> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/ansel-adams · updated 2026-11-03

# Ansel Adams (1902–1984)

## What is Ansel Adams’s work worth? {#value}

As of 3 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 2,280 auction results for Ansel Adams at 59 houses since 1989. Over the last 24 months the median price was $4,445 including buyer’s premium (middle half $1,909–$23,195, n=251). The auction record is $988,000 for The Grand Tetons and the Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming (2020, Sotheby's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

**Top auction records: paintings, drawings & sculpture**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Grand Tetons and the Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, 1942 | Gelatin silver print | $988,000 | Sotheby's | Dec 2020 |
| 2 | Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, 1941, 1902 | Gelatin silver mural print, flush-mounted on board, printed late 1960s | $930,000 | Christie's | Oct 2021 |
| 3 | Aspens, Northern New Mexico, 1958 | Gelatin silver print | $720,000 | Sotheby's | Oct 2024 |
| 4 | Half Dome, Merced River, Winter, Yosemite Valley, 1970 | Gelatin silver print | $685,500 | Sotheby's | Dec 2020 |
| 5 | Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, 1941 | Cartes-de-visite | $685,500 | Sotheby's | Dec 2020 |
| 6 | Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, 1941, 1955 | Gelatin silver mural print, flush-mounted on board, printed c. 1955 | $630,000 | Christie's | Nov 2024 |
| 7 | Surf Sequence, San Mateo County Coast, California, 1940 | And date in ink, on the reverse, framed, The Cleveland Museum of Art and The Friends of Photography exhibition labels on the reverse | $576,000 | Sotheby's | Oct 2024 |
| 8 | Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite National Park, California, 1938, 1970 | Wool | $559,500 | Christie's | Apr 2017 |
| 9 | Winter Sunrise, Sierra Nevada from Lone Pine, California, 1941, 1961 | Gelatin silver mural print, flush-mounted on a layered wooden panel, printed 1961 | $545,000 | Christie's | Apr 2014 |

**Top auction records: prints & editions**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, 1941 | Cartes-de-visite | $635,000 | Sotheby's | Apr 2025 |

**Median price by medium (last 24 months, n ≥ 5)**

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Photographs | 1,810 | $10,080 |
| Other | 248 | $6,440 |
| Works on paper | 62 | $5,225 |
| Prints | 10 | $1,248 |

**Median price by size (last 24 months, n ≥ 5)**

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Large (over 120 cm) | 29 | $63,000 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 111 | $40,000 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 1,771 | $8,820 |

Data as of 3 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 2,280 results from 59 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Ansel Adams is an American artist with 2,813 auction lots recorded since 1989, median price $8,942. Some sold prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium; they are marked on this page. Some sold prices are not yet verified as premium-inclusive or hammer, and are marked on this page.

A work by Ansel Adams sold in 2026 for $58,420, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

**1 Ansel Adams work is coming to auction** (as of 2026-11-03).

- [Ansel Adams on OpeningBid](https://www.openingbid.art/artist/ansel-adams?ref=kg:ansel-adams) — follow free in the OpeningBid app for sale alerts.

## What is a Ansel Adams work worth?

Across 2,212 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Ansel Adams work is $8,942.

The median Ansel Adams photograph sells for $9,375 across 1,958 lots.

The median Ansel Adams print sells for $3,763 across 30 lots.

The median Ansel Adams work on paper sells for $4,600 across 29 lots.

Small (under 50 cm) Ansel Adams photographs typically sell for $3,900–$23,940 (the middle half of 1,724 sold lots).

Medium (50–120 cm) Ansel Adams photographs typically sell for $15,240–$108,312 (the middle half of 98 sold lots).

Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.

## Price breakdown by category

| Category | Lots tracked | Median price | Record price | Sell-through | Last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prints & Editions | 33 | $3,763† | $79,000 | 90.9% | 2026-10-15 |
| Paintings | 2 | $4,826 | $4,826 | 50% | 2025-04-03 |
| Works on Paper | 32 | $4,600 | $39,400 | 90.6% | 2024-12-17 |
| Photography | 2,156 | $9,375†‡ | $988,000 | 90.8% | 2026-10-09 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 113 | $135,450†‡ | $988,000 | — | 2026-02-14 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.

Ansel Adams's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (33 lots) median $3,763 with 90.9% sell-through. Paintings (2 lots) median $4,826, record $4,826. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 113 lots) the median is $135,450.

## Price by size

### Prints & Editions

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 21 | $3,500–$8,750† | $4,750† | $58,420 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 7 | $405–$5,288 | $495 | $79,000 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

### Works on Paper

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 27 | $1,166–$6,282 | $4,600 | $25,850 |

### Photography

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 1,724 | $3,900–$23,940†‡ | $8,908†‡ | $685,500 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 98 | $15,240–$108,312†‡ | $39,825†‡ | $720,000 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 28 | $5,850–$205,250 | $57,960 | $988,000 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.

Size is the work's longest edge. Cells appear only with at least 5 sold lots.

## Notable results

| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Photography | 2020 | $988,000 |
| Photography | 2021 | $930,000 |
| Prints & Editions | 2008 | $79,000 |
| Prints & Editions | 2026 | $58,420 |
| Works on Paper | 2008 | $39,400 |
| Works on Paper | 2001 | $25,850 |
| Paintings | 2025 | $4,826 |

The highest recorded result in each medium. The full sale history is in the OpeningBid app (free sign-up).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is a Ansel Adams worth?

Across 2,212 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Ansel Adams work is $8,942. The median Ansel Adams photograph sells for $9,375 across 1,958 lots. The median Ansel Adams print sells for $3,763 across 30 lots. The median Ansel Adams work on paper sells for $4,600 across 29 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Ansel Adams photographs typically sell for $3,900–$23,940 (the middle half of 1,724 sold lots). Medium (50–120 cm) Ansel Adams photographs typically sell for $15,240–$108,312 (the middle half of 98 sold lots). Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.

### What is the average price of a Ansel Adams photograph?

Based on 1,958 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Ansel Adams photograph is $9,375. Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.

### What is Ansel Adams's most expensive photograph?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Ansel Adams photograph is $988,000.

### What is the average price of a Ansel Adams print?

Based on 30 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Ansel Adams print is $3,763. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

### What is Ansel Adams's most expensive print?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Ansel Adams print is $79,000.

### What is the average price of a Ansel Adams work on paper?

Based on 29 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Ansel Adams work on paper is $4,600.

### What is Ansel Adams's most expensive work on paper?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Ansel Adams work on paper is $39,400.

### What is the average price of a small Ansel Adams photograph?

Based on 1,724 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Ansel Adams photograph (small (under 50 cm)) is $8,908, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.

### What is the average price of a medium Ansel Adams photograph?

Based on 98 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Ansel Adams photograph (medium (50–120 cm)) is $39,825, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Prices are premium-inclusive where the house records them; hammer-only prices exclude the buyer's premium, and some prices are not yet basis-verified.

### What is Ansel Adams's auction record?

Ansel Adams's auction record is $988,000, set in 2020.

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Data last updated 2026-11-03. OpeningBid tracks 15,596,131 auction lots from 579 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Ansel Adams auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/ansel-adams (updated 2026-11-03).

Historical auction data, not investment advice. Prices are premium-inclusive USD where the buyer's premium is recorded. Figures marked † are hammer prices (buyer's premium not included); ‡ marks a price whose basis is not yet verified. Non-USD results are converted at the sale month's rate.