> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/martin-luther-king · updated 2026-11-01

# Martin Luther King

## What is Martin Luther King’s work worth? {#value}

As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 12 auction results for Martin Luther King at 2 houses since 2008. Over the last 24 months the median price was $3,750 including buyer’s premium (middle half $3,000–$4,500, n=5). The auction record is $185,000 for Letter from Birmingham Jail (2021, Swann Auction Galleries). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.

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

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Letter from Birmingham Jail, 1963 | 11 period Xeroxed pages, staple-bound in upper left corner; electrostatically duplicated | $185,000 | Swann Auction Galleries | Mar 2021 |
| 2 | Statement by the President of the Montgomery Improvement Association, The Rev. M. L. King., Jr., December 20, 1956, 1929 | Statement | $6,350 | Christie's | Jan 2026 |
| 3 | Letter from Birmingham City Jail, 1963 | 15, [1] pages including wrappers, 8vo | $5,000 | Swann Auction Galleries | Mar 2023 |
| 4 | Obsequies, 1968 | 16 printed pages, stapled | $4,750 | Swann Auction Galleries | Mar 2024 |
| 5 | Detroit Council for Human Rights Presents . . . I Have a Dream, Recorded Live at Cobo Hall, 1963 | Vinyl LP phonograph record, 11¾ inches round, with labels on both sides bearing alternate title "I Had a Dream," in printed 12¼-inch outer sleeve with printed label sticker | $4,500 | Swann Auction Galleries | Mar 2025 |
| 6 | Letter from Birmingham City Jail, 1963 | 15, [1] pages including wrappers, 8vo | $4,000 | Swann Auction Galleries | Mar 2024 |
| 7 | After the March: An Open Letter to the American People | 11 pages on 3 folding sheets | $3,750 | Swann Auction Galleries | Mar 2025 |
| 8 | Nobel Peace Prize lecture, 1964 | 17 printed pages | $3,000 | Swann Auction Galleries | Mar 2025 |
| 9 | and the Montgomery Story, 1956 | Illustrated color pamphlet | $900 | Swann Auction Galleries | Feb 2008 |

**Top auction records: prints & editions**

| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern Christian Leadership Conference packet including a circular letter from Dr. King, 1964 | Offset printed copy of King's letter with facsimile signature, various printed items, and envelopes | $562 | Swann Auction Galleries | Mar 2023 |

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

| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 10 | $4,250 |

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

| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 10 | $3,875 |

Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 12 results from 2 houses · [How we compute these figures](https://www.openingbid.art/methodology/price-data)


Martin Luther King is an artist with 14 auction lots recorded since 2008, median price $3,875.

A work by Martin Luther King sold in 2026 for $6,350, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Martin Luther King work worth?

Across 12 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Martin Luther King work is $3,875.

The median Martin Luther King print sells for $531 across 1 lots.

## Price breakdown by category

| Category | Lots tracked | Median price | Record price | Sell-through | Last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prints & Editions | 1 | $531 | $531 | — | 2015-03-26 |

## Notable results

| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Prints & Editions | 2015 | $531 |

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 Martin Luther King worth?

Across 12 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Martin Luther King work is $3,875. The median Martin Luther King print sells for $531 across 1 lots.

### What is Martin Luther King's auction record?

Martin Luther King's auction record is $185,000, set in 2021.

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Data last updated 2026-11-01. OpeningBid tracks 15,222,099 auction lots from 571 auction houses, refreshed nightly.

Cite this page as: OpeningBid, “Martin Luther King auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/martin-luther-king (updated 2026-11-01).

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.