> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/ben-shahn · updated 2026-11-02 # 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. ## 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. The full sale history is in the OpeningBid app (free sign-up). ## 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. --- Data last updated 2026-11-02. OpeningBid tracks 15,390,829 auction lots from 577 auction houses, refreshed nightly. Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Ben Shahn auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/ben-shahn (updated 2026-11-02). 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.