THE MARKET/Flying Copper Auction Results

Market Report

Flying Copper Auction Results

Updated August 2026

Title: Flying Copper
Year: 2003
Medium: Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Sheet: 100×70 cm (39 3/8 x 27 1/2 inches)
Printer & Publisher: Pictures on Walls, London
Editions: 600 unsigned, 150 signed
Artist's Proofs: Pink AP: 63 signed AP; Pink Face AP: 8 signed AP

Key market statistics

Flying Copper (unsigned)

54 transactions since 2018

Most recent sale

£17,500

Jun 2026 · Tate Ward Auctions · XXX/600

2026 median price

£18,635

over 6 qualifying sales

2025 median price

£14,375

over 6 qualifying sales

2025–2026 performance

+30%

change between the two published medians

Peak price

£87,100

Dec 2020 · Forum Auctions

Value retention

20%

most recent sale as a share of the peak price

Flying Copper (signed)

11 transactions since 2018

Most recent sale

£30,480

Sept 2025 · Christie's London · 121/150

2025 median price

£29,210

over 2 qualifying sales

2023 median price

£38,100

over 3 qualifying sales

2023–2025 performance

−23%

2-year change — no qualifying sale in between

Peak price

£113,900

Mar 2021 · Forum Auctions

Value retention

27%

most recent sale as a share of the peak price

Market charts

Flying Copper (unsigned) — median price and lots sold

Qualifying sales by year since 2018. Bars: median price. Line: number of lots sold.

Medians are computed on qualifying sales only — artist's proofs, colourways and other exceptional variants are excluded. A year with no bar had no qualifying sale.

Flying Copper (unsigned) — price dispersion

Every qualifying sale since 2018, one dot per lot.

Where several lots sold at the same price, the dots are spread sideways so none is hidden behind another.

Flying Copper (signed) — median price and lots sold

Qualifying sales by year since 2018. Bars: median price. Line: number of lots sold.

Medians are computed on qualifying sales only — artist's proofs, colourways and other exceptional variants are excluded. A year with no bar had no qualifying sale.

Flying Copper (signed) — price dispersion

Every qualifying sale since 2018, one dot per lot.

Where several lots sold at the same price, the dots are spread sideways so none is hidden behind another.

Key Takeaways

Flying Copper (unsigned)

The auction history of Flying Copper unsigned illustrates the distinction between a highly recognizable collector image and one of Banksy’s true trophy editions. With 54 qualifying transactions recorded since 2018, the edition maintains substantial liquidity. Its visual language is unmistakably Banksy: a heavily equipped police officer is transformed by angel wings and a yellow smiley face into something simultaneously threatening, childish and absurd.

The market expanded dramatically during 2020 as speculative demand pushed prices far beyond their previous range. The auction record was established at Forum Auctions in December 2020, when an unsigned impression achieved £87,100. Several other exceptional sales during the period approached or exceeded £70,000, confirming that the escalation reflected a broader repricing of the edition rather than a single isolated bidding contest.

Values began correcting in 2022 and continued to decline through 2023 and 2024 as the speculative premium disappeared. Recent data, however, offers a more encouraging signal. The median price increased from £14,375 across six qualifying sales in 2025 to £18,635 across six sales in 2026, representing growth of 30%. Because both medians are supported by a reasonable number of transactions, the improvement carries more significance than an increase based on one or two isolated results.

The most recent sale, at Tate Ward Auctions in June 2026, achieved £17,500—approximately 20% of the historical peak and close to the current annual median. This consistency suggests that the unsigned edition may now be establishing a more sustainable valuation range. Although it has surrendered most of its pandemic-era appreciation, Flying Copper remains liquid, conceptually strong and firmly established as an important early Banksy print.

Flying Copper (signed)

The signed edition occupies a smaller and more selective segment of the market. Produced in an edition of 150, it combines the same compelling image with the scarcity and authentication premium associated with Banksy’s signature. Only 11 qualifying transactions have been recorded since 2018, making the market considerably thinner than that of the unsigned edition. The pink and pink-face artist’s proofs should be analyzed separately because their rarity and distinctive appearance place them outside the standard signed market.

The strongest expansion occurred between 2020 and 2021. The auction record was established at Forum Auctions in March 2021, when a signed impression sold for £113,900. As with the unsigned edition, this result belongs to the speculative high point of Banksy’s print market, although other substantial sales during the period confirm that signed examples were attracting a meaningful scarcity premium.

The correction became increasingly visible from 2022 onward. The median price declined from £38,100 across three qualifying sales in 2023 to £29,210 across two sales in 2025, representing a decrease of 23% over two years; no qualifying transaction was recorded in 2024. The most recent sale, at Christie’s London in September 2025, achieved £30,480, broadly consistent with the annual median. No qualifying sale has yet been recorded in 2026.

The latest result represents approximately 27% of the historical peak, modestly outperforming the unsigned edition’s value retention. The signature premium remains clear, but the limited number of recent transactions prevents any firm conclusion that the market has reached its floor. Flying Copper signed remains a desirable mid-tier Banksy edition: scarcer and more resilient than its unsigned counterpart, but without the exceptional price support reserved for the artist’s most universally recognized images.

Upcoming Lots

Flying Copper, 2003

Upcoming

Sotheby's online, UK · 23 September 2026

Auction results

Banksy

Flying Copper, 2003

Unsigned

Sotheby's online

23 September 2026

Est. GBP 8,000 – 12,000

Bid now

Most recent result — regular edition, unsigned

Tate Ward Auctions · 24 June 2026 — GBP 17,500 / USD 23,445

Flying Copper (unsigned)

2026 Auction Results

Tate Ward AuctionsXXX/600

24 June 2026

Est. GBP 10,000 – 12,000

GBP 17,500

USD 23,445

Phillips London225/600

4 June 2026

Est. GBP 8,000 – 12,000

GBP 19,350

USD 25,995

Swann Auctions375/600

4 June 2026

USA

Est. USD 12,000 – 18,000

USD 22,860

GBP 17,015

USD 22,860

Heritage Auctions101/600

23 April 2026

USA

Est. USD 10,000 – 15,000

USD 27,500

GBP 20,470

USD 27,500

Sotheby's online59/600

25 March 2026

Est. GBP 8,000 – 12,000

GBP 17,920

USD 23,995

Heritage Auctions101/600

29 January 2026

USA

USD 27,500

GBP 19,910

USD 27,500

2025 Auction Results

Tate Ward AuctionsXXX/600

30 October 2025

Est. GBP 10,000 – 15,000

GBP 12,500

USD 16,780

Forum AuctionsXXX/600

15 October 2025

Est. GBP 12,000 – 18,000

GBP 12,000 (Hammer)

GBP 15,804

USD 21,175

Sotheby's London387/600

24 September 2025

Est. GBP 12,000 – 18,000

GBP 16,510

USD 22,215

Bonhams London303/600

24 September 2025

Est. GBP 12,000 – 15,000

GBP 12,800

USD 17,220

Tate Ward AuctionsXXX/600

18 September 2025

Est. GBP 8,000 – 12,000

GBP 13,750

USD 18,565

Tate Ward AuctionsXXX/600

13 August 2025

Est. GBP 12,000 – 18,000

GBP 15,000

USD 20,365

2024 Auction Results

Forum AuctionsXXX/600

4 December 2024

Est. GBP 10,000 – 15,000

GBP 9,500 (Hammer)

GBP 12,730

USD 16,525

Sotheby's London253/600

2 August 2024

Est. GBP 12,000 – 18,000

GBP 15,600

USD 19,970

Tate Ward AuctionsXXX/600

20 March 2024

Est. GBP 14,000 – 18,000

GBP 18,000

USD 22,830

2023 Auction Results

Heffel Fine Art265/600

26 October 2023

Canada

Est. CAD 35,000 – 45,000

CAD 49,250

GBP 29,315

USD 35,610

LA Modern353/600

28 September 2023

USA

Est. USD 20,000 – 30,000

USD 20,160

GBP 16,574

USD 20,160

Sotheby's online511/600

26 September 2023

Est. GBP 15,000 – 20,000

GBP 27,940

USD 33,985

Phillips London55/600

21 September 2023

Est. GBP 18,000 – 26,000

GBP 21,590

USD 26,552

SBI Art AuctionXXX/600

27 May 2023

Japan

Est. JPY 3,500,000 – 5,500,000

JPY 3,680,000

GBP 21,025

USD 26,170

SBI Art AuctionXXX/600

15 April 2023

Japan

Est. JPY 3,500,000 – 5,500,000

JPY 4,140,000

GBP 24,910

USD 30,945

2022 Auction Results

Bonhams London520/600

20 October 2022

Est. GBP 20,000 – 30,000

GBP 22,950

USD 25,900

Forum AuctionsXXX/600

1 September 2022

Est. GBP 22,000 – 32,000

GBP 30,000 (Hammer)

GBP 40,440

USD 46,645

Sotheby's online512/600

17 August 2022

Est. GBP 20,000 – 30,000

GBP 44,100

USD 52,920

Lyon & Turnbull234/600

10 August 2022

Est. GBP 20,000 – 30,000

GBP 25,200

USD 30,850

Bonhams London447/600

27 April 2022

Est. GBP 20,000 – 30,000

GBP 28,020

USD 35,305

Sotheby's online106/600

26 April 2022

Est. GBP 24,000 – 35,000

GBP 32,760

USD 41,280

Forum AuctionsXXX/600

25 April 2022

Est. GBP 30,000 – 40,000

GBP 29,000 (Hammer)

GBP 39,100

USD 48,630

Christie's online467/600

15 March 2022

Est. GBP 25,000 – 35,000

GBP 37,800

USD 49,895

Phillips London215/600

4 March 2022

Est. GBP 20,000 – 30,000

GBP 37,800

USD 51,410

Forum AuctionsXXX/600

3 March 2022

Est. GBP 25,000 – 35,000

GBP 31,000 (Hammer)

GBP 41,780

USD 55,660

SBI Art AuctionXXX/600

29 January 2022

Japan

Est. JPY 3,500,000 – 5,500,000

GBP 76,505

USD 104,810

2021 Auction Results

Christie's online307/600

23 September 2021

Est. GBP 30,000 – 50,000

GBP 30,000

USD 41,700

Bonhams London353/600

22 September 2021

Est. GBP 20,000 – 30,000

GBP 31,500

USD 43,785

Forum AuctionsXXX/600

13 July 2021

Est. GBP 30,000 – 40,000

GBP 24,000 (Hammer)

GBP 32,400

USD 43,160

Mainichi Tokyo582/600

22 May 2021

Japan

Est. JPY 5,000,000 – 8,000,000

JPY 8,800,000

GBP 57,070

USD 80,780

Sotheby's online398/600

18 March 2021

Est. GBP 20,000 – 30,000

GBP 63,000

USD 87,570

Forum Auctions197/600

5 March 2021

Est. GBP 30,000 – 50,000

GBP 38,000 (Hammer)

GBP 50,920

USD 70,780

Forum AuctionsXXX/600

27 January 2021

Est. GBP 50,000 – 70,000

GBP 48,000 (Hammer)

GBP 64,320

USD 88,120

2020 Auction Results

Tate Ward AuctionsXXX/600

9 December 2020

Est. GBP 50,000 – 70,000

GBP 68,750

USD 92,125

Forum AuctionsXXX/600Auction Record

7 December 2020

Est. GBP 15,000 – 25,000

GBP 65,000 (Hammer)

GBP 87,100

USD 116,715

Phillips HK397/600

3 December 2020

Hong-kong

Est. HKD 100,000 – 150,000

HKD 819,000

GBP 79,105

USD 106,000

Intl Art Center470/600

17 November 2020

New Zealand

Est. NZD 50,000 – 75,000

NZD 75,000 (Hammer)

NZD 90,950

GBP 46,890

USD 62,100

Forum AuctionsXXX/600

27 October 2020

Est. GBP 15,000 – 20,000

GBP 49,000 (Hammer)

GBP 65,660

USD 86,670

Sotheby's online337/600

18 September 2020

Est. GBP 10,000 – 15,000

GBP 75,600

USD 98,280

Bonhams London493/600

19 June 2020

Est. GBP 8,000 – 12,000

GBP 18,812

USD 23,260

Tate Ward AuctionsXXX/600

12 May 2020

Est. GBP 16,000 – 20,000

GBP 19,200

USD 23,610

2019 Auction Results

Bruun Rasmussen126/600

5 December 2019

Denmark

Est. DKK 40,000 – 50,000

DKK 91,000

GBP 10,280

USD 13,525

Sotheby's HK397/600

15 October 2019

Hong-kong

Est. HKD 60,000 – 80,000

HKD 10,000

GBP 10,220

USD 12,750

Christie's online225/600

24 September 2019

Est. GBP 10,000 – 15,000

GBP 15,000

USD 18,710

Forum AuctionsXXX/600

26 June 2019

Est. GBP 10,000 – 15,000

GBP 11,000 (Hammer)

GBP 14,740

USD 18,695

Digard ParisXXX/600

8 April 2019

France

Est. EUR 8,000 – 10,000

EUR 18,200

GBP 15,520

USD 20,495

Forum AuctionsXXX/600

27 March 2019

Est. GBP 10,000 – 15,000

GBP 11,000 (Hammer)

GBP 14,740

USD 19,465

2018 Auction Results

Artnet Auctions54/600

27 November 2018

USA

Est. USD 8,000 – 10,000

USD 16,800

GBP 13,190

USD 16,800

Prior Years Auction Results

Bonhams New-York54/600

6 December 2016

USA

USD 6,000

GBP 4,730

USD 6,000

Forum AuctionsXXX/600

5 December 2016

GBP 7,000 (Hammer)

GBP 9,464

USD 12,025

Forum AuctionsXXX/600

12 October 2016

GBP 8,000 (Hammer)

GBP 10,816

USD 13,190

Dreweatts534/600

21 July 2016

GBP 3,800 (Hammer)

GBP 5,092

USD 6,730

Phillips London424/600

9 June 2016

GBP 5,625

USD 8,140

Dreweatts534/600

31 March 2016

GBP 4,000 (Hammer)

GBP 4,960

USD 7,130

Artnet Auctions287/600

17 December 2015

USA

USD 7,400

GBP 4,965

USD 7,400

Dreweatts297/600

2 December 2015

GBP 3,750 (Hammer)

GBP 4,650

USD 6,940

Roseberys London129/600

21 November 2015

GBP 2,500 (Hammer)

GBP 3,350

USD 5,090

Tajan Paris40/600

1 October 2015

France

EUR 5,000

GBP 3,700

USD 5,600

Julien's Auctions567/600

1 October 2015

USA

USD 12,800

GBP 8,460

USD 12,800

Dreweatts297/600

26 March 2015

GBP 4,500 (Hammer)

GBP 5,580

USD 8,280

Dreweatts70/600

3 December 2009

GBP 800 (Hammer)

GBP 1,040

USD 1,725

Bonhams LondonAside

23 October 2008

Inscribed and dated in ink 'Thanks Banks 2004

GBP 4,800

USD 7,765

Dreweatts582/600

2 July 2008

GBP 3,400 (Hammer)

GBP 4,420

USD 8,810

Dreweatts284/600

19 March 2008

GBP 6,000

USD 11,935

Flying Copper (signed)

2025 Auction Results

Christie's London121/150

30 September 2025

Est. GBP 24,000 – 35,000

GBP 30,480

USD 40,965

Phillips London28/150

5 June 2025

Est. GBP 20,000 – 30,000

GBP 27,940

USD 37,720

2023 Auction Results

Sotheby's online56/150

26 September 2023

Est. GBP 15,000 – 20,000

GBP 38,100

USD 46,345

Forum AuctionsXXX/150

30 August 2023

Est. GBP 25,000 – 35,000

GBP 26,000 (Hammer)

GBP 34,840

USD 44,325

Sotheby's online53/150

20 April 2023

Est. GBP 40,000 – 60,000

GBP 60,960

USD 75,885

2022 Auction Results

SBI Art AuctionXXX/150

28 May 2022

Japan

Est. JPY 9,000,000 – 14,000,000

JPY 13,225,000

GBP 83,900

USD 104,105

2021 Auction Results

Forum Auctions83/150Auction Record

5 March 2021

Est. GBP 30,000 – 50,000

GBP 85,000 (Hammer)

GBP 113,900

USD 158,320

2020 Auction Results

Forum AuctionsXXX/150

19 May 2020

Est. GBP 35,000 – 45,000

GBP 35,000 (Hammer)

GBP 46,900

USD 57,460

Forum AuctionsXXX/150

24 March 2020

Est. GBP 40,000 – 60,000

GBP 39,000 (Hammer)

GBP 52,260

USD 61,585

2018 Auction Results

Christie's online112/150

26 September 2018

Est. GBP 15,000 – 25,000

GBP 40,000

USD 52,345

Artnet Auctions13/150

22 May 2018

USA

USD 38,400

GBP 28,560

USD 38,400

Prior Years Auction Results

Bonhams NY99/150

5 December 2017

USA

USD 27,500

GBP 20,500

USD 27,500

Bonhams London50/150

22 June 2016

GBP 20,000

USD 29,355

Stephan Welz & co123/150

28 October 2014

South Africa

ZAR 224,000

GBP 12,770

USD 20,630

Dreweatts89/150

27 June 2013

GBP 6,000 (Hammer)

GBP 7,800

USD 11,880

Prices are inclusive of buyer’s premium unless stated otherwise, as reported by the auction houses. “DN” stands for “Duplicate Number”.

Prices are hammer plus premium, in GBP, not adjusted for inflation. Only standard editions are included: artist’s proofs, special proofs, colorways and other exceptional variants are excluded, and signed and unsigned impressions are never combined. Medians are preferred to averages, which exceptional results distort. Figures are drawn from sales documented by Banksy Explained and are not an exhaustive record of the market. Compiled 14 September 2026.

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