The language of poster collecting can feel dense from the outside. Here’s a working glossary of the terms you’ll run into most, in plain English, with links to the full explainer where one exists.
Advance poster — a poster issued ahead of a film’s general release, often before full artwork or a complete cast list was finalised, used to build early anticipation.
Condition grading — the scale dealers use to describe a poster’s physical state, from Mint down to Poor. See our full condition grading guide.
Dry mounting — a permanent, non-reversible method of flattening a poster onto a rigid board using heat and solvent-based adhesive, generally considered destructive to a poster’s collectible value. See our guide to dry mounting versus linen backing.
First printing — a poster produced for a film’s original theatrical release, as distinct from a later reissue using the same or different artwork. See our guide to first printings versus reissues.
Front of house card — the UK term for a lobby card; a small card, typically 8 x 10 inches in Britain, displayed outside or inside a cinema. See our full guide.
Insert — a tall, narrow US poster format, roughly 14 x 36 inches, designed for narrow display spaces like doorways and narrow lobby walls.
Lobby card — the US term for a small card, typically 11 x 14 inches, issued in sets to be displayed in a cinema lobby. See our full guide.
Linen backing — an archival, reversible conservation process that mounts a poster onto canvas using water-soluble wheat starch paste, stabilising and flattening it for display. See our full explainer.
NSS number — the National Screen Service stock number printed on US posters, used to identify a film’s release year and, via an “R” prefix, whether the poster is a reissue. See our full guide.
One sheet — the standard US cinema poster format, 27 x 40 inches (27 x 41 inches before the mid-1980s). See our full guide.
Quad — the standard British cinema poster format, 30 x 40 inches, landscape orientation. See our full guide.
Reissue — a poster produced for a later theatrical re-release of a film, sometimes using original artwork, sometimes entirely new.
Restoration — repair work carried out on a poster, such as filling paper loss or retouching faded colour along fold lines, usually done alongside linen backing.
Roadshow — a special, often reserved-seat theatrical release format used for major films, which sometimes had its own distinct poster campaign separate from the general release.
Six sheet — a large US poster format, generally around 81 x 81 inches, printed on multiple joined sheets.
Still (film still, publicity still, production still) — an original photograph taken on set or in studio to document or promote a film. See our full guide.
Style A, B, C, D — the letters used to distinguish between multiple distinct poster designs produced for the same film’s release, often by different artists.
Three sheet — a large US poster format, roughly 41 x 81 inches, printed on multiple sheets.
Window card — a small US promotional card, roughly 14 x 22 inches, with blank space at the top originally intended for a venue and date to be added locally.
