Top 10 Most Valuable Paintings
| Rank | Title | Artist | Date Sold | Facts | Buyer & Seller | Image | Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salvator Mundi | Leonardo da Vinci | 1500 | 2017 | Leonardo's painting shows Christ making the sign of the cross and holding a 'celestial sphere' of the heavens. The painting might be hanging on a yacht owned by Mohammed bin Salman, or it could be stored in Switzerland. | Sold at a Christie's auction in New York by Dmitry Rybolovlev to Prince Badr bin Abdullah Al Saud, on behalf of Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism. Later, it was rumored to be Mohammed bin Salman behind the purchase. |  | $450 million |
| 2 | Interchange | Willem de Kooning | 1955 | 2015 | Williem de Kooning was a Dutch-American painter, and part of the early abstract expressionism movement. | David Geffen sold the famous Kooning painting to hedge fund manager Kenneth Griffin. The painting was originally sold for $4,000 in 1955 to architect Edgar Kaufmann. |  | $300 million |
| 3 | The Card Players | Paul Cezanne | 1892 | 2011 | The French Post-Impressionist Paul Cezanne painted 'The Card Players' as part of a five painting series. | The royal family of Qatar bought the painting from George Embiricos, a Greek shipping magnate. |  | $250 million |
| 4 | Nafea Faa Ipoipo | Paul Gauguin | 1892 | 2015 | The title of the painting 'Nafea Faa Ipoipo' is Tahitian for 'When Will You Marry?' Paul Gauguin painted several pictures of native women on his trip to Tahiti, but his hope find "an edenic paradise" was not what he found when he arrived. | After the painting spent 50 years on loan to the Kunstmuseum in Basel, Switzerland, it was sold by Rudolf Staechelin to Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani in 2015. |  | $210 million |
| 5 | Number 17A | Jackson Pollock | 1948 | 2015 | Pollock created 'Number 17A' on fiberboard by dripping and splashing oil paint on a horizontal canvas. After 'Life' magazine featured the piece in August of 1949, Pollock quickly became a celebrity artist. | The painting was one of two works purchased by hedge fund manager Ken Griffin from David Geffen for a total of $500 million. |  | $200 million |
| 6 | The Standard Bearer | Rembrandt | 1636 | 2022 | The self-portrait was painted when Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam from Leiden and is considered an important early work from the artist. | Sold by the Elie de Rothschild collection to the Rijksmuseum and the Dutch government after the Louvre unsuccessfully tried to raise money to buy the painting. |  | $198 million |
| 7 | No. 6 (Violet, Green and Red) | Mark Rothko | 1951 | 2014 | Latvian abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko was known for works with large expanses of color, delineated by hazy, uneven shades. | In a rather brazen move by the Swiss art dealer, Yves Bouvier, he bought the painting from Paiker H.B. for 80 million euros, then selling it to Dmitry Rybolovlev for 140 million euros, when Rybolovlev was under the impression Bouvier was simply acting as his dealer in the transaction. |  | $186 million |
| 8 | Wasserschlangen II | Gustav Klimt | 1907 | 2013 | Also known as "Water Serpents II" the painting was a follow up to Klimt's "Water Serpents I." | Originally commissioned by Jenny Steiner, a daughter of a Viennese family, the painting was later stolen by the Nazis during World War II. Then, it was part of another sale between Yves Bouvier and Dmitry Rybolovlev, where Bouvier misrepresented himself as an art dealer, pocketing over $75 million in the sale. It's rumored to have been sold by Rybolovlev to a Qatari Princess. |  | $183 million |
| 9 | Pendant portraits of Maerten Soolmans | Rembrandt | 1634 | 2016 | The full-length wedding painting by Rembrandt for the wedding of Oopjen Coppit and Marten Soolmans in 1634. | Once owned by the Rothschild family, later they were owned by the Louvre and the Rijksmuseum after each contributing half the purchase price. |  | $180 million |
| 10 | Les Femmes d'Alger | Pablo Picasso | 1955 | 2015 | Also known as the "Women of Algiers," the works are a series of 15 paintings and drawings. The series by Picasso is a tribute to artists he admired. | The painting, "Version O" is the final painting in the series. Sold in 1997 for $31 million, then again in 2015 to Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, the Qatari prime minister. |  | $179 million |
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Top 10 Most Valuable Comic Books
| Rank | Comic | Value | Date Sold | Facts | Buyer & Seller | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amazing Fantasy #15 CGC 9.6 | $3.6 million | 2021 | This comic from 1962 features the very first appearance of Spider-Man. From the Silver Age of comics, the CGC 9.5 graded issue knocked off the Action Comics Issue #1 for the most expensive comic of all time. | Sold during the Heritage Auctions Comic and Comic Art Signature Art sale. |  |
| 2 | Action Comics #1 CGC 8.5 | $3.25 million | 2021 | Action Comics issue #1 features the very first appearance of Superman, and is recognized as the start of the superhero genre. The comic sold for 10 cents when it was first published in April of 1938. | One issue graded a 9.0 by CGC sold on eBay for $3.2 million in 2014, and another issue graded 8.5 by CGC sold for $3.25 million in 2021. |  |
| 3 | Action Comics #1 CGC 6.0 | $3.18 million | 2022 | Jerry Siegel first wrote a short story titled "The Reign of the Superman" in 1933, illustrated by a friend of his, Joe Shuster. Only 50 to 100 copies of the Action Comics #1 are known to exist. | There were only 6 copies graded CGC 4.0 or higher, and only one with a CGC 9.0 grade. Actor Nicolas Cage had a copy stolen from his house in 2000, and later recovered in a storage locker in the San Fernando Valley. | |
| 4 | Marvel Comics #1 | $2.4 million | 2022 | Back in 1939, this comic only cost ten cents brand new, and illustrator Frank R. Paul received only $25 for his artwork on the cover of the issue. | Heritage Auctions sold the $2.4 million copy, which was graded CGC 9.2 |  |
| 5 | Detective Comics #27 CGC 6.5 | $1.7 million | 2022 | Known as the most important Batman comic of all time, the 1939 issue number 27 of Detective Comics unleashed Batman into the comic world for the very first time. | Goldin Auctions sold the CGC 6.5 grade comic for $1.7 million. In 2020, a CGC 7.0 copy sold for $1.5 million, and in 2010, a CGC 8.0 sold for $1.1 million. |  |
| 6 | All Star Comics #8 | $1.6 million | 2022 | All Star Comics #8 featured Wonder Woman for the very first time. | Another sale of the All Star Comics #8 rang in at $930,000 in 2017. |  |
| 7 | Batman #1 CGC 8.0 | $1.2 million | 2021 | It's the very first issue of Batman, first published and sold in 1940. Also featuring the first appearance of the Joker, along with Catwoman. | The CGC graded 8.0 Batman #1 comic was first purchased for $80,000 in 2006. |  |
| 8 | X-Men #1 CGC 9.6 | $807,000 | 2021 | Written by Stan Lee, and illustrated by Jack Kirby in 1963, the X-Men #1 comic featured Marvel's team of superhero's along with the nemesis, Magneto. | ComicConnect.com hosted the auction that surpassed the previous record for the first X-men comic by $300,000. |  |
| 9 | Flash Comics #1 CGC 9.6 | $450,000 | 2010 | It's the finest example known to exist of the very first Flash Comics issue from 1940. | The seller originally purchased the comic for $273,000 in 2006. |  |
| 10 | Tales of Suspense #39 CGC 9.6 | $375,000 | 2012 | From the Silver Age of comics, this was the very first appearance of Iron Man. Written by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, illustrated by Don Heck, Gene Colan, and Steve Ditko. | Some estimate this comic to be worth at least $500,000 if it was to sell today. |  |
Top 10 Most Valuable Rolex Watches
| Rank | Watch | Value | Date Sold | Facts | Buyer & Seller | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Newman's Daytona | $17.8 million | 2017 | When Paul Newman gave his Rolex watch to James Cox, his daughter's boyfriend, in 1984, it was selling for about $200. | It took only 12 minutes of bidding for the Paul Newman Rolex to break the record as most valuable Rolex watch ever sold. Paul Newman gave the watch to his daughter's boyfriend, James Cox, back in 1984. |  |
| 2 | Daytona Ref. 626 Unicorn (1971) | $5.9 million | 2018 | The "Unicorn" is the only white gold Rolex Daytona ever made. | Italian watch collector John Goldberger bought the watch in 2010, and donated proceeds from the watch sale to the Children Action charity. |  |
| 3 | Bao Dai | $5.1 million | 2017 | It's one of only three black dial Rolex models. The Rolex Boa Dai watch sold in 2002 for $235,000, making it the most valuable Rolex ever sold. 15 years later it broke it's own record selling for $5 million in 2017. | As the thirteenth and last emperor of Vietnam, Bao Dai was removed from power in 1955. But the prior year, while attending a conference in Geneva, Dai bought the Rolex watch from a jeweler near the hotel he was staying. |  |
| 4 | Antimagnetique Ref. 4113 (1942) | $2.5 million | 2016 | There are only 12 Reference 4113 Rolex watches known to exist. But these watches were never meant for public sales, they were given to racing teams, although a few found their way to auctions. | Phillips sold the 1942 Rolex watch in Geneva after the same watch sold for $1.1 million at a Christie's auction three years earlier in 2013. |  |
| 5 | Marlon Brando's Rolex GMT-Master | $1.9 million | 2019 | Brando gave the watch to his daughter in 1994 after she graduated from Brown University. He told her, "the watch is like a tank. You can do anything you want to it and it will keep going. I want you to have it as a reminder of how proud I am of you." | The watch was purchased by Marlon Brando in the 1970s and worn in the film 'Apocalypse Now.' He carved his name on the back, "M. Brando" and gave the watch to his daughter in 1995. |  |
| 6 | Eric Clapton's "Oyster Albino" Daytona | $1.4 million | 2015 | There are only 4 "Albino" Daytona watches known. And this one manufactured in 1971 is all original, | First sold for $505,000 in 2003, the Clapton Rolex sold again in 2015 for $1.4 million at a Phillips auction in Geneva. |  |
| 7 | Jack Nicklaus Day-Date | $1.2 million | 2019 | After given as a gift from Rolex, Jack Nicklaus wore the Day-Date nearly every day since 1967, including during 12 of his 18 professional golf major championship titles. | The Phillips auction sale of the watch proceeds benefit the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation. |  |
| 8 | GMT Master II Ice | $485,000 | 2021 | The Rolex Reference 116769 Master Ice is the most expensive watch Rolex has ever offered to the public. 30 carats of white diamonds and 18-karat white gold with water resistance of 100 meters if you plan to wear it diving. | Cristiano Ronaldo was spotted wearing the Master Ice, and now that the Master Ice is no longer in production, value for the watch has already risen to around $550,000. |  |
| 9 | James Bond Submariner (1972) | $365,000 | 2015 | The 1972 Rolex was worn by Sir Roger Moore during the James Bond movie "Live and Let Die." | Phillips Auction sold the watch in Geneva. |  |
| 10 | Platinum Diamond Pearlmaster | $277,000 | 2011 | The Pearlmaster line of Rolex watches come in 3 options. White gold, yellow gold, or rose gold, with options for gemstones on the bracelet or without. They are also waterproof for all your deep sea diving adventures. | Sold to a private buyer. |  |
Top 10 Most Valuable Watches of All Time
| Rank | Brand | Model | Date Sold | Facts | Buyer & Seller | Image | Value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graff Diamonds | Hallucination | 2014 | 2014 | Total weight of the diamonds on this watch weigh 110 carats. A brainchild of Laurence Graff, he wanted to show the company's innovation, authority, excellence, and superiority in the diamond industry. | After thousands of hours assembling the watch and unveiling it at Baselworld in 2014, by all accounts, the watch is still owned by the Graff Diamond company. |  | $55 million |
| 2 | Graff Diamonds | The Fascination | 2015 | 2015 | 152.96 carats of white diamonds, with a single 38 carat Flawless diamond in the center that can be worn as a ring. | The one of a kind watch was unveiled at BaselWorld in 2015, but would not comment if there was a buyer immediately. As far as we know, the watch is still owned by the Graff company. |  | $40 million |
| 3 | Breguet | No. 160 | 1827 | 2013 | Legend has it, the watch was commissioned in 1783 by an admirer of the French Queen, Marie Antoinette. After 19 years, the watch was complete. | Completed 9 years after Marie Antoinette was executed, she was never able to see the watch. Sold to Sir Spencer Brunton in 1887, then to Sir David Lionel Salomons in 1920. Stolen from the L.A. Mayer Institute in 1983 by master thief Na'aman Diller. Recovered in 2007 and returned to Jerusalem. Valued at $23 million in 2013. |  | $30 million |
| 4 | Chopard | 201 Carat Watch | 2019 | N/A | 874 high-grade diamonds of all colors and sizes. Press the spring-loaded mechanism and the heart-shaped stones flip open like a flower in the sun. | Chopard, the Swiss company established in 1860 by Louis-Ulysse Chopard, there's no other known buyer of the watch to date. |  | $25 million |
| 5 | Patek Philippe | Supercomplication | 1933 | 2014 | Only one was ever made, and considered to be the most complicated mechanical watches of all time. 24 functions with a celestial chart of the stars. Henry Graves asked Patek to build a watch to top his rival watch collector James Ward Packard, the car maker. Engraved on the back was the Graves family motto, "Esse Quam Videri," 'To be rather than to seem.' | Commissioned by businessman Henry Graves Jr. in 1933, to build the world's most complicated watch, no matter the cost. Graves paid $15,000. Purchased by Sheikh Saud Bin Mohammed Bin Ali Al-Thani in 1999. |  | $24 million |
| 6 | Jacob & Co. | Billionaire Watch | 2015 | 2017 | 260 carats of emerald-cut diamonds and a Jacob & Co. nearly see-through "skeletonized" tourbillon movement. | The watch was purchased by boxer Floyd Mayweather sometime after it was unveiled at Baselworld in 2015. |  | $18 million |
| 7 | Rolex | Paul Newman's Daytona | 1968 | 2017 | The Newman Daytona is a unique black and creme art deco style dial. Only 2,000 to 3,000 were ever produced like it. Engraved on the back of the watch is "Drive Carefully Me," a note from Newman's wife. | A gift from Newman's wife, actress Joanne Woodward, then given to James Cox, a former boyfriend of Nell Newman, Paul's daughter. There's speculation that Rolex purchased the watch at auction, or a private collector sold the watch back to Rolex after the bidding. |  | $17.8 million |
| 8 | Patek Philippe | Ref. 1518 | 1941 | 2016 | Made in steel, its one of four watches of it's kind. It was the world's first perpetual calendar chronograph wristwatch. | Sold to a private collector. |  | $11.1 million |
| 9 | Vacheron Constantin | 57260 | 2015 | 2015 | The watch features 57 complications. | The pocket watch is part of Vacheron's tailor-made watches, a series including James W. Packard's minute repeating watch from 1918, King Fuad I's pocket watch from1929, and King Farouk of Egypt's custom pocket watch from 1948. |  | $8 million |
| 10 | Hublot | Big Bang | 2012 | 2012 | The Big Bang by Hublot includes 1,282 diamonds, collected from various locations around the world. | The watch was purchased by Beyonce and given to her husband Jay-Z on his 43rd birthday. |  | $5 million |
Top 10 Most Expensive Watches of All Time
Timepieces have been more than just a way of telling time. The most expensive watches in the world have shocked and awed watch collectors for centuries. Aside from being valuable items, watches can also be considered works…
