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

# Tom Coates (1941–2023)

Tom Coates is a British artist with 54 auction lots recorded since 1995, median price $428. 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 Tom Coates sold in 2026 for $428, according to OpeningBid's index of auction results.

## What is a Tom Coates work worth?

Across 38 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Tom Coates work is $428.

The median Tom Coates painting sells for $535 across 31 lots.

The median Tom Coates work on paper sells for $75 across 7 lots.

The median Tom Coates print sells for $49 across 3 lots.

Small (under 50 cm) Tom Coates paintings typically sell for $230–$809 (the middle half of 20 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 | 6 | $49‡ | $402 | 50% | 2024-09-07 |
| Paintings | 41 | $535†‡ | $1,720 | 75.6% | 2026-09-02 |
| Works on Paper | 11 | $75‡ | $315 | 63.6% | 2025-10-29 |
| Masterpieces (top of market) | 3 | $2,680‡ | $6,666 | — | 2026-10-21 |

† hammer price — buyer's premium not included.

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

Tom Coates's market splits by medium. Prints & Editions (6 lots) median $49 with 50% sell-through. Paintings (41 lots) median $535, record $1,720. A typical Tom Coates painting sells for around 11× the price of a typical print. At the top of the market (top 5% of sales, 3 lots) the median is $2,680.

## Price by size

### Paintings

| Size | Sold lots | Typical range (p25–p75) | Median | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| small (under 50 cm) | 20 | $230–$809†‡ | $581†‡ | $974 |
| medium (50–120 cm) | 9 | $228–$1,005†‡ | $460†‡ | $1,720 |

† 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 | $26–$81‡ | $70‡ | $315 |

‡ 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 | 2019 | $1,720 |
| Paintings | 2022 | $1,025 |
| Prints & Editions | 2023 | $402 |
| Works on Paper | 2023 | $315 |
| Works on Paper | 2025 | $262‡ |
| Prints & Editions | 2006 | $49‡ |

‡ 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 Tom Coates worth?

Across 38 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median price of a Tom Coates work is $428. The median Tom Coates painting sells for $535 across 31 lots. The median Tom Coates work on paper sells for $75 across 7 lots. The median Tom Coates print sells for $49 across 3 lots. Small (under 50 cm) Tom Coates paintings typically sell for $230–$809 (the middle half of 20 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 Tom Coates painting?

Based on 31 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Tom Coates painting is $535. 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 Tom Coates's most expensive painting?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Tom Coates painting is $1,720.

### What is the average price of a Tom Coates work on paper?

Based on 7 sold lots tracked by OpeningBid, the median auction price of a Tom Coates work on paper is $75. Some prices are not yet basis-verified (premium-inclusive or hammer).

### What is Tom Coates's most expensive work on paper?

The highest price recorded at auction for a Tom Coates work on paper is $315.

### What is the average price of a small Tom Coates painting?

Based on 20 sold lots, the median auction price of a small Tom Coates painting (small (under 50 cm)) is $581, 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 Tom Coates's auction record?

Tom Coates's auction record is $6,666, set in 2007.

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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, “Tom Coates auction prices”, https://www.openingbid.art/artist/tom-coates (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.