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

# Thomas Cole (b. 1949)

Thomas Cole is an American artist with 25 auction lots recorded since 1992, median price $41,775. Some sold prices are not yet verified as premium-inclusive or hammer, and are marked on this page.

A work by Thomas Cole sold in 2026 for $101,600, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Thomas Cole work worth?

Across 22 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Thomas Cole work is $41,775.

The median Thomas Cole painting sells for $101,500 across 17 lots.

The median Thomas Cole work on paper sells for $1,950 across 3 lots.

The median Thomas Cole print sells for $735 across 2 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 | 2 | $735†‡ | $920‡ | — | 2025-11-19 |
| Paintings | 17 | $101,500‡ | $1.6M | — | 2026-05-21 |
| Works on Paper | 3 | $1,950 | $10,000 | — | 2018-06-14 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 10 | $367,750 | $1.6M | — | 2026-01-24 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

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

Thomas Cole's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (2 lots) median $735. Paintings (17 lots) median $101,500, record $1,623,000. A typical Thomas Cole painting sells for around 138× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 10 lots) the median is $367,750.

## Price by size

### Paintings

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 6 | $15,000–$87,338 | $29,925 | $101,600 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 8 | $29,321–$1.1M‡ | $367,750‡ | $1.6M |

‡ 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 | 2025 | $1.6M |
| Paintings | 2003 | $1.5M |
| Works on Paper | 2017 | $10,000 |
| Works on Paper | 2018 | $1,950 |
| Prints & Editions | 2008 | $920‡ |
| Prints & Editions | 2025 | $550† |

† 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 Thomas Cole worth?

Across 22 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Thomas Cole work is $41,775. The median Thomas Cole painting sells for $101,500 across 17 lots. The median Thomas Cole work on paper sells for $1,950 across 3 lots. The median Thomas Cole print sells for $735 across 2 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 Thomas Cole painting?

Based on 17 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Thomas Cole painting is $101,500. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).

### What is Thomas Cole's most expensive painting?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Thomas Cole painting is $1,623,000.

### What is Thomas Cole's auction record?

Thomas Cole's auction record is $1,623,000, set in 2025.

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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, “Thomas Cole auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/thomas-cole (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.