The 11 Most Expensive Hermès Bags Sold at Auction in the First Half 2024
Learn more about the most expensive Hermès bags sold at auction in 2024 so far.
Birkins and Kellys Top the Charts in First Half 2024
The most expensive Hermès bags sold in the first half of 2024 were similar to many of the top 10 in 2023. All of the most expensive Hermès bags sold in the first half of 2024 were exotic bags except one. In 2023, two limited edition Hermès bags made the top 10 list that were not exotic crocodile or alligator but were rare limited edition bags. All but one of the top 11 in 2024 were either a Birkin or Kelly bag while last year all of the top 10 most expensive Hermès bags were either a Birkin or a Kelly bag. Three of the most expensive Hermès bags featured diamond hardware in 2024. Hermès Himalaya bags comprised six of the most expensive in 2024 versus only two for all of 2023. Three Birkin 20 bags were in the top 10 in the first half of 2024 in comparison to only two in 2023. The most expensive Hermès bags in 2024 were either sold in Hong Kong or Paris. The oldest Hermès bag to make the top 10 list in 2024 was from 2007 while a rare Hermès Mini Kelly from 1997 made the top 10 list in 2023. In the first half of 2024, two bags tied for the same price at just under $100,000 as the 10th and 11th most expensive. Overall prices were lower in 2024 compared to 2023 for similar Hermès bags on the top 10 list in both years.
1. Hermès Kelly 25 Himalaya Diamond $330,000
The most expensive Hermès bag to sell in the first half of 2024 was a Hermès Kelly 25 Himalaya with Diamond Hardware for $330,000 from 2021. The 18K white gold hardware is set with 298 diamonds for a total of 3.50 carats. The clasp features 2.10 carats or 40 diamonds and the padlock features 1.40 carats. Only the most experienced artisans in the maison get to work on the diamond and white gold elements, while the handle itself takes more than two hours just to assemble, featuring four layers of leather that have been saddle stitched. The Hermès Himalaya design, where Niloticus crocodile skin is coloured in a way to depict snow capping the peaks of the Himalaya mountains, has garnered iconic status within the Hermès world. The Himalaya Kelly was first released in 2013 in 25cm, 28cm and 32cm sizes.
2. Hermès Kelly 25 Himalaya Diamond $284,000
The second most expensive Hermès bag to sell in the first half of 2024 was another Hermès Kelly 25 Himalaya with Diamond Hardware from 2022 for $284,000 in Paris. The 14% lower price for the bag sold in Paris a few weeks after the same sold bag in Hong Kong reflects the greater volatility for Hermès Himalaya Diamond bags in a weaker macro economy. Overall prices in 2024 at the top end of the Hermès market has been less predictable and generally weaker in 2024 versus 2023. This is consistent with ongoing geopolitical and economic instability. The second most expensive Hermès bag was in similar condition and had a date stamp that is one year newer versus the bag sold in Hong Kong.
3. Hermès Birkin 20 Snow Faubourg $227,000
The third most expensive Hermès bag sold in the first half of 2024 was a Birkin 20 Faubourg Snow for $227,000 in Paris. While prices for the Hermès Birkin 20 Faubourg Snow or Neige have continued to declined since peaking in early 2022 when it first hit the secondary market, it remains a highly coveted Hermès bag among collectors. The 19% decline in price for a similar bag sold in 2023 reflects the macro economy and also the greater availability of this Hermès bag in the secondary market. The secondary market price for the most popular limited edition Hermès bags peak within the first year after being released and then declines closer to its original retail price. A Birkin 20 Faubourg Snow from 2021 topped the charts as the most expensive Hermès bag sold at auction in 2023 at just over $280,000 but this year it is the 3rd most expensive. The Neige or Snow Faubourg was first released in 2021 and is the only Birkin 20 Faubourg with an Matte Alligator Body, while the other Birkin 20 Faubourg bags only have Matte Alligator flaps. The Birkin 20 Faubourg captures the architectural essence of the iconic Flagship Hermès boutique.
4. Hermès Birkin 20 Faubourg Midnight $181,000
The fourth most expensive Hermès bag to sell in the first half of 2024 is the Limited Edition Birkin 20 Faubourg Midnight for $181,000 in Hong Kong. While the price of the Birkin 20 Faubourg Midnight sold in 2024 in February is higher than the $170,000 it sold for in September 2023, the Birkin Faubourg 20 Midnight bag sold again in May 2024 for only $140,000 in Geneva. The fourth version of the Limited Edition Birkin 20 Faubourg is named Midnight in Black Swift Leather with a Matte Black Alligator Flap. The most distinctive feature of the Midnight Birkin 20 Faubourg is the Black PVD hardware.
5. Limited Edition Hermès Kelly 25 Midas $157,000
The fifth most expensive Hermès bag is the Midas Kelly 25 Sellier that sold for about $157,000 in Hong Kong. The black box leather Kelly 25 from 2023 features 18K gold hardware. The Midas in the name refers to the Greek mythological figure King Midas, who can turn everything into gold by touching it. Drawing inspiration from the myth, the Midas Kelly design features a unique hardware pairing leather with solid 18K yellow gold weighing 183.18g. It is as if Midas himself had touched the Kelly handle and turned it into gold. The remarkable fusion of leather and gold requires a meticulous assembly ensuring the metal follows the leather to precision.
Over the years, Hermès has developed many ways to treat leather for its designs but there are certain types of leather that have a special place in the heritage of the brand and black box calfskin is one of them. Every artisan starting out at Hermès begins their training by constructing a Kelly Sellier in black box calfskin and it is said that if an artisan can put together a flawless version of that bag, then that artisan is skilled enough to tackle every other design in the Hermès family.
6. Hermès Birkin 25 Himalaya $156,000
The sixth most expensive Hermès bag is a Birkin 25 Himalaya that sold for $156,000 in Paris. Hermès Birkin 25 Himalaya prices have declined from the peak price of $280,000 in September 2022 and it remains unclear if prices have stabilized or further price erosion is ahead. That being said, the Birkin 25 Himalaya is a perennial top 10 when it comes to the most expensive Hermès bags. While a few top Hermès collectors knew about the Himalaya Birkin, it wasn't until 2010 it became the ultimate IT bag. After Jean-Paul Gaultier sent the Himalaya Birkin down the runway in 2010, it has consistently been one of the most sought after Hermès bags. The first Himalaya Bikin 25cm wasn't released until 2012. While it is easier to purchase a Birkin Himalaya today than in 2010, it remains a difficult bag to secure for most collectors.
7. Hermès Kelly 28 Himalaya $128,000
The seventh most expensive Hermès bag is a Himalaya Kelly 28 that sold for $128,000 in Paris. While the Himalaya Kelly bag consistently makes the most expensive list, the prices in the secondary market have declined dramatically from 2023 when a Himalaya Kelly 28 sold for over $200,000. Looking ahead to the rest of 2024, it remains difficult to forecast if prices have stabilized or further declines could occur at the top end of the Hermès bag market. The Himalaya Kelly was first released in 2013 in 25cm, 28cm and 32cm sizes and the Himalaya Kelly 28 remains a sought after bag by collectors.
8. Hermès Birkin 30 Himalaya $115,000
The eighth most expensive Hermès bag is a Birkin 30 Himalaya that sold for $115,000. As Himalaya Birkin 30 bags became more readily available in the secondary market during the last three years, prices have declined. A similar 2014 date stamped Birkin 30 Himalaya sold in 2022 for $210,000. Both bags were older and had been serviced at the Hermès spa recently so both bags were similar condition. The earliest known Hermès Celadon Himalayas were produced in 1994, with the final examples leaving Hermès’ ateliers in 2008. That same year a new himalayan bag would emerge. The new handbag would define collecting for at least the next 15 years. Initially the 30cm matte Himalayan Birkins were kept secret and only sold to top collectors. This new, unique style was only known to the most dedicated Hermes fans. That is, until 2010 when Jean-Paul Gaultier sent a Himalaya Birkin down the Hermès’ spring runway. From that moment on the Himalayan Birkin was the bag to have.
9. Hermès Birkin 30 Poudre Matte Crocodile Diamond Hardware $107,000
The ninth most expensive Hermès bag is a Birkin 30 Poudre Matte Crocodile with Diamond Hardware that sold for $107,000 in Hong Kong. The Birkin from 2007 has diamonds weighing 10.84 carats one 9 carats on clasp and 1.84 carats on padlock. The bag was in very good condition with very faint scratches on the clous and exterior. The prices for older diamond Birkin bags in the secondary that aren't a Himalaya have remained more consistant with prices ranging from $130,000 to $70,000 depending in the color and condition. Matte Crocodile Neutral colored Birkin bags are generally more desirable to buyers versus the bright colored shiny bags.
10. Hermès Birkin 20 Gris Cement Alligator $99,000
Tied for tenth most expensive Hermès bag is a Birkin 20 Sellier Gris Ciment Matte Alligator that sold for $99,000 in Hong Kong in February and again in Paris in March for about the same price. Two of the same bags sold at nearly the same price within a few weeks. The Matte Alligator Birkin 20 was first released in 2023 but few colors have come to auction. The first Birkin 20 in Matte Alligator Vert D'eau Gold Hardware sold at Sotheby's for $115,000 in 2023 in Hong Kong but this same color has gone unsold at auction in the US in 2024. The Matte Alligator Birkin 20 has been less popular than the Birkin 20 Faubourg and remains unclear if Hermès will produce leather versions or more limited edition styles.
11. Hermès Constance 24 Himalaya $99,000
The only non Birkin or Kelly to make the top 11 list in 2024 is a Himalaya Constance 24 with palladium hardware that sold for about $99,000 in Hong Kong. Crafted in 2023, the bag is of the newer version produced by Hermès, where the interior of the bag features a mirror and has a slimmer body. While the Hermès Constance is a streamlined design that doesn’t have the hallmark flap and straps of a Birkin or Kelly, that doesn’t mean it is easier to construct as it can take an artisan up to 18 hours to craft the bag into its signature “soap” shape using hot ironing techniques. The Constance was in pristine condition with protective plastic covering the hardware.
Honorable Mention: Most Expensive Leather Birkin Sold for $69,300
While the Limited Edition Birkin 35 Faubourg Tropical didn't make the top 10 list, it is the most expensive leather and toile fabric Birkin selling in the first half of 2024. Octave Marsal and Théo de Gueltzl created the Faubourg Tropical pattern. The maison’s iconic flagship store on 24 Rue de Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris is covered in tropical foliage, within which jungle animals such as monkeys, cheetahs and cockatoos also hide. The Faubourg Tropical Birkin 35, features palladium hardware and the pattern embroidered on Toile de Camp fabric is a rare limited edition Birkin from 2022. The delicate embroidery is done using a French technique known as Luneville, a process that can take up to 18 hours to complete, and the pattern extends on to the white Swift leather flap as well, showcasing the skill it takes to convey it across two different materials.
Buying and Selling Hermès Bags at Sotheby's
Sotheby's always has a curated selection of the top Hermès bags available on Marketplace for immediate shipping. Sotheby's also sells Hermès bags at auction in New York, Paris, Zurich and Hong Kong. Expect to find rare and collectible Birkin and Kelly bags in every sale in addition to other popular Hermès bags in pristine condition in the newest colors and classic neutrals. Sotheby's handbag sales include rare and limited edition Hermès bags in exotic materials, custom color combinations and even diamond hardware. Prices for Hermès bags range from $3,000 to $5,000 at the low end for the Herbag, Garden Party and Evelyne TPM. Prices for the most sought after Birkin and Kelly bags start at around $20,000 and exceed $100,000 for the rarest and most desirable limited edition Birkin or Kelly bag.
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