Sam Francis (1923–1994)
Sam Francis is an American artist with 658 auction lots recorded since 1992, median price $7,774. 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 Sam Francis sold in 2026 for a hammer price of $16,079 (buyer's premium not included), according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Sam Francis record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Sam Francis on OpeningBid →What is a Sam Francis work worth?
Across 523 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Sam Francis work is $7,774.
The median Sam Francis print sells for $3,892 across 314 lots.
The median Sam Francis painting sells for $52,117 across 111 lots.
The median Sam Francis work on paper sells for $56,311 across 40 lots.
Medium (50–120 cm) Sam Francis prints typically sell for $1,692–$7,424 (the middle half of 218 sold lots).
Large (over 120 cm) Sam Francis prints typically sell for $6,129–$17,506 (the middle half of 45 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 | 382 | $3,892†‡ | $90,839 | 82.2% | 2026-10-22 |
| Paintings | 126 | $52,117†‡ | $8.9M | 88.1% | 2026-04-16 |
| Works on Paper | 43 | $56,311† | $598,016 | 93% | 2026-10-22 |
| Photography | 1 | — | — | 0% | — |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 59 | $257,033† | $8.9M | — | 2025-12-12 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Sam Francis's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (382 lots) median $3,892 with 82.2% sell-through. Paintings (126 lots) median $52,117, record $8,920,400. A typical Sam Francis painting sells for around 13× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 59 lots) the median is $257,033.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 22 | $882–$3,878†‡ | $2,463†‡ | $52,403 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 218 | $1,692–$7,424†‡ | $3,640†‡ | $89,403 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 45 | $6,129–$17,506†‡ | $12,180†‡ | $90,839 |
† 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) | 36 | $8,369–$28,506†‡ | $15,351†‡ | $663,667 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 39 | $33,434–$104,692‡ | $50,258‡ | $423,369 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 32 | $168,099–$462,551† | $272,747† | $8.9M |
† 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) | 15 | $14,533–$41,668 | $19,397 | $391,137 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 22 | $56,010–$247,475† | $125,734† | $598,016 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.
Size is the work's longest edge. Cells appear only with at least 5 sold lots.
Notable results
| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 2020 | $8.9M |
| Paintings | 2020 | $860,000 |
| Works on Paper | 2007 | $598,016 |
| Works on Paper | 2007 | $598,016 |
| Prints & Editions | 2007 | $90,839 |
| Prints & Editions | 2006 | $89,403 |
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Sam Francis worth?
Across 523 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Sam Francis work is $7,774. The median Sam Francis print sells for $3,892 across 314 lots. The median Sam Francis painting sells for $52,117 across 111 lots. The median Sam Francis work on paper sells for $56,311 across 40 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Sam Francis prints typically sell for $1,692–$7,424 (the middle half of 218 sold lots). Large (over 120 cm) Sam Francis prints typically sell for $6,129–$17,506 (the middle half of 45 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 Sam Francis print?
Based on 314 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Sam Francis print is $3,892. 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 Sam Francis's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Sam Francis print is $90,839.
What is the average price of a Sam Francis painting?
Based on 111 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Sam Francis painting is $52,117. 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 Sam Francis's most expensive painting?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Sam Francis painting is $8,920,400.
What is the average price of a Sam Francis work on paper?
Based on 40 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Sam Francis work on paper is $56,311. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
What is Sam Francis's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Sam Francis work on paper is $598,016.
What is the average price of a medium Sam Francis print?
Based on 218 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Sam Francis print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $3,640, 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 Sam Francis print?
Based on 45 sold lots, the median auction price of a large Sam Francis print (large (over 120 cm)) is $12,180, 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 Sam Francis's auction record?
Sam Francis's auction record is $8,920,400, set in 2020.
See the full Sam Francis record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Sam Francis on OpeningBid →