> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/jean-michel-basquiat · updated 2026-11-02

# Jean Michel Basquiat (1960–1988)

Jean Michel Basquiat is an American artist with 121 auction lots recorded since 1989, median price $1,250. 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 Jean Michel Basquiat is recorded as sold in 2023 for $1,326; whether the price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Jean Michel Basquiat work worth?

Across 82 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Jean Michel Basquiat work is $1,250.

The median Jean Michel Basquiat print sells for $1,219 across 41 lots.

The median Jean Michel Basquiat work on paper sells for $5,002 across 13 lots.

The median Jean Michel Basquiat painting sells for $1,159,304 across 6 lots.

Medium (50–120 cm) Jean Michel Basquiat prints typically sell for $540–$6,875 (the middle half of 23 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 | 56 | $1,219†‡ | $2.8M† | 73.2% | 2026-05-06 |
| Paintings | 8 | $1.2M†‡ | $2.7M† | 75% | 2015-12-12 |
| Works on Paper | 17 | $5,002† | $560,891 | 76.5% | 2020-12-14 |
| Sculpture & Installation | 1 | $293‡ | $293‡ | — | 2025-06-17 |
| Photography | 1 | $4,920‡ | $4,920‡ | — | 2012-04-26 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 10 | $730,836†‡ | $2.8M† | — | 2020-12-14 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

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

Jean Michel Basquiat's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (56 lots) median $1,219 with 73.2% sell-through. Paintings (8 lots) median $1,159,304, record $2,675,969. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $2,675,969 (buyer's premium not included). A typical Jean Michel Basquiat painting sells for around 951× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 10 lots) the median is $730,836.

## Price by size

### Prints & Editions

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 8 | $276–$803† | $511† | $1,185 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 23 | $540–$6,875†‡ | $1,326†‡ | $200,000 |

† 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium (50–120 cm) | 5 | $11,682–$441,756† | $33,439† | $560,891 |

† 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 | 2006 | $2.8M† |
| Paintings | 2006 | $2.7M† |
| Paintings | 2013 | $2.1M |
| Works on Paper | 2020 | $560,891 |
| Works on Paper | 2020 | $441,756† |
| Prints & Editions | 2017 | $200,000 |
| Photography | 2012 | $4,920‡ |
| Sculpture & Installation | 2025 | $293‡ |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

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

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 Jean Michel Basquiat worth?

Across 82 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Jean Michel Basquiat work is $1,250. The median Jean Michel Basquiat print sells for $1,219 across 41 lots. The median Jean Michel Basquiat work on paper sells for $5,002 across 13 lots. The median Jean Michel Basquiat painting sells for $1,159,304 across 6 lots. Medium (50–120 cm) Jean Michel Basquiat prints typically sell for $540–$6,875 (the middle half of 23 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 Jean Michel Basquiat print?

Based on 41 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Jean Michel Basquiat print is $1,219. 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 Jean Michel Basquiat's most expensive print?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Jean Michel Basquiat print is $2,818,341. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $2,818,341 (buyer's premium not included).

### What is the average price of a Jean Michel Basquiat work on paper?

Based on 13 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Jean Michel Basquiat work on paper is $5,002. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.

### What is Jean Michel Basquiat's most expensive work on paper?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Jean Michel Basquiat work on paper is $560,891.

### What is the average price of a medium Jean Michel Basquiat print?

Based on 23 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Jean Michel Basquiat print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $1,326, 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 Jean Michel Basquiat's auction record?

Jean Michel Basquiat's auction record is $2,818,341, set in 2006. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $2,818,341 (buyer's premium not included).

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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, “Jean Michel Basquiat auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/jean-michel-basquiat (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.