Limited edition prints are produced in limited numbers; this scarcity of supply can make them sought after by buyers. Some prints are produced in editions of less than 50, while some are from editions of 850 or even more. The number in the edition is often written by hand in pencil underneath the picture, or it may be printed at the bottom of the picture and be hidden by the frame. Limited editions are usually signed by the artist, which can help increase their value, particularly if the artist is famous.Some prints which are not limited editions are valuable, while some limited editions are out of fashion and are not sought after by collectors. Old cinema posters, for example, were not published as limited editions but can be highly valuable (if they are advertising famous films, are visually appealing and are in good condition).
Their scarcity can make them collectible, but the fact that a print was published as a limited edition is no guarantee of value; if the artist or style has fallen out of vogue there may be no market for the print. However, there is a secondary market for some limited editions. Limited editions are generally signed by the artist, which can help make them collectible. Those that are co-signed by celebrities (such as war heroes or sports people) may have commercial value.
