Understanding a Classic Back to the Future Poster Sparked an Unexpected Collector Battle All Because of 12 Signatures
Vintage movie posters can fetch a fair amount at auction when they are in good condition. This has been seen with many Star Wars posters, classic 40s and 50s movie one-sheets. In a recent Prop Store auction, it was an iconic piece from one of the biggest movies of the 1980s that really captured the attention of bidders, leading to a 19 bid battle to own it. The poster in question was for 1985 sci-fi time travel movie Back to the Future and was already set to be of high interest with a pre-sale estimate of $4,000 to $8,000. However, the lot ended up blasting past that, leaving flaming tyre tracks in its wake on the way to a final price of $12,600. However, it was not only the poster that bidders were desperate to get their hands on – it was the 12 signatures scrawled across the instantly recognizable image of Marty McFly checking his watch with one foot in the Delorean.
The poster was part of Prop Store’s Summer Entertainment Auction, which included hundreds of lots of props, costumes, and other memorabilia from a whole generation of movies. It follows a recent sale of a rolled 1985 Back to the Future one-sheet, which sold for $3,500 last month, and once again has highlighted just how much the franchise still resonates with fans after more than four decades. The Drew Struzan artwork is one of the many legendary designs he was responsible for during that golden decade of movies, and was a worthy addition to any collector’s wall even before the addition of the signatures that turned it into a five-figure treasure.
The 12 Reasons This Back to the Future Poster Sold for $12K
Many fans are able to acquire two or three signatures at conventions, but this one is something special. Along with the expected headliners of Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, the roll call also includes fellow cast members Lea Thompson, Thomas F. Wilson, James Tolkan (who recently passed away), Claudia Wells, Billy Zane, Frances Lee McCain, and Donald Fullilove. In addition to that it features producer Bob Gale, director of photography Dean Cundey and singer Huey Lewis, who made a cameo in the movie as well as providing it with the banger of a tune, “The Power of Love.” Some of these signatures are hard to get hold of, and to have them all on this poster was not only going to elevate the price, but make it a future investment for the person able to secure it. Who knows, perhaps there could be a few other names that could be added to the list by the new owner to make it even more unique.
Back to the Future was the highest grossing movie of 1985, which was not that surprising considering it’s near-perfectly plotted story, the right casting, and the combined magic touches of director Robert Zemeckis and producer Steven Spielberg. The last few decades have seen the cast regularly making individual or group appearances at fan events and conventions, with the 40th anniversary of the movie in 2025 allowing many of the remaining cast and crew the chance to share memories of filming with thousands of fans in person. The kind of love and appreciation shown to the franchise is not handed out to just any films, but the mid to late 1980s produced some of the greatest movies of an entire generation. Ask anyone to name their top movies of the decade, and Back to the Future will most likely be somewhere on that list.
