(Fr)agile
1 work
Banksy Because I'm Worthless (Signed) For Sale
Banksy
Because I'm Worthless (Signed), 2004
Screen print
50 x 35 in 127 x 88.9 cm
Edition
Edition of 75
About this work
For Banksy, the rat has become an iconic and recurring motif. Banksy's rats are depicted in various contexts and situations, often appearing as stenciled graffiti in public spaces or as prints. These rats serve as a metaphorical tool for Banksy to convey his social and political commentary. They are portrayed engaging in human-like activities or interacting with elements of urban life, conveying messages of rebellion, social critique, and wit. These rodent figures are sometimes depicted wearing clothes, holding signs, or carrying out acts that mirror human behavior, provoking thought and reflection on societal issues. The rat prints by Banksy are a reflection of his signature style, combining simple yet impactful imagery with clever and thought-provoking messages. They have garnered attention and admiration for their ability to communicate powerful ideas in a visually striking and accessible manner. The rats in Banksy's art often represent the overlooked or marginalized members of society, challenging viewers to reconsider their perceptions and question authority, norms, and power structures. Their presence in Banksy's art adds depth to his overall narrative, offering a playful yet thought-provoking commentary on various contemporary social and political issues.
Price on Application
Auction History
Because I'm Worthless · Banksy · Bonhams · 2021-02 · $132,991
BECAUSE I'M WORTHLESS · Banksy · Sotheby's · 2020-09 · $122,453
Because I'm Worthless · Banksy · Christie's · 2023-03 · $69,138
Because I'm Worthless · Banksy · Phillips · 2020-12 · $64,999
BECAUSE I'M WORTHLESS · Banksy · Sotheby's · 2019-09 · $17,149
More from this series
More series by Banksy
About the Because I'm Worthless Series
Banksy Because I'm Worthless Prints For Sale
Banksy's "Because I'm Worthless" series from 2004 stands as one of the artist's most incisive critiques of consumer culture and brand manipulation. Created during a pivotal period in Banksy's career—just as he was transitioning from street art provocateur to internationally recognized cultural commentator—these works subvert the language of advertising to expose the psychological mechanisms of modern capitalism. By appropriating the visual vocabulary of luxury branding and inverting its message, Banksy transforms self-worth into a scathing indictment of how corporations commodify human value and self-esteem.
The series employs Banksy's signature stencil technique with masterful precision, utilizing sharp lines and bold typography that echo the slick aesthetic of commercial advertising. Available in variations including the distinctive pink colorway and classic black compositions, each piece features the titular phrase rendered in a style reminiscent of high-end fashion logos. The existence of both signed and unsigned editions creates a layered market for collectors at different entry points, though signed versions command significant premiums due to their enhanced provenance and Banksy's notoriously selective authentication process. The technical execution demonstrates the artist's evolution from guerrilla street interventions to gallery-ready limited editions without sacrificing his anti-establishment message.
From a market perspective, the "Because I'm Worthless" series represents an essential acquisition from Banksy's early-2000s output, a period increasingly recognized as foundational to his artistic legacy. These works bridge the gap between accessible street art and collectible contemporary art, offering proven appreciation potential while maintaining the cultural relevance that drives sustained demand. The 2004 date positions these pieces within Banksy's breakthrough years, preceding his stratospheric rise but showcasing the fully formed conceptual framework that would define his practice. For collectors seeking authenticated works from this crucial period, the series offers both aesthetic impact and investment merit.
Guy Hepner specializes in authenticated Banksy works, providing collectors with verified provenance and expert guidance on navigating this dynamic market.
About Banksy
Banksy prints for sale at Guy Hepner include authenticated signed and unsigned editions: Girl with Balloon, Choose Your Weapon, Tesco Soup Cans, Fragile, Laugh Now, and Flower Thrower. Buy Banksy prints in New York through our gallery at 177 Tenth Avenue — all works sourced with full provenance and authentication documentation. We also buy Banksy art and offer free valuations for sellers.
Banksy is the world’s most celebrated anonymous street artist — a figure whose identity remains unknown but whose visual language is instantly recognisable across continents. Emerging from the Bristol graffiti scene in the early 1990s, Banksy developed a stencil-based technique that allowed rapid, precise execution on walls, bridges, and public surfaces from London and New York to Gaza and the West Bank. His work fuses dark humour, political provocation, and formal rigour in a way that has made him equally at home on the street and in the auction room. Today, Banksy art for sale represents one of the most dynamic and hotly contested segments of the contemporary secondary market.
Banksy Art For Sale
Banksy art for sale encompasses original spray-painted canvases, unique works on board, signed and unsigned print editions, and — on rare occasions — documented wall works sold with photographic authentication. The breadth of subjects he has addressed is remarkable: consumer capitalism (Tesco Soup Cans, Trolley Hunters), celebrity culture (Kate Moss, Andy Warhol), surveillance and control (Radar Rat, CCTV Watching), and hope and fragility (Girl with Balloon, Fragile).
The benchmark auction event in Banksy’s market history remains the October 2018 Sotheby’s London sale, when Girl with Balloon — having just sold for £1.04 million — was partially shredded by a device concealed in the frame, becoming Love is in the Bin. The reconstituted work subsequently sold in October 2021 for £18.5 million, underscoring the extraordinary commercial power of Banksy’s interventions and the appetite of the global collector base for his most iconic imagery.
Banksy Paintings For Sale
Banksy paintings for sale — unique spray-painted works on canvas or board — are the rarest and most valuable category of his output. These works, typically produced in small numbers for specific shows or commissions, carry full documentation from Pest Control and have appeared at auction with results ranging from six to eight figures. Choose Your Weapon, Monkey Parliament, and large-format stencil canvases from his early 2000s output represent the apex of private collector demand.
Provenance is paramount for Banksy paintings. Unbroken ownership history from first sale through to the present day, combined with a current Pest Control certificate, is the minimum standard for any serious acquisition. Works without this documentation carry substantial authentication risk regardless of visual appearance.
Banksy Prints: Signed vs Unsigned
Banksy print editions form the most accessible and widely traded category of his market. Published through his own distribution channels and in very limited numbers, these screenprints exist in signed and unsigned variants — a distinction that has a significant impact on value. Signed editions — with Banksy’s hand signature — command multiples of two to five times comparable unsigned editions in the same print run.
Key print series sought by collectors include: Girl with Balloon (multiple colourways), Choose Your Weapon, Kate Moss, Tesco Soup Cans, Fragile, Radar Rat, Flower Thrower, and Di-Faced Tenners. Edition sizes vary from as few as 150 to several hundred, and sell-through rates at auction confirm strong secondary demand across all major series.
Banksy Authentication: Pest Control
Pest Control is Banksy’s official authentication body and the only organisation authorised to certify works as genuine. When you buy Banksy prints or original art, a current Pest Control Certificate of Authenticity (COA) is the non-negotiable standard. The COA features a torn currency note — half retained by Pest Control, half with the work — as a security measure, and is registered against a specific edition and owner.
At Guy Hepner Gallery, every Banksy work offered for sale is accompanied by Pest Control documentation. We do not offer works without verified authentication, and our team is available to guide collectors through the acquisition process, including condition reporting, framing recommendations, and insurance valuation.
Ready to buy Banksy art? Contact Guy Hepner to explore our current inventory of authenticated Banksy prints and original works.