What's The Value of My Limited Print?

If you've just purchased some contemporary art or are interested in finding out how much your prints are worth when resold, you should begin by looking beyond the frame. A limited edition artwork is different from a regular print in that there are particular criteria which must be considered when assessing its value on the resale market. 

To find out what a seasoned art dealer would take into account when trying to assess the value of your limited print, see the following guidance on how to evaluate the items in your own collection.

1. (The Scarcity Factor) Edition size and numbering:

When setting prices for artworks, the smallest edition size is the most fundamental rule, and these smaller prints are usually more expensive.

• Editions consisting of between 10 and 50 copies are the most valuable due to their rarity.
  
• Standard limited editions (those with editions between 100 and 500): the next stage in terms of value.
  
• In the case of large editions (500 or more, or open editions), there is a lower chance of the work in question experiencing a significant increase in value unless it is a piece by Banksy or Takashi Murakami.

 Does the number matter?

The exact figure usually has little effect on the value; although there might be a small extra amount for reasons of sentiment in the case of something like #1/100 or #100/100, the condition and market demand are far more important. On the other hand, special numbers such as Artist Proofs (AP) or Printer’s Proofs (PP), which are limited to only 10-15% of the entire edition, can have a value premium of 10-20% compared to regular prints.

2. Signature and Hand-Finishing

The way in which an artist signs a print has a vital influence on the work's possible resale value; for example, collectible prints are usually signed in pencil since pencil is a reliable medium, and this indicates that the artist was actually present and took part in the act of signing. 

Prints that are signed by a publisher's matrix or on behalf of the estate have their value greatly affected and are therefore less valuable than those which are hand-signed. 

Regarding limited print runs, they can also be finished or decorated by an artist using special paint, having them hand-coloured, or being drawn by them, which indicates that they have a greater value than ordinary prints. In fact, some of them are comparable to an original work of art.

3. Provenance and Documentation

When selling a high-value print, provenance is one of the most important factors since it serves to certify both the ownership and the origin of the paper, and therefore the seller should take care of it. Provenance refers to the documented record of a print's ownership and the way it has circulated in the market. There are various authentication methods that can be used to verify a print's provenance; for example, a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) issued by a publisher or a gallery. This certificate also contains the history of the work from the moment it first appeared. 

The original invoice accompanying the print can act as evidence of purchase and thus certify both the authenticity and the value of the work; these invoices are usually provided by commercial galleries or by the Arts Limited platforms. 

Moreover, provenance may consist of gallery or museum exhibitions and stamps that show where the paper came from, as well as chops that indicate the printmaking house.

4. The state of the physical item and the condition of the paper

Paper used in fine art, such as cotton rag, Somerset, or Arches, can suffer environmental deterioration, and appraisers take into account any flaws relating to the condition when deducting value.

• Condition: The margins are crisp, there is no foxing, the ink is vivid, and the edges are untouched.
• Framing alterations such as trimmed margins or adhesive residues from non-archival mounting have a significant effect on the value.
• The market value of a print can be reduced by 30 to 50 percent due to environmental damage such as the sun fading it (from UV light), the appearance of moisture spots (known as foxing), or yellowing caused by the acidic backing boards.

5. Demand in the Secondary Market and Comparable Auctions

In the end, the value of a print is determined by how much a willing buyer is prepared to pay in the present market. To arrive at a realistic estimate of its value: 

• When looking at recent auction results, check the hammer prices on the main art websites rather than the speculative asking prices found on retail sites.
  
• Check recent sales by dealers: you can look at the current market listings on various platforms that specialize in signed prints and original artworks as well as limited-edition artworks, to see the prices being charged in the secondary market.
  
• The value of works by popular contemporary artists, for example Werner Bronkhorst, Tracey Emin, Grayson Perry, or Damien Hirst, shows active price changes as a result of major museum exhibitions and trading activity in the secondary market.

Next Steps for Collectors

If you are planning to value, insure, or list your prints for sale:

• Store the prints in acid-free portfolios or frame them using UV-protective museum glass.
• Keep digital copies of your purchase receipts and certificate of authority in a secure archive.
• Check out Explore Arts Limited's carefully selected catalog of authenticated limited-edition artworks in order to compare market prices among the most prominent contemporary artists.