eMoviePoster.com

So many collectors see the HUGE results for the most expensive movie posters, and they often get discouraged, thinking "This hobby is too expensive for me". But actually, that is the furthest thing from the truth of the matter!

How so? Well, for one thing, many of the highest reported results (from all collectibles) must be looked out with a very large "grain of salt", since the auction business is completely unregulated, and there is no saying that those sales ever actually occurred, or, if they did take place, that they were at the price reported. Almost all auctions can report a sky high result, and if the item is quietly cancelled and returned to the owner (or put back on the shelf to be re-auctioned again), no one will know the difference, and no one is out any fees or commissions.

WHY would any auction do this? For one reason, those sky high results make them look successful, and they may attract other top consignments. They also then put an artificial value on that item, which now appears to be "worth" that amount, and if it is re-auctioned and someone pays half that amount, they will think they got it for "half price", when actually the previous result may not have happened (or had real bidders).

THIS CAN NEVER HAPPEN AT EMOVIEPOSTER.COM, because we ONLY report results that really took place, at the exact price stated (and in cash only)! This means you can completely trust our Auction History Database at http://www.emovieposter.com/agallery/archive.html, to accurately give you values of items you are looking to buy or sell.

But back to the subject at hand, "that you don't have to spend a lot of money to collect movie paper"! Yes, if you insist on first release full-size posters from great movies that are from the country of origin and are in great condition, then YES, you will have to spend a LOT on even a collection of a few dozen items.

But here are some tips on how you can still put together a very respectable collection, WITHOUT spending a lot:

1) Consider re-releases. Many collectors pay a HUGE premium for items from the very first release, and items from re-releases, even very early ones, can often cost a fraction of the price of the original.

2) Consider posters from other countries. Many collectors pay a HUGE premium for posters from the country where the movie was first released, and posters from the first release in other countries can often cost a fraction of the price of the poster from the country where the movie was first released.

3) Consider items other than posters. Most collectors rarely exhibit all their collection, and much of their collection will often sit in boxes or cabinets. So why not consider items like program books, heralds, sheet music, etc? These items often cost a tiny fraction of the price of posters from the same movies.

WARNING! Unabashed plug inserted here! A great example of collecting items other than posters is our current auction of 599 German, 304 Austrian, and 96 East German programs, closing Sunday (in less than a day) at http://www.emovieposter.com/agallery/15.html! If you wanted to get first release posters from these same titles, you would be talking thousands of dollars in lots and lots of cases. But on many of these, you may be able to get a cool first release program for a tiny fraction of those amounts, sometimes for just a few dollars, which is really hard to believe!

4) Consider items that are not the absolute most loved movies, but are "one notch down". If you wanted a Humphrey Bogart poster or lobby card, a good one from Casablanca or The Maltese Falcon would surely be VERY expensive. But if instead you go for one from one of his many other fine movies, you might get one for a far lower price.

5) Consider lesser condition (but not so much lesser that it HAS to be restored to be displayed, unless the item is rare, or at a HUGE discount to the "unrestored nice condition" price). If you can accept pinholes, tape stains, some creases and tears, etc, you often can find that item you would love to have at a far lower price (and really, doesn't the wear just show the "battle scars" the item acquired while it was being used as intended?).

6) Consider either collecting in less popular areas or on "newer" items. The best buys are almost always in items from films that are not very collected, and/or on items from films that came out between 10 and 30 years ago. "Newer" items take a while to gain "collectibility", and often can be bought for very low prices.

THESE ARE JUST A FEW SUGGESTIONS ON HOW YOU CAN COLLECT MOVIE PAPER, AND NOT SPEND A FORTUNE DOING SO, WHILE STILL HAVING A GREAT TIME! If you have some additional suggestions (or comments), let me know, and I will post them next time. Until then, happy collecting!