Market Watch Banksy: Top 10 Most Investable Prints

In 2019, Banksy released the Thrower (Grey) (2019) triptych, featuring his iconic, bandana wearing street bandit, poised to throw a bomb, transformed by Banksy into throwing a bouquet of flowers instead. This print is an evolution of his renowned street art piece, Love Is In The Air (Flower Thrower) (2003), originally created in response to the West Bank Wall construction, a highly controversial and contested structure, separating parts of Israel and the West Bank. Its relevance recently heightened, this work sold for £190,500 (with fees) in April, making it Banksy's top-selling print for 2023. We'll continue to monitor its value and potential appearances in 2024.

Girl With Balloon is not only an image quintessential to Banksy's oeuvre, but one which has an enduring reputation for drama. In 2018, Banksy staged one of his most unforgettable public spectacles with this work, shredding it immediately after the hammer finalised its sale for £1,042,000 at Sotheby's. This shocking stunt has only served to make this work even more desirable, making it one of the artist's most sought-after prints. Such is the popularity of the work that the signed edition of Girl With Balloon has grown in value by approx. 380% since 2017.

Choose Your Weapon (CYW) (2010), an iconic and exceptionally rare print, was initially released in 15 distinct colourways, with 14 editions limited to just 25 prints each. Among these, unique colourways including silver, lemon, dark blue, turquoise, and fluoro green are particularly sought after, often fetching the highest prices. Introduced to the secondary market in 2012, a couple of years after their 2010 release, initial sales barely surpassed £10,000 (with fees). Presently, these prints consistently sell for well over £100,000, with the highest recorded purchase exceeding £300,000. CYW (Gold) sold for £172,500 (with fees) in February, positioning third in Banksy's top-selling works.

Thrower (Grey) VIP (2019) secured the fifth position among Banksy's top-selling prints in 2023, fetching £152,400 (with fees) in March. This artwork portrays the same figure in a backward baseball cap and a bandana, tossing a bouquet of flowers. The signed VIP edition, limited to 300, is split into three gold-framed panels. Remarkably rare in the market, this sale marked only its fourth appearance. The hammer price for this work has fluctuated, reaching up to £160,000. We will be closely observing its resurgence in 2024.

Utilising his platform to convey crucial political messages, the Nola prints commemorate the 2005 Hurricane Katrina in the United States. They feature a young girl holding an umbrella, symbolising the inadequate response of New Orleans’ authorities to shelter vulnerable people during the hurricane aftermath. Originally a graffiti stencil in 2008 in New Orleans, Louisiana, the work was later turned into a screenprint, available in various colourways and edition numbers. Nola (yellow rain) (2008) is a signed edition of 31, a rare colour variant in the market. This piece was sold for £151,200 (with fees) in March, marking its first appearance since 2021 and securing the sixth position in Banksy's top-selling signed prints for 2023.

An additional Banksy CYW print has emerged as one of Banksy's highest-selling signed prints in 2023. CYW (dark blue) (2010) made its debut appearance twice this year, first in April and then again in September. During its April auction, this piece fetched £139,700 (with fees), establishing a new standard for the value of this print in this colourway and securing its place among Banksy's top-selling works for 2023.

Banksy's screenprints, characterised by their straightforward, raw, and powerful political messages, consistently capture attention. Nola (orange rain) (2008), a signed edition of 32, resurfaced in February, achieving its highest performance in 2023, acorss two sales, with a sale price of £127,500 (with fees). This unique colour variant is rare-to-the-market, and we will continue to observe its performance into 2024.

Banksy's Gangsta Rat (AP Lime) is exceptionally rare, belonging to an edition of 41, with this specific colour variant being one of only ten artist proofs. In this artwork, Banksy revisits his iconic motif, the rat, which symbolises street art itself. Banksy enhances its significance by outfitting the rat with a backward baseball cap, a chain, and a music blaster, paying homage to the underground art scene. The tag accompanying the print, “iPOWS,’’ cleverly references the prevalence of Apple products, and “POW’’ nods to the Banksy's notorious print publisher: Pictures on Walls. This print made its auction debut in April, fetching £114,300 (with fees) and securing a place among Banksy's top-selling prints for 2023.

Christ With Shopping Bags (2004) emerged as a signed edition comprising 82 prints. Naturally provocative and controversial, this artwork communicates profound messages. Banksy's intention isn't to offend but to captivate attention. The piece portrays a crucified Jesus on a cross, carrying shopping bags, highlighting the commercialisation and materialism inherent in consumerism and its broader impact. The bags held by Christ are adorned with bows, resembling Christmas gifts, hinting that the true essence of celebration and gratitude might have been overshadowed, lost in transactions over time. This work has gained popularity, making two appearances in 2023, first in January and then again in March. In the March auction at Christie's, it fetched £94,500 (with fees), positioning itself among Banksy's top-selling prints for 2023.

Banksquiat (grey) (2019) stands as one of Banksy's renowned prints, experiencing heightened interest in 2023. Despite being part of a larger edition of 300, this specific piece has surfaced merely nine times in the secondary market, enhancing its rarity and desirability. What adds to its allure is its association with Banksy's pop-up shop, Gross Domestic Product, offering collectors a chance to possess a defining moment in Banksy's career. Banksy, never one to shy away from expressing his respect for predecessors, crafted this work as a Ferris wheel, replacing carts with Basquiat's iconic three-point crown. Through this, Banksy questions the recent commodification of Basquiat's art compared to his unparalleled legacy, especially in the realm of clothing, a sentiment underscored by his call-out of Guess in November 2022 for using his brand without permission. This unique piece fetched £94,255 (with fees) in February.

In 2023, Banksy's unsigned edition of Girl With Balloon demonstrated remarkable performances in 2023, achieving eleven successful sales. The highest recorded sale reached £155,852 with fees at Julien's Auctions in the United States. In recent years, unsigned Banksy prints consistently delivered competitive performances. The image of a young girl reaching for a red heart-shaped balloon holds significant importance in Banksy's body of work, symbolising universal aspirations for peace and freedom making it an incredibly lucrative print.

Similar to the rat and the young girl reaching for the balloon, the chimpanzee holds a significant place in Banksy's iconic imagery. In Laugh Now, we encounter a despondent-looking chimp trudging forward, burdened by a sandwich board displaying the titular words, ‘Laugh Now, but one day we'll be in charge’. Banksy further explores this theme in the Keep It Real series. As with many of Banksy's pieces featuring animals, Laugh Now symbolises the marginalised individuals in society who may eventually assert themselves. This depiction of sardonic rebellion has consistently garnered attention since 2017 and continued to do so in 2023. In 2023, six unsigned works entered the public market, with the highest fetching £75,600 at Phillips in January.

One of the most notable characteristics of Banksy's print market is the unparalleled uniqueness and iconic nature of each image he produces. The masked figure wearing a backward cap in Love is In The Air (Flower Thrower) embodies contemporary culture, resembling a graffiti artist-perhaps Banksy?. This figure symbolically hurls a bouquet of flowers as if it were a grenade. Originally appearing on the West Bank Wall in Jerusalem, separating Palestine from Israel, this work has gained immense popularity. Amidst escalating conflict in the region, its relevance and poignancy have only intensified, contributing to its status as one of Banksy's most sought-after prints in 2023. An unsigned version of this print fetched £58,695, including fees, in Switzerland.

In 2023, Banksy's CCCP (unsigned) print made a rare appearance on the public market, marking its first since 2020 and only the second overall. What sets this print apart is its absence of signature and edition number, leaving its actual size unknown. Featuring the stencilled flower thrower over red spray-painted block letters CCCP, this early Banksy print fetched £53,340, including fees, at Phillips in 2023.

Described by Florence Whittaker as offering a unique perspective on the intersection of film and art, Banksy's Pulp Fiction appeals to both Tarantino aficionados and Banksy devotees. The unsigned version of this print made five auction appearances in 2023, with the high sale price of £38,100 with fees.

For further insights into the iconography of this print, watch Florence's discussion in the video below and subscribe to MyArtBroker's YouTube channel for regular updates and insights.

Love Rat depicts a stencilled rat clutching a paintbrush beneath a dripping red heart, embodying Banksy's signature irony that resonates with enthusiasts. This piece presents a juxtaposition of a rat, often considered a societal nuisance, painting a symbol of universal hope, albeit with a twist. While initially conveying a message of love, the crimson red paint dripping from the heart suggests underlying pain, as implied by Banksy's promotional description of the print in 2004 as ‘the ideal gift for a cheating spouse.’ Originally released by Pictures on Walls for £74.99 for an unsigned print, Love Rat made three appearances in 2023, fetching £33,541 in July at SBI Art Auction in Japan, underscoring Banksy's global impact.

Barcode presents a surrealistic portrayal featuring a barcode on wheels with a hole in the centre, from which a leopard emerges towards the viewer. Open to various interpretations, it serves as a critique on multiple societal issues, including animal entertainment, poaching, trophy hunting, and zoos, ultimately reflecting a broader critique on consumerism and society's entertainment ideals. Initially appearing on the side of a house on Pembroke Road in Bristol, the stencil was later removed but resurfaced years later during an exhibit in Somerset. The unsigned version of this artwork made five appearances at auction in 2023, reaching its highest selling price of £32,760 with fees at Christie's.

Jack & Jill (Police Kids) initially presents a deceptive image, portraying two children skipping arm in arm against a serene sky blue backdrop, evoking a sense of joy. However, the unsettling revelation emerges: both children are clad in police bulletproof vests. This stark irony mirrors the darker undertones found in the classic nursery rhyme Jack and Jill, prompting reflection on whether society truly safeguards children's innate freedom and innocence. Despite this unsettling message, the print remains highly coveted among collectors. The unsigned version of this piece appeared five times at auction in 2023, with the highest sale fetching £32,760 with fees at Christie's, reinforcing its status as one of Banksy's most desirable investment prints.

Renowned for his bold statements against authority, Flying Copper depicts the traditional British police uniform adorned with a cheerful yellow smiley face as the head and angel wings sprouting from the back. This juxtaposition of joy and menace serves as a cautionary reminder, albeit somewhat unsettling, to be wary of those in positions of power. Released as an unsigned edition of 600 prints, this artwork gained moderate popularity on the art market in 2023, selling six times with its highest sale reaching £29,397 with fees at Heffel Online.

Golf Sale, originating in 2003 and released as an unsigned edition of 750 prints, features a man obstructing the path of three military tanks while holding a placard that satirically reads ‘Golf Sale’. While explicitly referencing the iconic Tank Man photograph captured by Jeff Widener in Tiananmen Square in 1989, Banksy reinterprets the image to convey a message of peaceful protest.

Despite the potential harshness of Banksy's imagery, which often depicts violence, the deeper significance lies in its exploration of cultural issues and the artist's use of his platform to raise awareness. The unsigned version of Golf Sale made three appearances at auction in 2023, achieving its highest sale of £30,000 with fees at Tate Ward Auctions.