Old Movie Posters That Are Worth Over $100,000 In 2025

In the realm of collectibles, objects once regarded as childhood toys, simple means of transport, or disposable souvenirs can become astonishingly valuable assets. This is true for photographic cameras, action figures, classic cars, and old movie posters, which, by the way, have evolved from basic marketing tools into revered pieces of art and history. The market for these paper masterpieces is driven by a blend of nostalgia, rarity, and artistic merit, attracting film enthusiasts and serious investors alike. But this trend isn't limited to cinema lobbies; the collecting world has seen a surge of interest in other nostalgic items, from vintage concert posters carrying unexpected value to surprisingly expensive old DVDs and even VHS tapes — such as a "Back to the Future" copy that sold to a collector for $75,000.

Returning to posters, they are linked to the artistic and financial influence of Hollywood itself — an industry where cinematic magic translates into immense profits and enduring cultural power. The posters listed below, the rarest of the rare, are the "blue chip" of this special market and represent landmark films from a golden era of horror and drama. Each of them depicts not only the movie but also the characters and actors that once triggered tears of joy, pangs of sorrow, or spasms of fear.

Universal created at least eight different one-sheet posters for the film, but very few depicted Lon Chaney's iconic Phantom makeup, which was kept a studio secret until the premiere. Therefore, "Phantom of the Opera" posters are now scarce and extremely valuable, with only four copies known to exist. A spectacular one-sheet specimen featuring the unmasked Phantom sold on July 19, 2014, for $203,150. What added a layer of glamor was that this copy came from the personal collection of actor Nicolas Cage, suggesting that celebrity provenance can add a quantifiable premium to a collectible's value. Beyond its financial worth, this poster connects the golden age of silent film to a contemporary Hollywood icon.

Universal's 1925 silent classic is anchored by one of the most legendary performances in horror history from Lon Chaney, "The Man of a Thousand Faces." Based on Gaston Leroux's novel, the film tells the story of Erik, a disfigured musical genius who haunts the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera House. He becomes obsessed with a young soprano, Christine Daaé, and uses terror, manipulation, and murder to foster her career. In the film's most famous scene, Christine unmasks the Phantom, revealing his horrifying skull-like face. "If I am the phantom, it is because man's hatred has made me so," Erik exclaimed. This moment was so shocking that audiences of the time were said to have screamed and fainted.

The poster of "The Black Cat" is a cornerstone collectible due to its historical significance. It didn't just advertise the movie; it captured the legendary first on-screen collaboration between horror's two biggest stars: Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. Combined with its near-unique rarity, this notable legacy elevates the poster to the top tier of the market, making it more valuable than posters for other, perhaps better-known, films starring either Karloff or Lugosi alone. This Style B one-sheet artwork is exceptionally rare; the copy that sold at a Heritage auction in November 2009 for $334,600 is believed to be the only one of its kind in existence.

Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Black Cat" is a dark and stylish tale of psychological terror. The plot follows a young American couple on their honeymoon in Hungary who, after a bus crash, seek refuge in the bizarre, Art déco home of Hjalmar Poelzig (Karloff), a satanic architect. The newlyweds are accompanied by Dr. Vitus Werdegast (Lugosi), who has just been released from a Siberian prison and is seeking revenge on Poelzig for a wartime betrayal that cost him his wife and freedom. A tense, macabre game of wits ensues, involving themes of necrophilia, torture, and a black mass. "Did you hear that, Vitus? The phone is dead. Even the phone is dead," Poelzig remarked.

James Whale's 1935 "The Bride of Frankenstein" is considered by many to be superior to its iconic predecessor. This acclaimed sequel picks up after the events of the first movie, with a recovering Dr. Henry Frankenstein attempting to leave his grotesque experiments behind. However, he is coerced by his sinister old mentor, the eccentric Dr. Pretorius, into creating a female companion for the lonely first monster. The result is the Bride, a reanimated woman in a white gown, with pallid skin, lightning-streaked conical hair, and visible facial and neck stitches that reveal the nature of her multiple-corpse origin. In the film's tragic climax, she rejects the monster's advances, prompting the heartbroken 'creature' to declare, "We belong dead," before destroying the laboratory.

Posters for "The Bride of Frankenstein" are among the most sought-after in the horror canon. For years, a rare Style D "teaser" one-sheet was known to collectors only from an image in the film's original press book. When this poster finally emerged, it sold at a Heritage auction in November 2007 for $334,600. The sale set a world record, which was later tied by The Black Cat in 2009. Other formats of the film's posters, including inserts and half-sheets, are exceptionally scarce and command high prices when they appear for sale. And it isn't just artworks –– horror memorabilia of all kinds has reached a cult-like level. Even home video releases can carry incredible value, such as The Return of the Living Dead VHS, which is worth a ton of money.

In June 1816, an 18-year-old Mary Shelley began writing "Frankenstein." Once completed in 1818, the novel was published without attribution as society frowned upon women publishing novels. Over a century later, in 1931, director James Whale created the definitive screen adaptation of Shelley's gothic tale –– a version that soon became a landmark of the horror genre. The film follows the scientist Dr. Henry Frankenstein, who, with his hunchback assistant Fritz, scavenges corpses to assemble a new being to unlock the secrets of life and death. Using the power of a lightning storm, the doctor succeeds in animating his creation. "It's alive! It's alive!" the scientist would exclaim, only to be horrified by the result afterward. Initially, the 'Monster' (Boris Karloff) is childlike and innocent, but after being tormented by Fritz and rejected by his creator, his confusion turns to rage, leading to a path of destruction.

Karloff's performance in this movie is entirely non-verbal; he communicated the Monster's pain and fury through powerful gestures and expressions. Okay, no more belated spoiling. To promote the film, "Frankenstein" presented its own cinematic artwork, but most of the specimens disappeared. So, finding one in the 21st century is exceptionally rare and commands enormous prices. The most valuable example ever to come to market is the Style C three-sheet, a massive 41 x 78.5-inch poster. This unique copy was discovered by a teenager in the boarded-up projection booth of a long-shuttered theater on Long Island. On March 28, 2015, Heritage Auctions sold this remarkable piece for $358,500, establishing a record for any "Frankenstein" promotional print. Other styles are also highly prized; for instance, a smaller insert poster set a global benchmark for its format in 2013, selling for $262,900.

Without a doubt, "King Kong" represents a monumental achievement in filmmaking because of its innovative special effects. The story follows ambitious filmmaker Carl Denham, who charters a ship to the uncharted Skull Island. Along with first mate Jack Driscoll and the beautiful actress Ann Darrow, the expedition discovers a prehistoric world filled with dinosaurs and a colossal ape named Kong. The natives kidnap Ann to sacrifice her to their god, but instead of killing the young woman, Kong becomes infatuated with her. He is eventually captured and transported to New York, where he is put on display in a grand theatrical exhibition. "Ladies and gentlemen, look at Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World," Denham would say after unveiling the giant ape to the audience. But Kong breaks free, causing a citywide rampage and a tragic finale atop the Empire State Building.

"King Kong" posters are highly sought after, but the 1933 Style B three-sheet stands out. This 41" by 81" large-format piece is perfect for an enormous creature battling dinosaurs and climbing skyscrapers. It captures the film's epic scale and dramatic action beautifully. A near-pristine example of this poster was sold at a Heritage auction on November 29, 2012, for an astounding $388,375. Kong's movies have an extensive background of high-value sales, with another version selling for $244,500 in 1999, revealing their status as a blue-chip asset with long-term appreciation.

"The Mummy" poster –– Egyptian-themed and vividly colored –– is visually stunning. Its appraisal is magnified by its extreme scarcity. As per The Guardian, a copy at a Sotheby's auction sold for $453,500 in 1997, a world record for a movie poster that was held for eight years. In October 2018, another of the three known surviving copies was offered for private sale with an estimate of $1 million to $1.5 million, but ultimately it did not sell. This immense value is an example of how an artifact's worth is amplified when it perfectly captures a specific cultural moment. The film and its promotional art reacted to the "Egyptomania" that followed Howard Carter's discovery of King Tut's tomb in 1922. With its bold Art déco typography and the depiction of the menacing mummy, the promotional print is a direct visual representation of this historical zeitgeist. Back then, everybody was fascinated by ancient Egypt, archaeology, and sensationalized stories of a "pharaoh's curse."

Inspired by the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, Universal Studios created "The Mummy," a horror classic that introduced a new monster to its pantheon. The film stars Boris Karloff as Imhotep, an ancient Egyptian high priest mummified alive for sacrilege. Accidentally resurrected in 1921 by an archaeological expedition, he emerges a decade later disguised as a modern Egyptian, Ardath Bey. He soon discovers Helen Grosvenor, a woman he believes is the reincarnation of his lost love, Princess Anck-es-en-Amon, and uses his magical powers to make her his immortal bride.

"Casablanca" is a timeless love story. Set during World War II, this quintessential film from Hollywood's Golden Age showcases honor, sacrifice, and the fight against fascism. In the Vichy-controlled Moroccan city of Casablanca, American expat Rick Blaine (masterfully played by Humphrey Bogart) runs a popular nightclub, "Rick's Café Américain." This isn't a regular bar, though. It's neutral ground where anyone, regardless of nationality, beliefs, and ranks can gather and drink together even during wartime without violating the venue's neutrality rules. However, this delicate balance shatters when Rick's former lover, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), returns to his life with her husband, Victor Laszlo. "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine," Rick muses. Laszlo, a Czech Resistance leader, urgently needs the priceless letters of transit that Rick has. At such a crossroads, Rick must choose between his passion for Ilsa and helping the couple escape to continue with their opposition to the Nazis.

While original American posters of "Casablanca" are highly valuable, others from different latitudes also carry a hefty price tag. A prime example is the Italian 4-Fogli poster, created by the renowned artist Luigi Martinati for the film's 1946 post-war release in Italy. Celebrated for its stunning, dramatic artwork and understood to be the sole surviving copy, this oversized (55.5" x 78.25") print sold at Heritage Auctions on July 29, 2017, for $478,000. More recently, an American six-sheet poster achieved an even higher price, selling on November 21, 2020, for $504,000.

"London After Midnight" is one of the most famous lost films in cinema history. Directed by Tod Browning and starring the legendary Lon Chaney, the last known print of this silent horror classic was destroyed in the 1965 MGM vault fire. Today, the only evidence of its existence lies in the surviving screenplay, production stills, and promotional material from the time. The plot of the movie centers on Scotland Yard Inspector Burke, who investigates an apparent suicide at a London manor. Five years later, he returns in the grotesque disguise of a menacing vampire –– the "Man in the Beaver Hat" –– to terrorize the suspects and unravel a haunted house mystery. Through hypnosis, he reveals a web of deceit, murder, and greed and ultimately unmasks the true killer.

Because "London After Midnight" itself is gone, its poster carries an almost mythical status among collectors. This is not only about a hard-to-find vintage advertising piece but also the last and most complete original artifact of a lost work of art. Unlike other posters from old but accessible pieces of cinema, this copy functions less as memorabilia and more as a historical document. Such a relic condition elevates its value far beyond that of a typical movie advertising sheet. The only documented living copy of the U.S. one-sheet poster came to auction on November 22, 2014, when a private collector bought it for $478,000.

In the horror genre, the Style A one-sheet poster for "Dracula" is among the most coveted collectibles. On a mild, dry November 18, 2017, one of only two known copies sold at a Heritage auction in Dallas, Texas, for $525,800. At that time, the sale set a world record for the highest price ever paid for a movie poster at a public auction. Leaving aside the artwork's incredible state of preservation and rarity, its prime valuation comes from its powerful portraiture. While Universal Studios produced several poster styles for the film's release, the Style A version captures Bela Lugosi's menacing gaze with such chilling realism that his face became the cultural epitome of "Dracula" itself. Thus, this printed piece celebrates the actor as much as the film.

Dracula, directed by Tod Browning in 1931, is the cinematic masterpiece that defined the vampire for popular culture. Adapted from Bram Stoker's novel, the story follows the aristocratic Count Dracula, portrayed with hypnotic, evil charm by Lugosi. After traveling from his decaying castle in Transylvania to London, Dracula preys upon the city's vibrant society. Haunted by memories of lost love, the count directs his supernatural magnetism and deadly bite on Mina Seward, whom he envisions as a companion to share eternity in the shadows. "To die, to be really dead — that must be glorious. There are far worse things awaiting man than death," the demon tells Mina. But Dracula's reign of terror is challenged by the determined Professor Van Helsing, who recognizes the undead threat and seeks to destroy it.

The international three-sheet poster for "Metropolis," designed by German artist Heinz Schulz-Neudamm, is widely regarded as the "holy grail" of the collecting world. Its value has reached legendary status by setting a record in a 2005 private sale for $690,000. This same poster later became the centerpiece of a collection sold at a U.S. Bankruptcy Court auction in Los Angeles in 2012, helping the array of collectibles reach $1.2 million, as reported by Reuters. It is appraised not only for its link to the film but also for its profound significance within major 20th-century art movements, including Art déco, German Expressionism, and Bauhaus. This artistic quality is cemented by its extreme rarity –– only four copies are known to exist –– and a provenance that includes New York's Museum of Modern Art and the Austrian National Library.

Fritz Lang's German Expressionist epic "Metropolis" is a foundational work of science fiction cinema, and its narrative DNA can be seen in films like "Blade Runner" (1982), "Dark City" (1998), and "Megalopolis" (2024), among others. Set in a futuristic city of immense skyscrapers and subterranean machine halls, "Metropolis" presents a stark dystopia where the elite "thinkers" live in luxury while oppressed "workers" toil in misery. The story centers on Freder, the privileged son of the city's master, who falls in love with Maria, a prophetic advocate for the marginalized population. Freder strives to become the "heart" to mediate between the ruling "head" and the laboring "hands," seeking to bridge the vast class divide threatening to tear their world apart.