There is not one specific thing to look for when determining if a movie poster is original or not. There can be many! All posters are different, and there are different things to look for for each one.

Depending on the poster and what year it is from, here are just some of the things we look for:

What is the exact size in inches?
Where did it come from? Does it come from a questionable source? Does it come from a known seller of fakes & reproductions? There are plenty of seemingly trustworthy sellers on eBay and other sites that for years have been successfully passing off fake posters as originals to new collectors.
Is it folded or rolled?
If it is from the 1970’s-80’s, does it have a GAU logo?
Is there an NSS number on the front? Just because a poster has an NSS number on the front does not automatically make it an “original”. When a poster is copied/reproduced, the NSS number is often reproduced as well in order make it look more authentic.
Is there an NSS stamp on the back?
Does it “look” and “feel” right? Does it smell right?
What kind of paper is it? matte, flat, glossy, regular paper, cardstock?
Is the print quality acceptable? (blurry or sharp?)
Is it stone or offset lithography?
Is it a popular title with known reproductions?
Are there known reprints or reproductions of it?
Is the artwork slightly cropped?
Does it say PORTAL PUBLICATIONS on the bottom border? (if it does, it is a reproduction with no real value).
Is it “minty white”? Does it look like it was printed yesterday?
Could it possibly be an original “re release” poster?

Is it single or double sided? Just because a poster is double sided does not make it authentic. There are plenty of double sided “fakes” for titles such as Spider-man, The Matrix, The Dark Knight, as well as many others.

Every now and then we come across an old movie poster in great shape that seems too good to be true. One that is very old, unused, and in near pristine condition. Yes, there are Near Mint unused vintage original movie posters. If you look at other collectibles, there are coins, baseball cards and comic books that have survived for over 50 years in Near Mint condition. It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen.

People send us photos all the time asking if their posters are original. We usually can’t answer definitively UNLESS WE SEE THE ITEM IN PERSON. We have handled many thousands of vintage movie posters over the years. We know what to look for. More than 99% of the time we can determine without a doubt, one way or the other, if a poster is an original or a reproduction.

If you do not yet own the poster and it is for sale on eBay or another website and you are thinking of purchasing it, please use common sense. Is the price too good to be true? Is the picture provided taken at an angle and from a distance where you can’t make out the details (crooks do this on purpose). Remember, there are plenty of seemingly trustworthy sellers on eBay with PERFECT 100% Positive Feedback that have been successfully selling fake posters to newbies since the 1990’s. No one can stop them. For more information about these rip off artists please see our other articles. Also try googling “fake movie posters” where the results will lead you to discussions on movie poster message boards about these thieves.

Does the seller run PRIVATE listings/auctions on eBay? This is a big red flag! Dishonest sellers use PRIVATE listings so their buyers identities remain hidden. Before these crooks switched their listings/auctions to PRIVATE, other honest collectors would contact the buyers telling them they had been ripped off. Having PRIVATE listings/auctions prevents these good guys from contacting newbies who have been scammed.

Measure your one sheet poster exactly. Usually a one sheet will measure 27″x 40″ or 27″x41″. If yours measures 26″x39″ or 24″x36″ it is most likely a reproduction

Please do not contact CineMasterpieces and ask us to help authenticate your poster if you are not willing to send it in and do business with us.