Find out the value of your art with easy, online art appraisals
Our trusted network of third party art appraisers can provide accurate and objective art appraisals tailored to your specific needs—whether for a charitable donation, insurance purposes, tax and estate planning, art lending, and more—completed entirely online.
How online art appraisals works
1. Identify
Identify the artwork to be appraised.
2. Complete
Specify the purpose of the appraisal. Provide images and artwork information including the artist, title, year, medium, dimensions, condition, and provenance.
3. Submit
Submit the form online. Our team will review the submission and assign an art appraiser from our network to complete a qualified appraisal.
4. Receive
Receive a qualified appraisal digitally within 2 weeks.
Pricing
$900
Art Appraisal
Appraisal Reports are offered at a flat rate of $900 per artwork appraised.
Volume-based discounts or project fees available upon request for multi-artwork appraisals.
$300
Valuation Estimate
Valuation Estimate Reports are offered at a flat rate of $300 per artwork valued
These reports provide a guaranteed value range that a subsequent appraisal would fall within. Should you proceed with ordering an appraisal report, the valuation estimate fee is deducted against the art appraisal fee.
Why appraise your art?
Professional art appraisals help you understand the real value of your art collection, allowing you to make informed decisions about the future of the artworks within it.
Depending on the intended use of the report, the appraiser will use a different valuation type and method, as specified by the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP).
Charitable Donation
Donating art to museums, hospitals, universities, or other nonprofit organizations requires a qualified appraisal for tax purposes. Ensure compliance with IRS (US) or CRA (Canada) with accurate and objective art appraisals. Your appraiser will assign a Fair Market Value.
This appraisal can be used for submission to the IRS or CRA for the appropriate charitable tax deductions.
Tax and Estate Planning
Professional valuations are essential to tax and estate planning and the equitable division of estate property among heirs and beneficiaries. Ensure a smooth and fair transfer of wealth with accurate and objective art appraisals. Your appraiser will generally assign a Fair Market Value.
This appraisal can be used for tax and estate planning, as well as for submission to the IRS or CRA for estate and inheritance tax purposes such as gift tax, estate and inheritance tax, and family division settlements.
Insurance Purposes
Maintaining accurate and up-to-date valuations allows you to protect your art collection with proper insurance coverage. Ensure that you have adequate coverage with accurate and objective art appraisals. Your appraiser will generally assign a Retail Replacement Value.
This appraisal can be submitted to insurance brokers or carriers.
Asset Management
Your art collection is a major asset, but it can only be collateralized for a loan if it is properly valued. Ensure a seamless due diligence process with accurate and objective appraisals. Your appraiser will generally assign a Fair Market Value or Marketable Cash Value.
This appraisal can be used for financial reporting and planning purposes, as well as for submission to lenders, fund managers, accounting professionals, and auditors.
Tony Cragg, Versus, 2013, Memorial Art Gallery, University of Rochester, Gift of David and Karen Brush.
Why order art appraisals through Museum Exchange?
Our trusted network of third party art appraisers possess the highest level of credentials (Certified Members) from the Appraisers Association of America, one of the leading professional appraiser organizations, ensuring compliance with the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Expertise in artworks in all media and periods, valued from $5,000 to over $1M.
Extensive network of art professionals including auction houses, art dealers, and galleries to conduct market research; ensuring the most accurate valuations from both public and private sources.
Completed entirely online, prepared from photographs and information provided by you, eliminating the need for an in-person inspection.
Managed by our team of art donation experts and integrated with our systems, ensuring seamless and timely completion.
Appraisal Reports available in both hard copies and digital formats, ensuring easy access and sharing with professionals.
Transparent and cost-effective pricing with preferred flat rates from our trusted network of third party art appraisers.
What is an appraisal?
An art appraisal is a report prepared by a qualified appraiser for a specific purpose, such as charitable donation, insurance purposes, tax and estate planning, and art lending. The art appraiser will determine the value of the artwork(s), identifying the appropriate market and valuation approach given the intended end use.
Compliance & Certification
There is no “license" to appraise, rather art appraisers must be USPAP (Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice) compliant and receive designation from a recognized professional appraiser organization.
Art appraisers must have met certain minimum education and experience requirements, and regularly perform appraisals for which they receive compensation.
Format & Requirements
Appraisal Reports are available in both hard copies and digital formats. They include images, full descriptions of the artworks, and opinions of value supported by the market comparables.
Art Appraisal FAQs
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Online art appraisals provided by our trusted network of third party art appraisers take approximately 2 weeks from the time all information is submitted. Within 1 business day, our team of art experts will assess the appraisal request and assign an art appraiser from our trusted network. Some artworks require extra time to research and obtain comparable values from primary and secondary market vendors, in which case our team will notify you of the expected completion date.
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Art appraisals provided by our trusted network of third party art appraisers are offered at a preferred flat rate of $900 per artwork appraised. Volume-based discounts or project fees are available upon request for multi-artwork appraisals.
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Getting your art collection professionally appraised is an essential step in caring for your artworks. Accurate and up-to-date art valuations allow you to properly plan for the future of your art collection and are required for almost anything you may want to do with your artworks, from charitable donations to tax and estate planning.
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Art appraisals for charitable donations must be issued no earlier than 60 days before the date of contribution (either the date of the physical transfer of the artwork to the institution or the date that Deed of Gift was fully-executed), and anytime up to the donor’s tax filing deadline. The requirements for art appraisals for other intended uses such as insurance purposes, tax and estate planning, and art lending vary by situation. The completion of updated art appraisals on an annual basis is considered a best practice for artworks by artists with active markets.
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Yes, online art appraisals from our trusted network of third party art appraisers can be used for insurance purposes and are accepted by all major insurance carriers.
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Yes, online art appraisals from our trusted network of third party art appraisers can be used for charitable donations. An appraisal report written by a qualified appraiser is required by the IRS for any donated artwork (or group of similar artworks) valued over $5,000, and must be attached to the tax return for any donated artwork (or group of similar artworks) valued over $20,000. An accompanying Form 8283 must be signed and acknowledged by both the qualified appraiser who issued the report and the receiving institution.
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Artworks with value in excess of $50,000 require three comparable sales to be included in the Appraisal Report. For lower valued artworks, the art appraiser is just required to maintain records of comparable sales in their files.
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Art authentication is a separate service not currently provided by our trusted network of third party art appraisers, they do however conduct due diligence to the extent possible and are required to flag any inconsistencies that may suggest the artwork is not authentic. Art authentication involves a multi-step process that considers factors such as the materials, artist’s signature and inscriptions, sales receipts and documentation, and more. Contact us and we will try to connect you with an appropriate professional.