2001: A Space Odyssey 40x60 McCall – Genuine 1968 Original Paper or “Just” R-1971? Need Your Expert

finepostervault

Hey everyone,

Just snagged this beautiful rolled 40x60 Robert McCall poster for 2001: A Space Odyssey at Heritage Auctions for only $450 including buyer’s premium. Total steal!

What’s interesting: Heritage originally listed it as a **1968 Original**, then changed the description to **MGM R-1971**.

On the white credit strip at the bottom you can see the printed NSS code **“68/103”** – it’s pretty faint to the naked eye, so I ran a quick Photoshop curves adjustment to make it pop. Right next to it is the red reissue stamp **“74 294”**.

After digging around, here’s what I found:  

The code 68/103 matches every confirmed first-run 1968 McCall printing (including other formats). The “74 294” stamp is a standard NSS reissue mark used for the 1974 re-release. So it looks like genuine 1968 original paper that was simply reused in 1974 – a true “reused original.”

Now I’m curious what the community thinks:  

Does this count as a **1968 Original with reissue stamp** in your book, or is it still just an R-1971? Has anyone seen similar cases with other titles?

Would love your opinions and especially photos of comparable copies!

Thanks in advance!

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HONDO

Keen to hear what Bruce has to say on the subject.

Rick

I'm no expert, but i have a To Catch a Thief LC that has the original dates but also a 1963 re-issue stamped on it. I consider it an original with a re-issue stamp but am likewise keen to hear Bruce's thoughts.

Bruce

I guess I see the confusion. In 1971 and again in 1974, 2001 was re-released, and they re-used the plates from the 1968 Star Child poster (with less color) and as I recall one or both of those poster DOES have a 1968 copyright on the front, but has a 1971 (or 1974) NSS stamp on the back (if I remember correctly, because I am not at the office now).

However, it appears for those re-releases they solely made Star Child one-sheets and no other. 

So I feel real comfortable in saying this IS a 1968 poster that was reused and stamped in 1974.

Our position at eMoviePoster.com is that, since such posters WERE printed in the original year, and solely STAMPED for a re-release, to always call them an original, but of course to note the stamp and that it was reused during that re-released.

And such stamps CAN be removed or painted over.

finepostervault

Hello Bruce,

It’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you very much for your thorough assessment — especially since it aligns with my own. 🙂

I will contact Heritage and share my findings with them. I would appreciate it if they would amend the listing, as it is currently “officially” described as a 1971 release… I’m not quite sure how they arrived at 1971 despite the 1974 stamp.

I’ll keep you updated. In the end, this is quite significant when it comes to properly assessing the value of a poster.

finepostervault

I won! Heritage changed it, and now it’s the 1968 issue again. So cool! Bruce was right, and so was I. I won it for $475 (including buyer’s premium). But the URL still says “R-1971,” which is obviously wrong.

https://movieposters.ha.com/itm/movie-posters/science-fiction/2001-a-space-odyssey-mgm-r-1971-rolled-fine-very-fine-poster-40-x-60-robert-mccall-artwork/a/42191-8004.s#

OgonBat

Wow! Great info here. I had no idea original poster inventory was stamped as a reissue! Fantastic snag finepostervault!