Muhammad 'Ali (1942–2016)
What is Muhammad 'Ali’s work worth?
As of 2 November 2026, OpeningBid has recorded 60 auction results for Muhammad 'Ali at 20 houses since 1993. Over the last 24 months the median price was $2,811 including buyer’s premium (middle half $1,400–$4,988, n=14). The auction record is $5,249,434 for A PRINCE HAWKING (2025, Christie's). Source: OpeningBid, an independent auction-results database.
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A PRINCE HAWKING, 1610 | Painting | $5,249,434 | Christie's | Oct 2025 |
| 2 | large illuminated Qu'ran, 1805 | Ink and gold leaf on paper, bound | $32,023 | Sotheby's | Apr 2015 |
| 3 | A COURTIER HOLDING A BOTTLE, circa 1650 | Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper | $22,303 | Christie's | Apr 2026 |
| 4 | A Leaf from the Polier Album, 1781 | Ink & Gouache on Paper | $21,834 | Sotheby's | Oct 2010 |
| 5 | A LARGE CALLIGRAPHIC EXERCISE, 1925 | Ink | $16,505 | Christie's | Oct 2017 |
| 6 | A COURTIER HOLDING A BOTTLE, 1650 | Opaque pigments heightened with gold on paper, inscribed lower left, laid down within narrow buff and gold-sprinkled borders and polychrome rules in green margins decorated with gold illuminated animals and birds, the verso plain, two collection stickers | $9,735 | Christie's | Oct 2024 |
| 7 | TWO NASTA'LIQ PANELS | Nasta'liq calligraphy on paper with illumination, laid on cream card | $6,448 | Christie's | Oct 2019 |
| 8 | A DRAWING OF A FALCON | Ink on paper | $6,030 | Christie's | Apr 2012 |
| # | Work | Medium | Price | House | Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sting Like A Bee; Under The Sun; Mosque II; Guiding Light, 1978 | Screenprint | $8,288 | Bonhams | Jan 2026 |
| 2 | Sting Like a Bee, 1979 | Screenprint in colors | $5,120 | Wright | Aug 2026 |
| Medium | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Works on paper | 7 | $6,448 |
| Prints | 26 | $1,511 |
| Photographs | 6 | $1,012 |
| Other | 5 | $870 |
| Size | Sales | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 50 cm) | 24 | $1,625 |
| Medium (50-120 cm) | 19 | $1,012 |
Data as of 2 November 2026 · Source: OpeningBid, 60 results from 20 houses · How we compute these figures
Muhammad 'Ali is an American artist with 78 auction lots recorded since 1993, median price $1,593. 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 Muhammad 'Ali sold in 2026 for $2,560, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.
See the full Muhammad 'Ali record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Muhammad 'Ali on OpeningBid →What is a Muhammad 'Ali work worth?
Across 50 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Muhammad 'Ali work is $1,593.
The median Muhammad 'Ali print sells for $1,386 across 30 lots.
The median Muhammad 'Ali photograph sells for $526 across 9 lots.
The median Muhammad 'Ali work on paper sells for $6,239 across 9 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 | 38 | $1,386†‡ | $29,000‡ | 78.9% | 2026-09-17 |
| Paintings | 1 | $22,303 | $22,303 | — | 2026-04-30 |
| Works on Paper | 11 | $6,239 | $5.2M | 81.8% | 2026-02-25 |
| Photography | 12 | $526†‡ | $2,816 | 75% | 2026-02-25 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 3 | $32,023‡ | $5.2M | — | 2026-04-10 |
† hammer price — buyer's premium not included. ‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
Muhammad 'Ali's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (38 lots) median $1,386 with 78.9% sell-through. Paintings (1 lots) median $22,303, record $22,303. A typical Muhammad 'Ali painting sells for around 16× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 3 lots) the median is $32,023.
Price by size
Prints & Editions
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 12 | $1,219–$1,728† | $1,511† | $4,590 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 17 | $832–$2,805†‡ | $1,000†‡ | $29,000‡ |
† 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 5 | $3,584–$6,448 | $6,030 | $5.2M |
Photography
| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 6 | $278–$840† | $293† | $2,816 |
† 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Works on Paper | 2025 | $5.2M |
| Prints & Editions | 2026 | $29,000‡ |
| Paintings | 2026 | $22,303 |
| Works on Paper | 2010 | $21,834 |
| Prints & Editions | 2026 | $8,288 |
| Photography | 2026 | $2,816 |
| Photography | 2011 | $1,020 |
‡ reported price — whether it includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
The highest recorded result in each medium. See the full sale history on OpeningBid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Muhammad 'Ali worth?
Across 50 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Muhammad 'Ali work is $1,593. The median Muhammad 'Ali print sells for $1,386 across 30 lots. The median Muhammad 'Ali photograph sells for $526 across 9 lots. The median Muhammad 'Ali work on paper sells for $6,239 across 9 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 Muhammad 'Ali print?
Based on 30 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Muhammad 'Ali print is $1,386. 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 Muhammad 'Ali's most expensive print?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Muhammad 'Ali print is $29,000. Whether that record price includes the buyer's premium is not yet verified.
What is the average price of a Muhammad 'Ali photograph?
Based on 9 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Muhammad 'Ali photograph is $526. 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 Muhammad 'Ali's most expensive photograph?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Muhammad 'Ali photograph is $2,816.
What is the average price of a Muhammad 'Ali work on paper?
Based on 9 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Muhammad 'Ali work on paper is $6,239.
What is Muhammad 'Ali's most expensive work on paper?
The highest price recorded at auction for a Muhammad 'Ali work on paper is $5,249,434.
What is the average price of a medium Muhammad 'Ali print?
Based on 17 sold lots, the median auction price of a medium Muhammad 'Ali print (medium (50–120 cm)) is $1,000, 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 small Muhammad 'Ali print?
Based on 12 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Muhammad 'Ali print (small (under 50 cm)) is $1,511, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results. Some prices are hammer-only and exclude the buyer's premium.
What is Muhammad 'Ali's auction record?
Muhammad 'Ali's auction record is $5,249,434, set in 2025.
See the full Muhammad 'Ali record on OpeningBid — images, provenance, fair estimates and free sale alerts.
View Muhammad 'Ali on OpeningBid →