Items Condition/Grading System
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 tent to mention as much as possible the minor flaws in our description section in the listing. We use the scale below and it is intended only as a guideline.
NEAR MINT - Virtually unused; only the slightest signs of wear. A poster in NEAR MINT condition may have minor blemishes in the border only. The artwork is in excellent condition with no blemishes whatsoever.
VERY GOOD - Light use with no serious defects; a relatively clean specimen. A poster in VERY GOOD condition may have blemishes in the border and up to approximately one inch of the poster's artwork. There may be small tears in the artwork along the fold lines only. It may also have minor fading.
GOOD - Average, moderate use; expect variety of cosmetic flaws, tears, tackholes and small tape or light staining in borders, some wear at major fold intersections. A poster in GOOD condition may have tears or small holes that measure no larger than a quarter on the outer edges of the poster's artwork. Pieces of the border may be torn or missing; there may be mild bleed-through in the outer area of the artwork; there may be mild fading. In general, a poster in GOOD condition will have minor blemishes around the border and into the outer edges of the artwork. The major area of the artwork must be clear of any blemishes.
FAIR - Heavily used but probably presentable if framed; image area is not significantly damaged. A poster in FAIR condition may have major blemishes that directly affect the artwork of the poster. The poster is recognizable and the artwork is primarily intact. A poster in FAIR condition must be professionally restored.
POOR - Very heavily used; expect some damage to image area requiring restoration. Posters in POOR condition will have serious blemishes or in general.