Banksy's $3 Million Mural Gets No Bids: Auction Mystery Baffles Art World

A Banksy Mural, Estimated at $3 Million, Fails to Attract a Single Bid at Auction New York, NY – May 30, 2025 – In a surprising turn of events, a Banksy mural, a significant piece of street art, failed to receive any bids at a recent auction. The artwork, which depicts a heart-shaped balloon, was originally painted on a warehouse wall in 2013 before being defaced and later salvaged. The piece, weighing over 7,500 pounds, was presented in a large frame at the auction, with a pre-sale estimate of $3 million. The auction started at $500,000, dropping to $300,000, then $250,000 before the bidding was cut off. According to the video, one reason for the lack of interest may be the mural's enormous size, making it difficult to handle and display. The auction house president attempted to encourage bids by suggesting that potential buyers could donate the artwork to a museum for a substantial tax write-off. However, even this incentive failed to generate any interest. The event highlights the complexities of the art market and the challenges of valuing and selling large-scale pieces of street art.