Ben Shahn (1898–1969)
Ben Shahn is an American artist with 214 auction lots recorded since 1991, median price $1,200. 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 Ben Shahn is recorded as sold in 2026 for $1,300; whether the price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Ben Shahn record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Ben Shahn on OpeningBid →What is a Ben Shahn work worth?
Across 173 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Ben Shahn work is $1,200.
The median Ben Shahn print sells for $1,000 across 123 lots.
The median Ben Shahn work on paper sells for $2,300 across 26 lots.
The median Ben Shahn photograph sells for $3,220 across 9 lots.
Medium (50–120 cm) Ben Shahn prints typically sell for $487–$2,322 (the middle half of 76 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 | 133 | $1,000†‡ | $22,720 | 92.5% | 2025-05-15 |
| Paintings | 6 | $7,059‡ | $491,502 | — | 2026-04-29 |
| Works on Paper | 27 | $2,300†‡ | $25,219 | 96.3% | 2026-04-16 |
| Photography | 12 | $3,220 | $39,345 | 75% | 2019-10-03 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 9 | $22,720 | $491,502 | — | 2016-02-17 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Ben Shahn's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (133 lots) median $1,000 with 92.5% sell-through. Paintings (6 lots) median $7,059, record $491,502. A typical Ben Shahn painting sells for around 7.1× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 9 lots) the median is $22,720.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 17 | $517–$900† | $632† | $3,600 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 76 | $487–$2,322†‡ | $1,041†‡ | $22,720 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Works on Paper
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 17 | $1,000–$2,990†‡ | $2,042†‡ | $25,219 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 6 | $1,150–$8,299 | $2,750 | $14,000 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Photography
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 8 | $2,394–$4,489 | $3,680 | $39,345 |
Size is the work's longest edge. Cells appear only with at least 5 sold lots.
Notable results
| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 2006 | $491,502 |
| Paintings | 2012 | $252,719 |
| Photography | 2016 | $39,345 |
| Works on Paper | 2002 | $25,219 |
| Prints & Editions | 1999 | $22,720 |
| Works on Paper | 2006 | $22,477 |
| Prints & Editions | 2000 | $20,220 |
| Photography | 2000 | $4,830 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Ben Shahn worth?
Across 173 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Ben Shahn work is $1,200. The median Ben Shahn print sells for $1,000 across 123 lots. The median Ben Shahn work on paper sells for $2,300 across 26 lots. The median Ben Shahn photograph sells for $3,220 across 9 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Ben Shahn prints typically sell for $487–$2,322 (the middle half of 76 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 Ben Shahn print?
Based on 123 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Ben Shahn print is $1,000. 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 Ben Shahn's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Ben Shahn print is $22,720.
What is the average price of a Ben Shahn work on paper?
Based on 26 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Ben Shahn work on paper is $2,300. 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 Ben Shahn's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Ben Shahn work on paper is $25,219.
What is the average price of a Ben Shahn photograph?
Based on 9 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Ben Shahn photograph is $3,220.
What is Ben Shahn's most expensive photograph?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Ben Shahn photograph is $39,345.
What is the average price of a medium Ben Shahn print?
Based on 76 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Ben Shahn print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $1,041, 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 small Ben Shahn print?
Based on 17 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Ben Shahn print (small (under 50 cm)) is $632, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
What is Ben Shahn's auction record?
Ben Shahn's auction record is $491,502, set in 2006.
See the full Ben Shahn record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Ben Shahn on OpeningBid →