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

# Budd Hopkins (1931–2011)

## What is Budd Hopkins’s work worth? {#value}

As of 3 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 56 auction results for Budd Hopkins at 14 houses since 2005. Over the last 24 months the median price was $1,024 including buyer’s premium (middle half $547–$2,379, n=11). The auction record is $8,125 for Guardian XXV (2018, Rago Arts). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guardian XXV, 1981 | Acrylic paint | $8,125 | Rago Arts | May 2018 |
| 2 | City Sun III, 1983 | Oil on canvas in artist's frame | $7,500 | Sotheby's | Jul 2020 |
| 3 | Untitled (Parachute I), 1967 | Oil on canvas in artist's frame | $4,864 | Rago Arts | Jun 2026 |
| 4 | Andorra, 1965 | Painting | $4,375 | Rago Arts | Mar 2020 |
| 5 | Untitled (oil on board), 1962 | Wool | $4,063 | Wright | Jan 2019 |
| 6 | Untitled (oil on canvas), 1931 | Painting | $4,000 | Rago Arts | Jun 2022 |
| 7 | Untitled (Parachute II), 1967 | Oil on canvas in artist's frame | $2,560 | Rago Arts | Jun 2026 |
| 8 | Serge, 1961 | Painting | $2,508 | Rago Arts | Aug 2025 |
| 9 | Study for Scorpio ll., 1931 | Acrylic on canvas | $2,250 | Swann Auction Galleries | Nov 2024 |
| 10 | Untitled, 1962 | Painting | $2,000 | Rago Arts | Dec 2021 |


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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 26 | $1,218 |
| Works on paper | 5 | $1,000 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Large (over 120 cm) | 11 | $2,560 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 15 | $826 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 7 | $764 |

Data as of 3 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 56 results from 14 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Budd Hopkins is an American artist with 78 auction lots recorded since 2005, median price $756. 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 Budd Hopkins sold in 2026 for $4,864, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Budd Hopkins work worth?

Across 55 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Budd Hopkins work is $756.

The median Budd Hopkins painting sells for $1,024 across 35 lots.

The median Budd Hopkins work on paper sells for $614 across 6 lots.

The median Budd Hopkins print sells for $212 across 6 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 | 9 | $212†‡ | $1,000† | 66.7% | 2024-08-24 |
| Paintings | 43 | $1,024†‡ | $8,125 | 81.4% | 2026-06-09 |
| Works on Paper | 11 | $614‡ | $1,000 | 54.5% | 2026-05-16 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 3 | $7,500‡ | $8,125 | — | 2022-08-25 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

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

Budd Hopkins's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (9 lots) median $212 with 66.7% sell-through. Paintings (43 lots) median $1,024, record $8,125. A typical Budd Hopkins painting sells for around 4.8× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 3 lots) the median is $7,500.

## Price by size

### Prints & Editions

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium (50–120 cm) | 6 | $156–$269†‡ | $212†‡ | $1,000† |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

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

### Paintings

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 15 | $497–$1,293†‡ | $756†‡ | $4,063 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 5 | $764–$2,000 | $2,000 | $2,250 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 13 | $950–$4,864‡ | $2,560‡ | $8,125 |

† 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) | 6 | $413–$925‡ | $614‡ | $1,000 |

‡ 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 2018 | $8,125 |
| Paintings | 2020 | $7,500 |
| Prints & Editions | 2024 | $1,000† |
| Works on Paper | 2022 | $1,000 |
| Works on Paper | 2022 | $1,000 |
| Prints & Editions | 2020 | $275† |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

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 Budd Hopkins worth?

Across 55 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Budd Hopkins work is $756. The median Budd Hopkins painting sells for $1,024 across 35 lots. The median Budd Hopkins work on paper sells for $614 across 6 lots. The median Budd Hopkins print sells for $212 across 6 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 Budd Hopkins painting?

Based on 35 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Budd Hopkins painting is $1,024. 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 Budd Hopkins's most expensive painting?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Budd Hopkins painting is $8,125.

### What is the average price of a Budd Hopkins work on paper?

Based on 6 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Budd Hopkins work on paper is $614. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).

### What is Budd Hopkins's most expensive work on paper?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Budd Hopkins work on paper is $1,000.

### What is the average price of a small Budd Hopkins painting?

Based on 15 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Budd Hopkins painting (small (under 50 cm)) is $756, 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 large Budd Hopkins painting?

Based on 13 sold lots, the median auction price of a large Budd Hopkins painting (large (over 120 cm)) is $2,560, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).

### What is Budd Hopkins's auction record?

Budd Hopkins's auction record is $8,125, set in 2018.

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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, “Budd Hopkins auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/budd-hopkins (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.