What is a Colin McCahon work worth?
1919–1987 · Price guide from past auction results
Half of the 253 works by Colin McCahon with a published auction price sold between $4,178Sign up free to see and $62,485Sign up free to see, and the median is $25,651Sign up free to see. In the last five years the median was $19,993Sign up free to see across 73 sales. These are past auction results, not a valuation: medium, size, condition and provenance all change what a particular work brings.
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Colin McCahon prices by medium
- Auction results
- 325
- Sold rate
- 78%
- Active at auction
- 2007–2026
- Median price
- $25.7kSign up free to see
- Record price
- $1.4MSign up free to see St Matthew: Lightning, Art+Object, Nov 2021
| Medium | Priced sales | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Works on Paper | 79 | $20.7k–$56kSign up free to see | $42.2kSign up free to see |
| Prints | 74 | $1.4k–$9kSign up free to see | $3.1kSign up free to see |
| Paintings | 63 | $47k–$211kSign up free to see | $90.4kSign up free to see |
Top auction houses: Art+Object (312), Dunbar Sloane (7), Menzies (3)
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Typical range is the middle half of priced sales (USD at the sale-date rate). Past auction results, not a valuation.
Prices by size
| Size (longest side) | Priced sales | Typical range | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (under 30 cm) | 46 | $4k–$22.9kSign up free to see | $9.2kSign up free to see |
| Mid-size (30–75 cm) | 120 | $3k–$56.5kSign up free to see | $29kSign up free to see |
| Large (75–150 cm) | 55 | $32.3k–$209kSign up free to see | $74.9kSign up free to see |
| Very large (over 150 cm) | 5 | $46.5k–$261kSign up free to see | $76.2kSign up free to see |
Recent Colin McCahon sales
- Koru 1, 2, 3 (1965), poster print — $178Sign up free to see, Art+Object, Sep 8, 2026
- Tomorrow will be the same but not as this is, screenprint with archival ink on BFK Reives Italian 300gsm art paper, McCahon Ho — $11,747Sign up free to see, Art+Object, Sep 8, 2026
- Fifteen Drawings for Charles Brasch, 26 individually framed lithographs (16 illustrated) published by the Hocken Libr — $7,516Sign up free to see, Art+Object, Aug 3, 2026
- Landscape Multiple No. 7 — $71,580Sign up free to see, Art+Object, Aug 3, 2026
- Flower, pastel and watercolour on paper — $34,358Sign up free to see, Art+Object, Aug 3, 2026
- Northland, oil on canvas — $329,266Sign up free to see, Art+Object, Aug 3, 2026
- There is no other way, enamel on board — $450,951Sign up free to see, Art+Object, Aug 3, 2026
- Ahipara & Beyond — $10,971Sign up free to see, Dunbar Sloane, Jul 29, 2026
Questions about Colin McCahon prices
What is a Colin McCahon work worth?
Based on 253 priced auction sales recorded by ArtSell, works by Colin McCahon have sold for a median of $25,651, and half of them sold between $4,178 and $62,485. Medium, size, condition, subject and provenance all affect the price of a particular work; these are past auction results, not a valuation.
What is the most expensive work by Colin McCahon sold at auction?
The highest price in ArtSell’s records is $1,378,121 for “St Matthew: Lightning” at Art+Object in November 2021.
Which Colin McCahon medium sells for the most?
By median price, paintings lead with $90,431 (63 sales).
How often do Colin McCahon works sell at auction?
78% of the 325 lots recorded between 2007 and 2026 sold.
How can I sell a Colin McCahon work?
Request a free auction estimate on ArtSell: send photos and details, and our specialists will reply with an estimate. There is no obligation.
Colin McCahon have appeared at auction 325 times in ArtSell’s records between 2007 and 2026; 253 sold, a sell-through rate of 78%.
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