How Much Is Forgive Us Our Trespassing Worth?

Valuation conclusion: Using direct, recent auction comparables for authenticated examples of Banksy’s Forgive Us Our Trespassing, the appropriate valuation range for a verified original is approximately $2,500,000–$9,500,000. This estimate is driven by two concrete evening‑sale outcomes: a museum‑scale four‑panel example sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong (Oct 2020) for HK$64,112,000 (≈US$8.27M) [1], and a smaller plywood panel sold at Phillips London (Oct 2023) for £2,710,000 (≈US$3.31M) [2].

Comparables and their implications: The Sotheby’s lot (four‑part, museum‑scale) demonstrates top‑end demand for large, authenticated, well‑provenanced versions of the composition; that example carried institutional exhibition history and a strong private‑collection provenance, which materially lifted competition [1]. The Phillips plywood sale is the closest documented match for smaller single/multi‑panel board versions and sets a clear mid‑market precedent [2]. Together these results justify a valuation corridor that spans the Phillips result at the lower/mid end and the Sotheby’s museum‑scale realisation at the top end.

Conditional scenarios: If the object you hold is Pest Control‑authenticated, complete (no missing panels), and accompanied by strong provenance/exhibition history (gallery/catalog/institutional loans), expect competitive bidding in the mid‑to‑high portion of the range. A large, museum‑scale, authenticated example with catalogue/exhibition history would trend toward the >$7M region; a smaller authenticated plywood/single panel would likely sit in the ~$2.5M–$4M band. If the work lacks Pest Control authentication, or is a removed/fragmented mural or an edition/print, market value drops sharply (prints/posters generally trade in the hundreds to low thousands; unauthenticated originals are heavily discounted).

Practical advice for sale or insurance: Obtain/confirm Pest Control documentation, a full provenance chain, high‑resolution images and a conservator’s condition report before marketing. For sale, consign to a major evening sale (Sotheby’s/Christie’s/Phillips) in the appropriate season (London/Hong Kong/New York) with strong catalogue placement and institutional marketing to maximize price discovery and competition. Absent authentication or strong provenance, pursue private sale or specialist advisory routes rather than an evening‑sale estimate that risks non‑sale or large reserve discounts.

References: This valuation is grounded in the documented Sotheby’s Hong Kong 2020 and Phillips London 2023 sales of Forgive Us Our Trespassing variants, which are cited below as the primary comparables [1][2].