will encounter buyers who are "return prone" and who never seem to be happy with a description, no matter how detailed. You are under no obligation to sell to these people; and, once you have identified them you are within your rights to ask them to never purchase another item from you.

C10	Mint condition. (M)
	An extremely rare grade for all but the most recent items. Item is "as new" or in the same condition as the day it was made. We highly recommend that you never grade an item C10 unless it is absolutely perfect! The item exhibits an amazing state of preservation with virtually no perceptible flaws of any kind, other than very minor flaws which may have occurred during the printing process. Printing registration should be perfect. In many cases an otherwise "mint" poster may have printing flaws in the registration, or alignment, of colors causing one color to stand slightly offset from the others. This should be almost imperceptible otherwise reduce the grade to C9. The folding/trimming process should not have resulted in any damage to the item of any kind. Sometimes a poster may have slight fold lines which occurred when the poster was put through the folding machine. If the fold line broke the ink, causing a faint white line, the item should not be graded C10. No edge fraying or dents/impressions are allowed in this grade.
C9	Near Mint condition. (NM) 90% of C10.
	Item may be in "never-used" condition or may have been used in the theater, but was carefully preserved after use. The poster should appear to be in absolutely superb, unusually excellent condition. Older posters in this condition are very rare. The following flaws are acceptable in this grade, but should be described: One tiny pinhole in each corner, or a maximum of 4 pinholes Slightly offset color registration Very slight compression marks (indentations) from movie theater use (IE: Clamped in a display) Very slight fold wear if such wear does not significantly affect the eye appeal of the image. Fold lines should not be white. All original color must be present. The following flaws are NOT acceptable in this grade: Creases, except fold creases occuring at the time of manufacture Tape or tape stain residue Minor holes Writing, (marker pen, biro etc.) on the front of the poster Foxing (light brownish spots that look almost rusty) Dampness staining Paint staining Soiling, i.e. mildew or dustiness Minor Fading Minor Paper loss (very small piece missing) Censor stamp/sticker Border chips Staple marks
C8	Excellent condition. (EX) 80% of C10.
	Also called Condition A or Very Fine. Item may be in "never-used" condition or may have been used in the theater, but was carefully preserved after use. If a C9 is almost like new, then a C8 is not as nearly perfect but still quite excellent. Poster should be bright, supple, and clean. An accumulation of more than two or three of the following flaws should cause the grader to assign a lower classification. The following flaws are acceptable in this grade, but should be described: Tiny pinholes, up to a total of 10 A border crease or corner crease, but should be a small one, and not more than one or two very small ones. Small is defined as less than one inch. Slightly offset color registration Very slight compression marks (indentations) from movie theater use (IE: Clamped in a display) Very slight color loss at the folds is acceptable in this grade, but if the fold wear is such that a heavy solid white line results from loss of color due to wear, then the item would not qualify for a C8 rating. One very small tape stain can be permitted but NO TAPE. Minor tears are allowed in this grade, but they should be MINOR, meaning less than 1/2 inch or 1 cm in length, and not more than two total tears on the item. Common areas for tears on posters are at the folds, especially the interior folds where the item may have been unfolded and then refolded. This kind of minor paper separation (tear) is common and is acceptable in a C8 grade notwithstanding other extenuating circumstances. Very slight edge or fold wrinkling or fraying is acceptable Writing, (pencil, light pen) on the front of the poster if it is very small and in an unobtrusive area (a mustache pencilled on Bogart's face would not qualify). Window cards may have writing in the appropriate area. Writing on the back of the poster which DOES NOT BLEED THROUGH is acceptable in this grade. Foxing (light brownish spots that look almost rusty) must be mentioned and is permissible only if it is very slight. Dampness staining can be permitted if it is a very small stain and is described. Very slight soiling, i.e. mildew or dustiness Censor stamp/sticker if it is very small and only if in an unobtrusive area of the item. A small border chip can be present if it is less than 1/2 inch square and is described in detail Staple marks if they are very slight and clean, not torn. The following flaws are NOT acceptable in this grade: Tape Punch holes Heavy writing, (marker pen, biro etc.) on the front of the poster. The exception to this rule is window cards, which had a blank area at the top of the poster for writing show dates and which may have show dates written in heavy grease pencil and still quality for the C8 grade. Heavy writing, (marker pen, biro etc.) on the back of the poster which bleeds through Paint staining Heavy soiling, or dingy dirtiness Severe Fading Large Paper loss (one or more large pieces missing) Very large (more than 4" by 4") censor stamps or stickers Multiple Border chips Heavy and torn staple marks
C7	Very Good to Excellent condition. 70% of C10.
	A nicely preserved item. An item in this grade has many of the same flaws as the higher C8 grade, but, because of a greater accumulation of flaws, can not be assigned the higher classification. Whereas a C8 grade may only have two or three of the above flaws, a C7 may have 7 or 8 of them. The following flaws are acceptable in this grade: Pinholes or staple holes Tape Creases Fold holes: one or two very small ones Very minor fading Heavy writing, (marker pen, biro etc.) on the front of the poster. The exception to this rule is window cards, which had a blank area at the top of the poster for writing show dates and which may have show dates written in heavy grease pencil and still quality for the C8 grade. Writing, (marker pen, biro etc.) on the back of the poster which may slightly bleed through Minor dampness staining Minor soiling Paper loss (one or more pieces missing) Censor stamps or stickers Border chips The observer should note that all of the above variables (from the C8 description) also apply to the C7 grade, so we won't repeat them here. Instead, we would like to make it clear to the reader that the C7 grade is a transition grade, still quite nice, but obviously used and unable to honestly be credited with the higher C8 grade because of an accumulation of flaws.
C6	Very Good Condition. 60% of C10.
	Sometimes referred to as "very good" condition or "Condition B." A Window Card with the top border trimmed away should not be rated higher than C6, even if in otherwise C10 condition. Several pinholes in each corner of the poster, from being displayed, is acceptable in this grade. Pinholes may be present in background, artwork or typography areas. Tears in this grade should be no longer than 1 inch to 2 inches in length, and totalling not more than four tears. Minor fold tears are acceptable but should be described. Light creasing is allowed in 1 or more of the four corners and/or along 1 or more of the four borders. Creasing may affect background, artwork or typography areas but should be described as such. Minor writing and/or marks, i.e. (marker pen, biro etc.) on the front of the poster, is allowed in this grade, however, such writing should be described. Writing on the back of the poster, which DOES NOT BLEED THROUGH, is acceptable in this grade but once again should be described. Posters which have been folded may have fold wear in this grade. This is acceptable, providing the wear does not significantly affect the eye appeal of the image, and has not damaged any print on the poster. Poster should be bright and supple. Poster should be the correct measurement for its size, and show no signs of it having been trimmed on any of its four borders. Minor edge fraying or wrinkling is allowed in this grade but should be described as such. Surface paper loss is allowed in this grade if documented in the description. The following flaws are acceptable in this grade, but should be documented and described: Numerous, countless pinholes Border creases which may extend into the image area of the poster Tape or tape stain residue Minor holes Writing, (marker pen, biro etc.) on the front of the poster Foxing (light brownish spots that look almost rusty) Dampness staining Paint staining Soiling, i.e. mildew or dustiness Minor Fading Minor Paper loss (very small piece missing) Censor stamp/sticker Border chips Staple marks Linen/Paper backing can improve or eliminate the faults mentioned above. Cost of restoration will depend on the skill of the restorer, as well as the number of defects that need to be repaired.
C5	Good to Very Good condition. 50% of C10.
	Also sometimes referred to as "Condition C.". The observer should note that all of the above variables (from the C6 description) also apply to the C5 grade, so we won't repeat them here. Instead, we would like to make it clear to the reader that the C5 grade is a transition grade, heavily worn, obviously used and unable to please most collectors because of the great accumulation of flaws.
C4	Good condition. 40% of C10.
	Often referred to as "Good" condition. Poster will exhibit any or all of the following flaws, which seller may or may not describe in detail: Countless pinholes Countless creases Numerous tears of every imaginable kind Heavy creasing in all four corners/four borders, as well as in the background, artwork and typography areas of the poster. Writing and/or marks, in marker pen and/or biro, on the front and back of the poster Writing in bigger letters/numbers, such as displaying show times and/or dates Posters which will have been folded will have heavy fold wear in this grade. Fold separations or tears located anywhere on the poster Severe edge fraying or wrinkling Several holes, of from 1 to 2 inches in diameter each Pieces of tape and/or tape stain residue Severe damp staining Soiling or other signs of aging Severe to moderate fading over most areas of the poster Paper loss and/or small to medium portions of paper missing Censor stamps/stickers Trimmed borders Brittleness of paper The poster shows serious signs of wear and tear.
C3	Fair condition. 30% of C10.
	Often referred to as "fair" condition or "Condition D." Item will exhibit some or all of the defects described in C4, but to a greater degree.
C2	Poor to Fair condition. 20% of C10.
	Countless pinholes in each corner of the poster, from being displayed, are expected in this grade. Pinholes may be scattered around borders, background, artwork and typography areas. Some/many of these pinholes may be larger and may have been dragged when the poster was removed from display. Tears in this grade are to be expected. Tears may have caused heavy surface paper loss. Heavy creasing in all areas of the poster is to be expected. Heavy writing and/or marks, in marker pen and/or biro, on the front of the poster, is expected in this grade. Heavy writing and/or marks may be over faces/bodies of actors/actresses, and may include defacement. Heavy writing and/or marks which bleed through from the back of the poster is expected in this grade. Heavy writing in bigger letters/numbers, such as displaying show times and/or dates on the poster will be found over any background/main artwork or typography areas. Posters which will have been folded will exhibit heavy fold wear in this grade. Any or all of the following flaws are normal for this grade: Severe fold separation, either on borders or interior fold lines (where the fold lines meet), with the separation being 2 inches or more in length. A heavy area of surface paper loss around these separations is normal. Heavy edge fraying or wrinkling. Holes of more than 1 inch in diameter. These holes could affect any area of the poster. Pieces of tape/tape stain residue, of more than 2 inches in length. These tape/tape stain residues may affect any area of the poster. Heavy foxing Heavy water staining over most or all of the poster Heavy paint staining over most or all of the poster Heavy soiling, i.e. mildew Severe fading over most or all of the poster Heavy paper surface loss and/or large portions of paper missing, affecting any area of the poster. Poster may have censor stamps/stickers, and these may affect any area of the poster. There may be complete fold separation, along all/most of 1, or more, vertical/horizontal fold lines, causing the poster to be in 1 or more pieces. Poster may have fragile, brittle paper, which may break and come apart, when opening/closing the poster. Careful handling will be needed. Paper loss from borders Staple marks Poster may have one or all four borders trimmed
C1	Poor condition. 10% of C10.
	Item will exhibit some or all of the defects described in C2, but to a greater degree.

Universal 10-Point Movie Poster Grading Scale

by Jon Warren

OLD VERSION

THIS HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH THE REVISED VERSION ABOVE

This 10-grade system is designed to make grading movie posters more comparable to other collectible hobbies. These descriptions were taken from the Iguide Movie Poster Prices publication.

C10 - MINT - Investment Quality.

Item is "as new" or in the same condition as the day it was made. The item may or may not literally be in "perfect" condition, but it does exhibit an amazing state of preservation with virtually no perceptible flaws of any kind, other than very minor flaws that may have occurred during the printing process. Printing registration should be perfect. In many cases, an otherwise "mint" poster may have printing flaws in the registration, or alignment, of colors causing one color to stand slightly offset from the others. The folding/trimming process should not have resulted in any damage to the item of any kind. Sometimes a poster may have slight fold lines that occurred when the poster was put through the folding machine. If the fold line broke the ink, causing a faint white line, the item should not be grated C10. No edge fraying or dents/impressions are allows in this grade.

C9 - NEAR MINT - Investment Quality.

Superb. Unused or very carefully used, but with some minor storage defect, minor tear, one pinhole in each corner or some other very minor flaw on an otherwise unused poster. Item may be in "never-used" condition or may have been used in the theatre, but was carefully preserved after use. One tiny pinhole in each corner from being displayed is allowable in this grade. Slightly offset color registration is allowable in this grade. Very slight compression marks (indentations) from move theatre use (i.e. Clamped in a display) are allowable in this grade. No edge fraying. One Sheets, which were normally quarter-folded until recent times, may have very slight fold wear, if such wear does not significantly affect the eye appeal of the image. Folds haven't damaged print.

C8 – EXCELLENT - Investment Quality.

Commonly referred to as Condition A or Very Fine. Item may be in "never-used" condition or may have been used in the theater, but was carefully preserved after use. If a C9 is almost like new, then a C8 is not far behind a C9. An above-average poster exhibiting minimal signs of use. Bright and clean. Poster has no major defects but could have an accumulation of several minor ones, such as a small (1/8" or less) border chip. No creases on lobby cards, but normal/minor creases on one sheets and larger posters is to be expected. A handful of small pinholes or border tears could be present. Aging on older pieces could be present. Paper could be slightly yellowed, but not brown. Minimal or slight restoration could be present if professionally done. There may be signs of wear and use, such as folds or creases (except on lobby cards), possibly a minor border tear, or pinholes in the border. Not soiled; clean and bright. No frontal tape repairs are allowed in this grade, but possibly one very minor tape repair to the back of the piece. Window cards may have written or printed banners. The image area of the poster should be undamaged. Poster should be bright, supple, and clean. May exhibit more fold wear than a C9, but without significant color loss in the fold areas. A slight amount of color loss is acceptable in this grade, but if the fold wear is such that a heavy solid white line results from loss of color due to wear, then the item would not qualify for a C8 rating. No edge wrinkling or fraying is allowed in this grade. No tape is allowed in this grade. No writing on the front of the poster is allowed in this grade, however, writing on the back of the poster that DOES NOT BLEED THROUGH is acceptable in this grade. Minor tears are allowed in this grade, but they should be MINOR, meaning less than 1" in length, and not more than two total tears on the item. Common areas for tears on posters are at the folds, especially the interior folds where the item may have been unfolded and then refolded. This kind of minor paper separation (tear) is common and is allowable in a C8 grade notwithstanding other extenuating circumstances. Should the item have minor paper loss, such as a small piece missing from a corner or interior fold, it should not be given a C8 rating. A corner crease (1/2" or less) or two can be present, but numerous creases affecting the image are not allowed in this grade.

C7 - VERY GOOD to EXCELLENT

Often referred to as Fine condition. Still a very nicely preserved item. Typically, an item in this grade is almost a C8, but one or two unsightly flaws, or heavier than normal fold wear or pinholes, or one small piece of tape on a corner, cause the item to be assigned the C7 designation rather than C8. Heavy damp stains eliminate the item from this grade. However, a minor damp stain on an unobtrusive part of the poster could be allowed. A window card with the top 4 inch blank area trimmed away should not be rated higher than C7, even if in otherwise C9 condition.

C6 - VERY GOOD

Often referred to as "Very Good" condition or "Condition B." The typical used poster in average condition. A sound example, although with wear and defects to be expected of an item that was intended to be used and re-used. Unusual problems should be described. The poster can have slight browning of paper but not brittleness or flaking; it may also have a small amount of writing in some unobtrusive portion of the poster. Minor border repair, edge tears, stains, or other signs of average use could be present. Eye appeal of the image area should be good. Minor soiling could be present. Larger posters could have minor fold tears (length of which should be described); also normal folds, creases, minor fold tears, possible repaired tear (from the back). Professional major restoration is acceptable in this grade. The poster should be complete and if not, major problems should be described (such as paper replacement). In every case, paper replacement and major color touchup and restoration should be described in detail. Tape anywhere on the poster should be mentioned and described. Small pen markings on the front can be present if noted, but not if large, heavy, or if affecting the eye appeal of the image. Sun-fading on the poster should be described, and if significant, should prevent the example from being in this grade. Heavy insect or rodent damage is not allowable in this grade. Amateur color touchup with colored markers is allowable in this grade. Common flaws that relegate an item to this grade include heavy fold wear, unusually large number of pinholes or staple holes, taped corners or fold lines reinforced with tape, minor tears, possibly minor paper loss (pieces missing) from the edges, edge fraying and so on. Because posters were so often used and reused, the C6 grade is common.

C5 - GOOD to VERY GOOD

A heavily-worn item, showing significant signs of use such as multiple pinholes or staple holes, tape, tears, soiling, pieces missing, small markings or pen/pencil marks. Although this is an "in-between" grade and difficult to distinguish from a C6, items are relegated to this lower classification when there is a greater number of general flaws than would normally be expected in the higher grade, or when one major flaw makes the C6 grade unacceptable.

C4 - GOOD

Below average but still suitable for display. Heavily used, with significant signs of use that affect the overall eye appeal of the piece. Small pieces may be missing from the borders (should be described). Image area will usually have minor defects that may impinge upon the graphics. Could have tape, writing, or tears. Numerous pinholes and resulting tears could be present. Complete, but graphics are face-worn.

C3 - FAIR

Often referred to as Fair condition, or Condition D. Heavily worn, but yet still complete

C2 - POOR to FAIR

An extremely worn, possibly even incomplete item.

C1 - POOR

The lowest grade, representing items in the lowest possible condition. Heavily damaged, possibly missing large pieces, possibly brittle and crumbling. Except for valuable rarities, items in this grade have little or no value.