Near Mint (NM): A poster that is close enough to perfect that there are no noticeable defects to describe. In the case of postcards or handbills, this grade denotes an item that is essentially perfect. Nearly everyone wants the posters they own to be this grade, but it is rarely the case.
Near Mint Minus (NM-): A poster or handbill with a corner crease or two, or perhaps some handling. Corners might be slightly rounded, and there could be very small pinholes in the corners—but not larger tack holes. Think of this grade as a poster that may have been hung once or handled a little too much. This grade will usually frame to look NM or better.
Very Fine (VF): The “cream” of used posters—still great-looking and crisp. This grade may have folds in the corners or light creases in the image area. May have more noticeable tack holes in the corners or margins, but no paper is missing. There might be minor tears in the margins or light, even aging. A poster with an abundance of these flaws will be graded VG. Most of the posters we are offered by collectors are consistent with this grade.
Fine (F): A poster grading Fine might have minor damage in the image area. Or it could have light tape stains, abrasions, tape pulls, or tears. This grade usually exhibits multiple tack holes and may have heavier aging of the paper or noticeable staining.
Lower Grades: While we usually don’t buy posters of these grades, sometimes they come in collections. Unless they are ultra-rare, we simply put them on eBay and sell them. If you have an interest in lower-grade posters, let us know and we will let you know when we get some.
Split Grades: Often a poster will not fit neatly into one of the above categories. In that case, we use a split grade to more accurately describe the item’s condition.
