Not All Art Investments Are Equal: In Defence of Prints & Editions

A key appeal of prints is that they let people invest in culturally significant art, at accessible price points. Instead of shelling out millions for one original painting, a collector might spend £5-50k each on ten limited edition prints by established artists – building a diversified portfolio that taps into major movements and names.

Importantly, passion and profit are not mutually exclusive in this segment. In our recent Collector’s Survey, print collectors show that while “love of the work” is the number-one motivator for most (over 60% rated this as their top reason to buy), a vast majority still consider their art holdings as an investment for the long-run. In our survey, nearly 80% of respondents see their collection as a long-term investment (especially younger buyers). They’re not buying prints to flip next month; they’re buying with the idea that these artworks will hold or grow in value over years, all while enjoying living with them.

Even at the high end of the prints market, we see evidence of investment logic. Nearly one in 10 print collectors holds a portfolio valued over £1 million, according to the survey – often comprising blue chip editions accumulated over decades. These individuals clearly treat prints as a serious asset class within their broader wealth. Yet notably, even they cite “passion for the art” as the driving force. The prints market, then, exemplifies what the broader art market has long claimed: collecting can be both an aesthetic pursuit and a store of value. The difference is that prints actually have the conditions to make this true, thanks to their comparability and market depth.