Almost 80 years after the release of “The Wizard of Oz,” a 22-inch-by-28-inch half-sheet movie poster advertising the film soared to $108,000, with buyer premium, in a March sale of movie posters at Heritage Auctions in Dallas. The sale included seven “Oz” posters (the subject is one of the most collected posters), but this one took the prize. Total results for the sale hit over $2 million.
MORE: Movie posters are popular collectibles because they are visual and cover a multitude of genres. There is a poster to satisfy any age and aesthetic, while subjects cover a multitude of tastes and interests. Also, they can be had for pocket change to mega bucks. Sizes range from postcard size to window cards to half, one or two sheets, and go all the way to double-digit size sheets that, when assembled, make a jumbo display.
SMART COLLECTORS KNOW: The price for paper movie posters depends on subject, rarity and, above all, condition. Restoration is common, but it must have been done to exacting standards; a professional job is best. Flaws include fading, fold marks, pinholes from hanging, and, of course, tears.
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HOT TIP: According to the house, the film cost an estimated $2.7 million in Depression-era dollars to make, yet earned only $3 million at the box office. The film was popular, but a real boost in interest happened in 1956 when annual television showings introduced it to new generations.
BOTTOM LINE: “Oz” may have been the big winner, but as a class, horror films scored mightily. A 1941 poster for “The Wolf Man” sold at $96,000, and Universal’s circa 1935 “The Bride of Frankenstein” fetched $90,000. Both were 14-inch-by-36-inch vertical posters called inserts.
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