Keith Haring Artwork Value | Prices, Originals vs Prints, How to Sell

At-a-glance: Keith Haring

A defining figure of 1980s New York, Keith Haring merged street art with the gallery world — and his market spans everything from affordable Pop Shop merchandise to museum-quality paintings worth millions.

Bio

Name: Keith Allen Haring (1958–1990)
Years Active: 1980–1990
Nationality: American

Style

Pop art, street art, and graffiti-influenced graphic style. Bold outlines, flat colour, cartoon-like figures — radiant babies, barking dogs, dancing figures, and crawling babies across paintings, screenprints, murals, and sculptures.

What to look for

Littmann catalogue raisonné listing for prints, pencil signature in lower margin, Rupert Jasen Smith printer blindstamp, edition numbering matching documented records, and provenance to known galleries or the Pop Shop.

What Keith Haring works do people actually own?

Most Keith Haring items in private hands aren't his subway drawings or major paintings — they're screenprints and Pop Shop merchandise. Like Banksy and Basquiat, Haring bridged the gap between street culture and the fine art market, creating a wide range of work types at very different price points. Understanding whether you have an original or reproduction is the critical first step.

Reproductions & unauthorized copies — Under $200
Posters, giclée prints, and unauthorized merchandise featuring Haring's iconic imagery. These have no collectible value. Haring's bold graphic style makes his work among the most frequently counterfeited — the Keith Haring Foundation actively pursues counterfeit merchandise.
Pop Shop merchandise (authentic) — $50–$500
T-shirts, posters, buttons, stickers, inflatable babies, and other items sold at Haring's Pop Shop (opened 1986, 292 Lafayette Street, Manhattan). These are genuine Haring products — not limited edition art — and values depend on item type, condition, and rarity of specific designs.
Signed exhibition posters — $1,000–$5,000
Posters from Haring exhibitions bearing his hand signature in pencil or marker. Unsigned exhibition posters are worth under $200. The signature must be verified as authentic — Haring's simple cursive script is frequently forged, so compare against documented examples.
Signed screenprints — $10,000–$100,000+
Haring produced over 60 print editions during his career, primarily screenprints printed by Rupert Jasen Smith in New York. Key series include Pop Shop I–VI (editions of ~200), Growing (editions of 100), Apocalypse with William S. Burroughs (editions of 90), and Andy Mouse with Warhol (editions of 30). Edition size, series desirability, and condition determine where a print falls in this range. Verify against the Littmann catalogue raisonné for documented editions.
Subway chalk drawings — $100,000–$900,000
White chalk on black advertising paper from New York City subway stations, created primarily between 1981 and 1985. Haring estimated he made around 5,000, but very few survive — most were destroyed when new advertisements were posted. In 2024, Sotheby's sold 31 subway drawings for a combined $9.2 million. The distinctive black MTA paper is itself an authentication marker.
Unique works (drawings & paintings) — $50,000–$6,500,000+
Original drawings, gouaches, and acrylic paintings on canvas, tarpaulin, or other supports. The auction record is $6,537,500 for an Untitled painting from 1982 (Sotheby's, 2017). No catalogue raisonné exists for unique works — authentication relies entirely on provenance documentation and expert consensus.

Haring's compressed ten-year career means authentic works are finite and well-documented. Upload your piece for a specific assessment based on current market data.

How to verify Keith Haring authenticity

Authentication is critical for Keith Haring — his bold graphic style is easy to imitate, and forgeries are widespread. Before getting a valuation, gather these details:

Catalogue raisonné: Littmann's Editions on Paper 1982–1990 (Cantz Verlag, 1997 edition) documents all print editions with images, edition sizes, and printer details — if your screenprint isn't listed, it may be a reproduction or unauthorized edition
No authentication body: The Keith Haring Foundation disbanded its authentication committee in September 2012 — no institution currently authenticates Haring works, making catalogue comparison and provenance the only paths
Printer & publisher marks: Authentic screenprints often carry a Rupert Jasen Smith blindstamp and publisher documentation from George Mulder Fine Arts, Editions F.B., or Martin Lawrence Limited Editions
Signature verification: Haring signed in flowing cursive, typically small and in pencil for prints — oversized or attention-grabbing signatures are a forgery red flag
Provenance documentation: Gallery receipts, certificates of authenticity, auction records, and exhibition history; for Pop Shop items, original purchase context adds value

Upload photos of the front, back, signature, and any stamps or labels for a preliminary assessment.

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Keith Haring artwork FAQs

For prints, start by checking the Littmann catalogue raisonné (Editions on Paper 1982–1990), which documents all of Haring's printed works with edition sizes, printers, and publishers. The Keith Haring Foundation disbanded its authentication committee in September 2012, so no official body currently authenticates works — authentication now relies on catalogue comparison, provenance documentation, and independent experts. If you're unsure whether your piece is an original or a reproduction, that's the essential first step.

Pop Shop items — t-shirts, posters, buttons, and stickers sold at Haring's Manhattan store from 1986 — are authentic mass-produced merchandise worth $50–$500, not limited edition fine art. Signed screenprints are controlled editions (typically 25–200 impressions) with pencil signatures, edition numbers, and often a Rupert Jasen Smith printer blindstamp — these range from $10,000 to over $100,000. Getting a proper artwork valuation will clarify exactly which category your piece falls into.

Check your print against the Littmann catalogue raisonné for exact image, edition size, paper dimensions, and printer details. Authentic screenprints typically carry pencil signatures in the lower margin, edition numbering (e.g., 45/90), and often a Rupert Jasen Smith blindstamp or publisher documentation from George Mulder Fine Arts. Haring's bold graphic style is frequently forged, so if you've inherited artwork attributed to Haring, verify against documented records rather than visual similarity alone.

Unique paintings command the highest prices, with the auction record at $6,537,500 for an Untitled work from 1982 (Sotheby's, 2017). Among prints, the Andy Mouse series (dual-signed with Warhol, editions of 30) and the Apocalypse series with William S. Burroughs (editions of 90) are the most sought-after, with complete sets reaching seven figures. Subway chalk drawings — once considered ephemeral — now sell for $100,000–$900,000, with 31 examples fetching a combined $9.2 million at Sotheby's in 2024.

The right venue depends on value. Signed screenprints under $10,000 suit specialist Pop and street art dealers or vetted online platforms, while prints valued at $10,000–$100,000 belong at Christie's, Sotheby's, or Bonhams contemporary prints sales. If you're looking to sell your artwork and it's valued above $1,000, our gallery network can connect you with the right channel.

Haring signed in a flowing cursive script, typically small and positioned in the lower right — if the signature catches your eye before the artwork, that's a red flag. Authentic signatures have fluid, confident lines with a characteristic swoosh on vertical strokes; hesitant or studied-looking signatures almost always indicate forgery. Compare your signature against documented examples in the Littmann catalogue raisonné and consider requesting a free appraisal for expert review.

How to sell Keith Haring artwork

Ready to sell your artwork? Here's the process for Keith Haring pieces at any value level.

1

Get a valuation

Upload photos and we'll check your piece against the Littmann catalogue raisonné (for prints), assess condition and edition details, and provide a realistic market estimate within 24–48 hours.

2

Verify authenticity if needed

For screenprints valued above $10,000, confirm edition details, printer blindstamps, and provenance documentation against the catalogue raisonné. With no active authentication body since 2012, thorough documentation and catalogue comparison are the only paths to buyer confidence.

3

Choose the right channel

Under $10K: Specialist Pop and street art dealers, vetted online platforms, or regional auctions.
$10K–$100K: Christie's, Sotheby's, or Bonhams contemporary prints sales, or established galleries.
$100K+: Major contemporary art evening sales or private placement through top-tier dealers.

4

Prepare documentation

Gather provenance records: purchase receipts, certificates of authenticity, gallery invoices, and any exhibition history. For screenprints, include the corresponding Littmann catalogue page showing your specific edition and documented edition size. Complete documentation accelerates sales and commands premium prices in Haring's competitive market.

Ready to get a free Keith Haring valuation?

Upload photos of your artwork — front, back, signature, and any stamps or labels — and receive a research-backed estimate with guidance on authenticity, pricing, and selling options.