Raymond Pettibon Auction Prices and Value Guide
Raymond Pettibon auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 1,469 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Raymond Pettibon auction prices: quick answer
Raymond Pettibon auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Raymond Pettibon
- Source records
- 1,469
- Market update
- 2026-02-16
Artist context
About Raymond Pettibon
Raymond Pettibon is an American contemporary artist born in 1957 in Tucson, Arizona. He first gained attention in the early 1980s through the southern California punk rock scene, designing posters, flyers, and album covers for bands on SST Records, the label founded by his brother Greg Ginn. Pettibon's signature practice combines ink drawings with hand-lettered text, weaving together imagery drawn from American literature, art history, politics, religion, and popular culture. Over the following decades his work expanded into painting, photography, video, and large-scale wall installations, earning him wide recognition in the international contemporary art world. His work is held in the permanent collections of major institutions including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and Tate in London. Pettibon studied economics and mathematics at the University of California, Los Angeles, and worked briefly as a high school teacher before committing to art. He currently lives and works in New York City.
Contemporary artPunk and post-punk visual artInk on paper drawingPaintingPhotographyVideo artAmerican iconography and popular cultureSurfers and ocean imageryPolitical figures and commentaryBaseball and sports
Common works and media
Pettibon is most recognized for ink-on-paper drawings incorporating hand-lettered text, featuring recurring motifs such as surfers, trains, baseball players, political figures, and comic-book-style characters. Additional formats encountered in auction and appraisal contexts include paintings on canvas or panel, large-scale wall drawings and mural installations, photographs, video works, artist books and zines, and original punk-era concert posters and album cover art. Prints and multiples exist but represent a smaller portion of his output compared to unique works on paper.
Market and appraisal context
Raymond Pettibon maintains a deep and liquid secondary market with 951 tracked auction lots and 775 priced results spanning from May 2000 through April 2026. His work trades at a broad range: the 25th percentile sits at $350, the median at $1,912, and the 75th percentile at $10,000, with a recorded maximum of $1,865,000. This wide dispersion reflects the variety of formats in his output, from small ink-on-paper drawings and screenprints at the lower end to large-scale unique paintings and mixed-media works that command five- and six-figure prices. Ten named auction houses account for the most frequent appearances, including blue-chip houses Christie's, Sotheby's, and Phillips alongside specialist regional firms such as Los Angeles Modern Auctions, Santa Monica Auctions, Wright, and Rago Arts and Auction Center. European houses (Kunsthaus Lempertz KG, Auktionshaus Arnold, Ressler Kunst Auktionen, Adams Amsterdam Auctions) confirm international demand. Volume has moderated recently: 149 priced lots in the most recent 12-month period compared with 222 in the prior 12 months, though this still represents healthy liquidity for a living contemporary artist.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- Works on Paper
- Prints and Multiples
- Contemporary Art
- Photographs
- Artist Books and Ephemera
Value drivers
- Medium: ink-on-paper drawings with text are the most common and recognizable format
- Size and scale: large-scale wall installations command different market positioning than small works on paper
- Date and period: early 1980s punk-era ephemera and original SST Records material carries historical significance
- Subject matter: iconic motifs such as surfers, trains, and political figures may affect collector interest
- Provenance: institutional or gallery provenance adds value
- Exhibition history: works included in major museum exhibitions carry premium
Appraisal caveats
- Pettibon's large body of work means condition and authenticity documentation are especially important for appraisal.
- Early punk-era posters and flyers may exist in multiple unofficial reproductions; provenance should be verified.
- Market values vary significantly between small ink drawings and large-scale installations or unique paintings.
- Auction-record prices include buyer's premiums; actual hammer prices are lower and the records do not reflect the full premium structure.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Wikidata library authority
- Wikipedia wikipedia
- VIAF library authority
- Library of Congress library authority
- The Museum of Modern Art museum or university
- Tate museum or university
Data basis
This page is built from Appraisily's public auction market index. Private transactions, incomplete sale feeds, and attribution changes may not be fully represented.
Artist value FAQ
How much is Raymond Pettibon worth?
Comparable public auction sales are the best starting point, but final value depends on the specific artwork, condition, size, medium, provenance, and attribution confidence.
Can Appraisily value my Raymond Pettibon artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.