The short version
- Typical range: £15 – £300 — see the full film memorabilia value guide
- What decides your price: condition, and how well you evidence it in photographs
- Cost to sell here: nothing, at any price
- Category: Art & Collectibles
Before you photograph it
Ten minutes here is worth more than anything else you will do. Buyers are deciding between your listing and someone else’s, and preparation is what visibly separates the two.
- Gather any paperwork: certificates, receipts, auction lot numbers, letters. Provenance is the value.
- Photograph identifying marks, studio stamps, printer’s marks and any numbering.
- Do not restore, trim, flatten or reframe anything. Original condition, including honest wear, is what collectors want.
The photographs that sell film memorabilia
Four photographs do almost all the work. Shoot in daylight, near a window, with the item against something plain — and do not use the flash, which flattens texture and hides exactly what buyers are trying to see.
- The item whole, flat or upright, entirely in frame
- Any studio stamp, printer’s mark, numbering or stamp on the reverse
- Any certificate, receipt or provenance paperwork
- Every fold, tear, pinhole, fade or repair, close up
Photograph the flaws too. It feels counterproductive, but a listing that shows the worst of an item gets fewer questions, fewer withdrawn offers and fewer arguments at handover. Buyers who can see the damage stop imagining something worse.
Writing the title and description
Title, item type, year and origin: “Original UK Quad Poster, [Film], 1979, Folded” or “Screen-Used Prop [Item] with COA”. Say original or reprint plainly. Folded versus rolled is a real distinction on posters and collectors search for both.
Then state these in the description, because a buyer who has to ask is a buyer who might not bother:
- The film, the item type and the year
- Whether original release, re-release or reproduction, with your evidence
- Dimensions, and folded or rolled for paper items
- What provenance paperwork exists, described exactly
What buyers will actually ask
You will receive the same three messages about film memorabilia. Answering them in the listing itself removes the back-and-forth, and answering them well when they do arrive is what turns an enquiry into a sale.
Give the evidence rather than the conclusion — size, printing method, studio marks, where you got it. Collectors would rather assess your evidence than trust your verdict.
Say exactly what paperwork exists and who issued it. Certificates vary enormously in credibility, so photograph it and let the buyer weigh it.
Photograph every one. Paper collectables are graded on precisely these details and buyers assume the worst about anything not shown.
Pricing it so it actually sells
Start from the honest condition grade rather than the price you hope for. WishThrift listings use five grades — New with Tags, Like New, Good, Fair and For Parts — and what each grade means is worth reading before you choose, because grading up is the most expensive mistake sellers make. It does not raise the price; it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else.
The film memorabilia value guide prices all five grades for this item. Pick your grade, take the figure, and if you sit between two grades price toward the lower one. Items priced honestly sell faster than items priced hopefully, and on a free platform there is no fee eating the difference anyway.
What you keep, compared
On a £157 sale — roughly the middle of the range for film memorabilia — here is what the commission-charging platforms would take, and what you would keep on each:
| Where you sell it | Fee | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| WishThrift | £0 | £157 |
| Poshmark | −£31 | £126 |
| eBay | −£21 | £136 |
| Mercari | −£16 | £141 |
| Etsy | −£10 | £147 |
Seller-side rates verified 26 Jul 2026 — Poshmark: 20% commission on sales of $15 and above; eBay: 13.6% final value fee, plus a per-order fee; Mercari: flat 10% selling fee; Etsy: 6.5% transaction fee, plus a listing fee and payment processing. Percentages are applied to the sterling figure above; the fixed per-order and processing charges those platforms add are quoted in their own currency and are not included here, so the real deductions are slightly larger. Full breakdown: marketplace selling fees compared.
Timing and getting it to the buyer
Steady to a specialist audience year round, with lifts around anniversaries, re-releases and cast news. Well-documented pieces sell quickly; unattributed ones can sit indefinitely.
Paper items post flat between boards or rolled in a tube, matching however they have been stored. Use tracked and signed services — these are high-value, easily damaged and attractive to steal.
WishThrift does not process payments or arrange delivery — you and the buyer agree both directly — so confirm payment has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.
Ready to list it? It takes about two minutes, costs nothing, and there is no commission when it sells — create a free account or see how selling works.
Frequently asked questions
What is film memorabilia worth?
Typically £15 to £300 for common items, with authenticated screen-used pieces and rare original posters far above. See the film memorabilia value guide.
Should I get a certificate of authenticity?
Only from a source with a real reputation, since certificates from unknown issuers add nothing and can raise suspicion. Solid provenance — a documented chain of where it came from — is worth more.
Should I flatten a folded poster before selling?
No. Many posters were issued folded and collectors expect it. Attempting to flatten or restore one usually causes damage and reduces the value.
See also: what a used film memorabilia is worth · browse live art & collectibles listings · condition grades explained.