Movie Posters Australia

Movie Posters Australia sells original vintage movie posters and movie ephemera, which includes original vintage window cards, original vintage lobby cards, heralds, movie glass slides, movie programs, movie press books, from all over the world, but particularly original vintage Australian one sheets and daybills. We may also have limited edition movie poster art releases by movie studios / movie production companies / known movie poster artists.

We have been collecting movie posters since the mid-1980's and dealing in original vintage movie posters for over ten years. Movie posters can be both a passion and an addiction. But we are here to help preserve this precious artwork form that both helps create and evoke memories of movies and their stories. These pieces were originally printed to display for a limited time and then throw away. Because of this, very few movie posters remain for some movie titles.

We are located in Melbourne, Australia, but we hold a range of desirable original vintage movie posters, and movie posters with fantastic artwork and design, from all over the world. We also buy original movie posters and vintage movie poster collections. If you are wanting to sell some original movie posters, or a movie poster collection, please contact us through our contact page for private discussion.

Movie Posters Australia specialises in rare, vintage, original movie posters and movie ephemera. We have for sale original, rare and collectible Australian daybill movie posters, One Sheet movie posters from all over the world, Half Sheet movie posters, 3 Sheet movie posters, vintage movie Window Cards, rare Lobby Cards and Lobby Card Sets, UK Quad movie posters, and more.

Our stock spans many decades from the 1930’s through to current day. But we like to focus on rare and investment quality titles from the 1930’s, 1940’s, 1950’s , 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s.

We also cover most movie genres in our stock and have passionate interest in original Horror Movie Posters, Science Fiction / SciFi Movie Posters, Super Hero Movie Posters, Western Movie Posters, Spy Movie Posters, War Movie Posters and more. Check out all our movie poster collections in our site menu to find your favourite. 

And from the major movie franchises we also have Back to the Future movie posters, James Bond original movie posters, Lord of the Rings and Hobbit movie posters, Marvel Comics original movie posters, Harry Potter original movie posters, Rocky original movie posters, Alfred Hitchcock original movie posters, Karate Kid movie posters and many more.

Our web site menu has been setup to help you quickly find the genre, year, or movie franchise you may be looking for. But the search bar at top of screen is also super fast, as well as the filters available on the results page. But if you can’t find the original movie poster you are looking for, please give us a call or send us a message and we’ll only be too glad to tell if we may have it in our store waiting to be listed, or we may be able to locate something quickly through one of our local or international collectors or dealer network.

Not at this time. But we are considering offering this service in the future. In rare circumstances, some movie posters may be offered for sale already framed. You can use a local framer to do this for you but we recommend using a framer that provides 99% UV glass/acrylic, have the poster set back from the glass, and preferably use archival/acid free materials. The posters longevity would best be served by having it linen backed first to make framing easier but the linen backing process will also help neutralise any acid held in the paper fibres, stabilise the poster to prevent foxing, and ensure your poster maintains its appearance and value.

There are a number of factors that can help to authenticate if a movie poster is an original vintage release used by movie theatres, drive-in theatres, and for other movie promotion locations. These can be a mix of size, paper stock, printing process, identifying marks, age and condition, and comparison of printed artwork to other known original examples.
Size – Each movie poster size is generally known and most posters will measure to within a quarter of an inch of their expected size. But there are some exceptions and sometimes a comparison to other known original examples may be needed. It is also possible that a poster may have been trimmed by an owner at some point in an attempt to clean up worn or ratty edges and to improve its condition for sale. Trimming unnecessarily reduces the value of a poster, more so than edge damage itself, and is not recommended. But resource shortages also impacted size and during the second world war we saw the size for Australia Long Daybills change from 15″ x 40″ to smaller War Time Daybill size of 10″ x 30″ to get four daybills cut from a single sheet and reduce paper usage. After World War 2, it increased to a Post-War size of 13″ x 30″, and later in the 1980’s the Daybill size was reduced again to 13″ x 26″ and even smaller sizes in the 90’s and later.
Paper Stock – Weight, quality, finish, and acid content, has changed over the decades. As a short term and disposable advertising medium, the choice of paper in certain decades was impacted by availability of natural resources, type of printing process used, intended location etc. Window Cards, Lobby Cards, US Inserts, were printed on a card stock instead of paper. Pre-1960’s posters were printed using matte paper stock and during war time were impacted by resource shortages as discussed above. Measuring paper thickness (GSM) with a micrometer and comparing this with other known examples can also help authenticate a poster. The quality and finish of the paper can also be compared to other known examples from the period or printer.
Printing Process – From the 1910’s to the 1950’s, most printers used a stone lithograph process for printing movie posters in Australia and a stone litho print has a different texture and feel. Under magnification, it will show the grain of the litho crayon and stone that makes the print. The more common offset printing process, and sometimes in reproductions of pre-1960’s posters that are printed on large format digital printers, under magnification you will see a mixture of overlapping dots (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black) creating a pattern that make up the colours you see. The printing process used can sometimes help authenticate the originals versus reproductions.
Identifying Marks – The printing process itself is not always perfect. Printers rely on the registration (or alignment) of multiple colours printed over each other. Visible registration marks, their location, can also help authenticate a poster. Sometimes, printing errors, plate imperfections, can add unique and small defects to a print run (for example, the Australian Daybill for James Dean’s Rebel Without a Cause has some imperfect printing of ink for the Warner Brothers logo). Other identifying marks might be seen on USA posters printed by the NSS (National Screen Service) up to the mid-80’s that show a year of release and a number allocated to that film title released that year (eg. ’66/102′ with first numbers the year of release and last 3 numbers being release number in that year for the film title – numbers were allocated consecutively, so early numbers signify a release early in the year).
Age, Condition, Signs of Restoration – generally, the older the poster, paper stock will show signs on wear and tear from handling or use. Paper stock may discolour from sun damage, dust, acid in the paper. Foxing marks may start to appear on older posters. Fold wear is also common with age. Multiple signs of age and wear can often help to authenticate the general age of a poster even though these condition factors may reduce its value. Restoration of damage on older posters has also become fairly common and during the process of linen or paper backing a movie poster. Linen backing is a great way to stabilise a poster from further deterioration but restoration can be harder to identify (different lighting techniques and devices are sometimes needed). But all forms of damage, wear, and age deterioration can help authenticate a movie posters general age.
Comparison of Printed Artwork to Other Known Original Examples – if there is still doubt about a posters authenticity a thorough comparison to authenticated known examples, or high resolution images of authenticated examples, can also help resolve any doubts to help authenticate an original movie poster.
But if you have any doubts please feel free to contact us at Movie Posters Australia and we will be happy to help.

An original ‘first printing’ movie poster is one that was printed at the time of the film’s original release. A ‘first release’ is generally a collective term for posters used during a movies initial release. ‘Re-release’ are versions that are released in later years for a movies re-release into cinemas and usually with slight artwork and/or print colour and artwork design differences.

‘First printing’ posters are generally considered more valuable and collectible due to their rarity, age, higher budget in artwork production and sometimes limited print run.

‘Re-release’ or ‘Reprint’ movie posters, on the other hand, are newer versions reprinted for various reasons such as re-release cinema showings, special anniversary releases, or limited edition authorised prints.

‘Re-productions’ can be both licensed and unlicensed copies of original posters, most printed on wide format digital printers, some printed on an offset press, and available to buy for $10-$30. Most do not contain the original credits, rating, and other information found on original posters.

Movie Posters Australia only sells and buys original cinema released movie posters, licensed re-prints, and original movie poster artwork.

We want our customers to be completely satisfied with their purchase. If for any reason you are not happy with your movie poster, we offer a 30-day return policy. Simply contact our customer service team and they will guide you through the process.
Please note that all returns must be in their original condition and their original packaging. Once received, we will then contact you to confirm next steps. For further information please see our Returns & Refund Policy page.
If you would like to exchange your movie poster for a different one, please follow the same process and let us know. We can place the poster that you would like to exchange ‘on hold’ until your return in received.
Our goal is to make sure every customer is happy with their purchase and we will do our best to accommodate any concerns or issues and requests.
Thank you for choosing Movie Posters Australia!

Assessing the value of a vintage movie poster requires considering factors such as rarity, condition, demand, and market trends. Researching similar posters and their realised prices at auctions, or through reputable dealers, can provide insights into current market values. Consulting with professional appraisers, dealers like Movie Posters Australia, or specialized collectors’ communities can also help in determining the worth of a specific movie poster. If you would like some assistance on a valuation for insurance purposes for replacement value, or you have a poster or collection that you would like appraised, feel free to contact us and we would be happy to help.

Assessing the condition of original and vintage movie posters requires considering many possible factors such as wear, aging, and any damage that a movie poster has possibly received since leaving the printing press and guillotine. This includes bumps, chips, creases, dog ears, soiling/dirt/dust, sun damage, water/moisture damage, foxing, rips, holes, missing paper, stains, insect damage, linen backing, any restoration, and much more.

Various grading standards exist (like the C1-C10 standard) to objectively assess a poster's condition but unfortunately there is no one global standard used by everyone. At Movie Posters Australia, we have developed a very detailed condition rating standard here, similar to the C1-C10 standard, with more detailed definition criteria, to allow the condition of movie posters to be rated on a incremental scale in a transparent and objective way. Each movie poster we offer for sale is carefully assessed against this condition rating standard, the rating is shown on the product page, along with a description of any condition issues.

For more information see our Movie Posters Condition Grades and Definitions page.

Yes. We are always looking to expand our dealer collection for sale, as well as add desirable titles to our own collection. If you have original movie posters that you are looking to part with please contact us with some details, or feel free to give us a call on +61 3 9005 0000 for a confidential discussion.

Yes, Movie Posters Australia also has a store on eBay (just search for ‘MoviePostersAustralia’). You are welcome to see our buyer/customer feedback there also. We take pride in providing quality service, advice, packaging, which is why we believe our customers are very happy and rate us very highly.

Due to sellers fees though, you will find the best prices will be shown on our own web site here.

Original ’vintage’ movie posters - what defines a movie poster as ‘vintage’? This question may receive many answers depending on who you ask. But 'vintage' typically refers to posters that are representative of a certain style or era from the past, often characterised by their nostalgic appeal, classic design elements, or genre significance. Most dealers of collectibles, and original vintage movie posters, would suggest any original movie poster greater than 40 years old can be classified as ‘vintage’. But some country regulations may define something as ‘vintage’ if it is 30 years or older. At Movie Posters Australia, we categorise a original movie poster as vintage at 40 years old. So as at this year (2024) that would be any movie poster released in 1983 or earlier.

We think the Top 10 horror movie posters of all time are:

Nosferatu (1922) One of the earliest horror films, the poster reflects the eerie, expressionistic style of German silent cinema. It captures the haunting presence of Count Orlok, setting the tone for future vampire films.

Dracula (1931) The poster for this classic Universal Studios film starring Bela Lugosi as Dracula is iconic for its portrayal of Lugosi's menacing figure against a gothic background, defining the vampire archetype for generations.

Frankenstein (1931) Another Universal Studios classic, the poster features Boris Karloff as the monster, emphasising his towering, tragic figure against a stark background, symbolising the film's themes of fear and humanity.

Psycho (1960) Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece is represented by a stark allure of Janet Leigh, striking title graphic, and featuring the silhouette of Norman Bates and his ominous house. It's minimalist yet incredibly effective in conveying the film's psychological horror.

Night of the Living Dead (1968) The poster for George A. Romero's groundbreaking zombie film is gritty and unsettling, depicting a hand emerging from a grave, capturing the film's raw and terrifying portrayal of the undead.

The Exorcist (1973) Known for its shocking imagery, the poster for "The Exorcist" is simple yet chilling, featuring the silhouette of Father Merrin standing before the eerie glow of the possessed Regan's window, hinting at the film's supernatural horror.

Jaws (1975) The iconic poster for Steven Spielberg's "Jaws" is instantly recognisable, depicting a massive shark approaching an unsuspecting swimmer from below. It effectively conveys the primal fear of the unknown lurking beneath the surface.

Halloween (1978) The poster for John Carpenter's seminal slasher film is minimalist yet evocative, featuring a jack-o'-lantern with a knife wound, hinting at the film's themes of darkness and terror associated with Halloween night.

The Shining (1980) Stanley Kubrick's psychological horror is represented by a disturbing poster showing a torrent of blood pouring from an elevator, encapsulating the film's surreal and horrifying imagery.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) The poster for Wes Craven's film features Freddy Krueger's glove-clad hand emerging from Nancy's bathtub, combining elements of terror and the surreal, reflecting the film's dreamlike horror.

Check out some of these titles in our Horror Movie Poster Collection.

Yes, on request, you can arrange to pickup your order from our second location at Newport, Melbourne. Request this in your order Comments, or give us a call. We’ll then email you with pickup details. And, of course, if you pickup your order we’ll refund any postage cost paid.

Movie Posters Australia can arrange viewings of any of our original movie posters, by appointment only, at our office location in Spencer Street, Melbourne. Give us a call anytime to book a viewings.

Movie Posters Australia is owned and operated by a couple of movie poster collectors collecting since the 1980’s. We have been buying and selling original movie posters since 2010. We are now considered to be one of the best original vintage movie poster dealers in Australia. We are highly visible on Google (ranking first page in search results for most movie poster search terms) with a high number of visitors, sellers and buyers. If you are looking for a special title, or have a collection to sell, please contact us for a private discussion.