> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/hank-willis-thomas · updated 2026-11-02

# Hank Willis Thomas (b. 1976)

## What is Hank Willis Thomas’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 128 auction results for Hank Willis Thomas at 16 houses since 2007. Over the last 24 months the median price was $3,124 including buyer’s premium (middle half $1,824–$8,764, n=30). The auction record is $220,500 for The Toilers (2022, Sotheby's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Toilers, 2021 | Toile | $220,500 | Sotheby's | Nov 2022 |
| 2 | Society of the Spectacle (Spectrum IV), 2019 | UV print on retroreflective vinyl mounted to Dibond | $127,000 | Phillips | Mar 2023 |
| 3 | Champion (White), 2017 | Sewn sports jerseys | $68,263 | Sotheby's | Mar 2023 |
| 4 | Equity (green), 2022 | Fabric collage of decommissioned U.S. prison uniforms | $63,000 | Christie's | Nov 2022 |
| 5 | Hand of God, 2017 | Fiberglass and chameleon auto paint finish | $63,000 | Phillips | Nov 2022 |
| 6 | Yellow Frosted Willows (or Anna May Wong) Pollock, 2019 | Pollock screen print on retroreflective vinyl mounted on Dibond | $56,700 | Sotheby's | Oct 2021 |
| 7 | KEEP THE FAITH BABY, 2014 | Fiberglass and aluminum | $56,250 | Sotheby's | Mar 2020 |
| 8 | Our Enemies Are Like Fish Caught in Dragnet, That is, Easily Captured, 2017 | Sewn sports jerseys | $50,400 | Christie's | May 2023 |
| 9 | Zero Hour (from Wayfarer), 2012 | Digital chromogenic print and Plexiglas with Lumisty film, in 6 parts | $50,000 | Phillips | Nov 2018 |

**Top auction records: prints & editions**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basketball and Chain, 2003 | Chromogenic print, framed, a Jack Shainman Gallery label on the reverse, 2003, no. 3 in an edition of 3 | $44,450 | Sotheby's | May 2023 |

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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 25 | $25,000 |
| Paintings | 6 | $13,970 |
| Photographs | 15 | $11,970 |
| Prints | 62 | $2,457 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Large (over 120 cm) | 22 | $29,841 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 75 | $3,500 |
| Small (under 50 cm) | 15 | $2,268 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 128 results from 16 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Hank Willis Thomas is an American artist with 178 auction lots recorded since 2007, median price $4,000. Some sold prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium; they are marked on this page.

A work by Hank Willis Thomas sold in 2026 for $10,320, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Hank Willis Thomas work worth?

Across 127 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Hank Willis Thomas work is $4,000.

The median Hank Willis Thomas print sells for $2,520 across 82 lots.

The median Hank Willis Thomas photograph sells for $18,980 across 22 lots.

The median Hank Willis Thomas sculpture sells for $18,900 across 6 lots.

Medium (50–120 cm) Hank Willis Thomas prints typically sell for $1,443–$4,000 (the middle half of 59 sold lots).

Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

## Price breakdown by category

| Category | Lots tracked | Median price | Record price | Sell-through | Last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prints & Editions | 91 | $2,520† | $127,000 | 90.1% | 2026-10-20 |
| Paintings | 4 | $13,970 | $16,510 | — | 2026-10-22 |
| Works on Paper | 2 | $15,700 | $25,400 | — | 2025-12-16 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 8 | $18,900 | $63,000 | 75% | 2025-07-18 |
| Photography | 25 | $18,980† | $50,000 | 88% | 2026-10-08 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 7 | $63,000 | $220,500 | — | 2023-03-08 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

Hank Willis Thomas's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (91 lots) median $2,520 with 90.1% sell-through. Paintings (4 lots) median $13,970, record $16,510. A typical Hank Willis Thomas painting sells for around 5.5× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 7 lots) the median is $63,000.

## Price by size

### Prints & Editions

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 13 | $1,397–$2,520 | $1,905 | $4,469 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 59 | $1,443–$4,000† | $2,520† | $30,000 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 5 | $21,590–$56,700 | $28,000 | $127,000 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

### Photography

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium (50–120 cm) | 12 | $3,974–$18,310† | $9,175† | $50,000 |
| large (over 120 cm) | 10 | $21,195–$30,480 | $27,201 | $44,450 |

† 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Prints & Editions | 2023 | $127,000 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2022 | $63,000 |
| Prints & Editions | 2021 | $56,700 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2020 | $56,250 |
| Photography | 2018 | $50,000 |
| Photography | 2023 | $44,450 |
| Works on Paper | 2025 | $25,400 |
| Paintings | 2025 | $16,510 |

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 Hank Willis Thomas worth?

Across 127 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Hank Willis Thomas work is $4,000. The median Hank Willis Thomas print sells for $2,520 across 82 lots. The median Hank Willis Thomas photograph sells for $18,980 across 22 lots. The median Hank Willis Thomas sculpture sells for $18,900 across 6 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Hank Willis Thomas prints typically sell for $1,443–$4,000 (the middle half of 59 sold lots). Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

### What is the average price of a Hank Willis Thomas print?

Based on 82 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Hank Willis Thomas print is $2,520. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

### What is Hank Willis Thomas's most expensive print?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Hank Willis Thomas print is $127,000.

### What is the average price of a Hank Willis Thomas photograph?

Based on 22 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Hank Willis Thomas photograph is $18,980. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

### What is Hank Willis Thomas's most expensive photograph?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Hank Willis Thomas photograph is $50,000.

### What is the average price of a medium Hank Willis Thomas print?

Based on 59 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Hank Willis Thomas print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $2,520, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

### What is the average price of a small Hank Willis Thomas print?

Based on 13 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Hank Willis Thomas print (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,905, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

### What is Hank Willis Thomas's auction record?

Hank Willis Thomas's auction record is $220,500, set in 2022.

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Data last updated 2026-11-02. OpeningBid tracks 15,390,829 auction lots from 577 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Hank Willis Thomas auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/hank-willis-thomas (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.