John Wayne Memorabilia and Collectible Treasures December 02 2022

Legendary Hollywood icon, John Wayne continues to be loved by throngs of fans. Generation after generation has not only come to revere his films, but also to seek out memorabilia and collectibles related to the actor's life and films. Whether posters and autographed photos or books and film props, John Wayne collectibles celebrate the actor's place in American film history. When you go on a hunt for the actor's collectibles, here are some of the prized items you can expect to encounter.

[CLICKABLE IMAGE] John Wayne in "Flying Leathernecks" (1951)

COLLECTIBLES OF JOHN WAYNE'S FILMS

John Wayne starred in more than 165 films during his long career. The actor, who lived from 1907-1979, starred in film classics like "The Alamo," "Red River," "The Searchers," and "True Grit." Many of the most celebrated John Wayne collectibles are, not surprisingly, related to his films. No collection of John Wayne memorabilia and collectible items would be complete without some items related to these and other quintessential Wayne films, with posters being one of the most important items.

FILM POSTERS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND PHOTO PRINTS

When you search for John Wayne memorabilia and collectibles on auction sites like eBay or in collectible shops, you'll likely come across throngs of film posters and photographic prints of the films. The rarer the poster or photo or photo print, the better for your collection.

[IMAGE] Poster of the film "Chisum" (1970) starred by John Wayne

Of course, rarer items tend to have more expensive price tags than more common Wayne film posters, photos, and prints. Moreover, when these items include Wayne's autograph (authenticated autograph), they're going to run at a higher cost.

The more collectibles and memorabilia you include in your John Wayne collection, the more valuable it's likely to be. As time goes by, vintage posters associated with the actor's films have become more challenging to find. What searchers are more likely to encounter are poster prints or advertisements related to the films. The vintage ads are certainly collectible and can still be found for relatively inexpensive costs. For instance, a Stetson Hats ad featuring the star in his "True Grit" role recently sold on eBay for $9.99.

6 John Wayne Armed Forces Limited Edition

JOHN WAYNE PLATES

Companies like Franklin Mint produced a John Wayne plate series featuring the actor in various roles.

[IMAGE] John Wayne Armed Forces Limited Edition Collectible Plates Franklin Mint

The plates can be found on sites like eBay and Etsy. Generally, a single plate from Franklin Mint or other manufacturers might run on eBay between $5 and $30, but a rare plate can easily fetch a higher price. Pricing for plate sets that include the actor often run $80 or higher.

FILM PROPS AND REPRODUCTION PROPS

Film props are always hot collectible items. Although many of the finest Wayne props related to his most notable films are already housed in private and public museum collections, it's still possible to find film props from various auction sites or collectible dealers who specialize in Hollywood props and memorabilia. What you are more likely to find on eBay are reproduction props. For example, Sheriff badge reproductions are among the most popular Wayne-related film props for sale.

John Wayne_s vest from his California Gold Rush classic

John Wayne's vest from his classic Western "California Gold Rush" (1946)

ECLECTIC JOHN WAYNE COLLECTIBLES

Owing to the actor's immense popularity and long career, there are numerous more eclectic collectibles related to the actor and his films. When scouring online auction and collectible sites for John Wayne memorabilia and collectible items, you may encounter the following film-related items:

Mugs
Pocket watch
Pocket knives
Coins
Sculptures
Pins
Zippo Lighters

John Wayne coffee mug

John Wayne coffee mug

Whiskey decanters
Bourbon glasses
Shot glasses
Belt buckles
Playing cards
Hallmark Ornaments
Stickers
Patches
Glass marbles
Apparel

John Wayne merchandise - Knife

John Wayne merchandise - Knife

If you're lucky, you'll find these items in mint condition. Certain items like Zippo Lighters are collectible simply for being a vintage Zippo Lighter. Adding Wayne to the product can actually double its value. Some of these items are not very rare–or expensive. Stickers and patches, for example, continue to sell for reasonable pricing.

COLLECTIBLES OF JOHN WAYNE'S LIFE

Many collectors also search for images and items related to John Wayne the person–and not simply his films. To that end, there are numerous items that you could include in your John Wayne collection.

JOHN WAYNE PHOTOS / PUBLICITY PHOTOS

John Wayne photos, including photos of the actor in his personal life or publicity photos continue to be popular with collectors, and these are also widely available on sites like eBay.

Rare publicity photos or photos containing other notable actors are worth adding to your collection if you can obtain them.

[IMAGE] John Wayne Publicity photo in one of his roles

JOHN WAYNE POSTCARDS

During the 1930s - 1950s, film star postcards were published widely. These postcards often feature stamps of the star's autograph. They're collectible as both vintage postcards and as Hollywood memorabilia. Although the market isn't saturated with Wayne postcards on eBay currently, it's certainly possible to find them listed now and again. Expect to pay upwards of $10 depending on the card's condition.

JOHN WAYNE AUTOGRAPHS

Authenticated John Wayne autographs are highly collectible, especially when they adorn less usual photos or items. As you consider collectible Wayne autographs, you may want to start with items like actor postcards and photographs.

[CLICKABLE IMAGE] John Wayne in the "True Grit" (1969) - A movie-still photograph signed by him.

Rare John Wayne memorabilia signed by the actor might routinely fetch more than $700 per item, can go up to the low thousands. His daughter Aissa Wayne (b.1956) was an actress, and of course, also signed autographs.

Autograph letters signed by him go from the low thousands and up, largely depending on the importance of the content - as it always is with letters.

JOHN WAYNE BOOKS

There have been numerous books written about John Wayne or related to his films. As mentioned, comic books or book adaptations of the films are a popular collectible genre for Wayne collectors.

[IMAGE] John Wayne Treasures book

Look for biographies of the star–especially signed copies. If you're interested in pursuing more indepth research about John Wayne collectibles, consider purchasing the book, "John Wayne Treasures: Featuring a Collection of Memorabilia from the Life of the Duke." This book is likely to inspire you to pursue some of the mentioned collectibles that are still obtainable.

JOHN WAYNE ADS

There are lots of John Wayne advertisements–vintage ads–available online or in collectible shops. This particular type of collectible can be fun to collect. Wayne lent his image and support for a dizzying array of items. Just like that actual Zippo Lighter featuring Wayne is collectible, the ads for this collectible are popular with John Wayne memorabilia collectors too.

John Wayne Ad

John Wayne First TV special Vintage Print Ad - Budweiser 1970

Some recent ads featuring Wayne on eBay include: Rheingold Lager Beer, Budweiser, Camel Cigarettes, model rifles, and more. Many of these advertisements range around the $10 - $20 range, making them highly accessible, especially for new collectors.

OTHER JOHN WAYNE MEMORABILIA

In addition to ads, John Wayne collectors will want to hunt down any type of John Wayne memorabilia they can find. Look for vintage ticket stubs to hit films like "Sands of Iwo Jima," "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance," and "The Fighting Seabees." Wayne adorned the covers of countless magazines during his career. Look for Wayne on the covers of Time, Life, and even vintage Disney magazines.

[IMAGE] The Duke bobblehead

Look for newspaper clippings and magazine articles related to the actor's career. While each individual scrap of memorabilia might not fetch a large amount, the collection you amass can grow in value. Be sure to scout for John Wayne scrapbooks that come up for sale. Because individual collections are likely to vary in scope and quality, their prices can vary widely.

John Wayne is one of Hollywood's most collectible stars. When gathering your items, you'll definitely want to consider how best to preserve them or display them if you choose to showcase them. Remember that the more valuable your collection becomes, the more quickly you should have it insured. Visit us online to search for John Wayne memorabilia like his autographs.

John Wayne dollar