> Source: https://www.openingbid.art/artist/richard-merkin-2 · updated 2026-11-01

# Richard Merkin (1938–2009)

Richard Merkin is an American artist with 36 auction lots recorded since 1997, median price $406. 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 Richard Merkin sold in 2026 for a hammer price of $900 (buyer's premium not included), according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Richard Merkin work worth?

Across 30 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Richard Merkin work is $406.

The median Richard Merkin painting sells for $900 across 8 lots.

The median Richard Merkin work on paper sells for $323 across 6 lots.

The median Richard Merkin print sells for $164 across 6 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 | 6 | $164 | $350 | — | 2025-03-14 |
| Paintings | 8 | $900† | $2,000† | — | 2024-04-20 |
| Works on Paper | 7 | $323‡ | $810‡ | 85.7% | 2024-05-23 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

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

Richard Merkin's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (6 lots) median $164. Paintings (8 lots) median $900, record $2,000. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $2,000 (buyer's premium not included). A typical Richard Merkin painting sells for around 5.5× the price of a typical print.

## Price by size

### Prints & Editions

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium (50–120 cm) | 6 | $62–$288 | $164 | $350 |

### Paintings

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| large (over 120 cm) | 8 | $500–$1,425† | $900† | $2,000† |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

### Works on Paper

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| medium (50–120 cm) | 5 | $262–$326‡ | $320‡ | $400‡ |

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

Size is the work's longest edge. Cells appear only with at least 5 sold lots.

## Notable results

| Medium | Year | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Paintings | 2022 | $2,000† |
| Paintings | 2022 | $1,500† |
| Works on Paper | 2012 | $810‡ |
| Works on Paper | 2017 | $400‡ |
| Prints & Editions | 2024 | $350 |
| Prints & Editions | 2008 | $296 |

† 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 Richard Merkin worth?

Across 30 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Richard Merkin work is $406. The median Richard Merkin painting sells for $900 across 8 lots. The median Richard Merkin work on paper sells for $323 across 6 lots. The median Richard Merkin print sells for $164 across 6 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 Richard Merkin's auction record?

Richard Merkin's auction record is $2,000, set in 2022. That record lot sold for a hammer price of $2,000 (buyer's premium not included).

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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, “Richard Merkin auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/richard-merkin-2 (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.