Sell your Hermès Birkins at auction

If you own a Birkin, and would like to know its value, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will offer you their appraisal services.

Our specialists will work to carry out a free appraisal of your bag, and will pass on to you an accurate estimate of its value on the current market. Thereafter, if you wish to sell your bag, we will direct you to the best possible device to obtain the optimum price.

The price of a Birkin can vary according to the year, the leather, the edition (limited or not), the stones and metals used.

Rating and value of a Birkin

The Birkin is a Hermès staple, even themust-have in terms of the house's handbags.

It's an unqualified success. The price at which it sells on the art and auction markets ranges between €5,000 and €330 000, a considerable delta but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to your Birkins.

In November 2020, a Birkin 25 in Himalayan Niloticus crocodile sold for €330,000, more than five times the high estimate achieved by Christie's Hong Kong.

Order of value from a classic Birkin to the most in-demand

Why sell a Birkin at auction?

The Birkin is a timeless bag, always in high demand on the auction market. Buyers are willing to pay unheard-of sums, as the house has made the it bag a rare item and almost impossible to obtain new.

At Hermès, you have to wait at least five years to hope to one day own this much sought-after bag.

Many sellers have become aware of this demand and are looking to resell their bags on second-hand sites: Vestiaire Collective, Vinted, Le bon coin, 1st dibs, Collector Square ...

However, we can only advise you to leave your bag in the hands of experts and qualified auctioneers. The latter have additional skills to bring to your objects.

In fact, your bag is appraised, photographed by a professional, then exhibited at the Hôtel Drouot, where thousands of bidders circulate every day.

These services, included in the sale fee, are impossible to obtain through resale websites.

The most famous it bag

The story of the Birkin by Hermès begins in 1980, on a flight from Paris to London. Jane Birkin, traveling at the time with her daughter Lou Doillon, complained on the plane that her handbag was impractical for stowing Lou's baby bottles.

That's when Jean-Louis Dumas, then artistic director of Hermès, overheard Jane and introduced himself to her. The actress then challenged Dumas to design her ideal bag. They worked at intervals for four years.

In 1984, the first Birkin was born, given to Jane by the house as a gift. One of the actress's Birkins was resold in 2021 by Bonhams in London for charity. As soon as the bag was created, it was an immediate success.

The reasons for its success

Many parameters come into play to explain the bag's success: its rarity, discretion, elegance and quality.

Hermes deliberately produces few Birkin bags a year - the exact number is not known. It therefore trains few craftsmen, and thus retains its prestige and know-how.

Moreover, Hermès originally produced discreet bags. Worthy heir to the Haut-à-Courroie, the Birkin simply bears a small signature that enthusiasts won't recognize.

Crossing Fashion Weeks since its inception, the bag is timeless. Angular shapes, quality leather, limited editions ... everything is done to ensure that the bag never tires.

Finally, the Birkin is renowned for its quality. The recent polemics at Chanel have no place when it comes to the rival house, which means your bag is just as valuable - whether it's 5 years old or 50.

The buzz around the Birkin

If the Birkin is such a popular bag today, it's because it's timeless, as well as practical and elegant. Wearing a Birkin is an experience.

What's more, it's highly prized by buyers willing to put a lot of money into it, because it's a luxury bag but without any big visible inscription or logo that might make the name of the house recognizable.

It's also a bag that lasts over time, thanks to the quality of the leather and metals used in its manufacture. It seems obvious, but other houses don't put so much care into the manufacture of leather goods and the choice of leathers.

Of course, the Birkin dresses up and transforms any outfit, and can be worn in all circumstances, thanks to its straight curves and practicality.

The value of a Birkin after the death of Jane Birkin

After the death of actress and singer Jane Birkin on July 16, 2023, the Birkin's rating has risen again and its value, accordingly, too.

The most sought-after luxury handbag on the fashion market will certainly keep its place, and the wait to own one is likely to be even longer than before.

More than ever, this is a very interesting piece to resell, since the Birkin's value increases by 14% every year, and doesn't fluctuate like gold or bags from other luxury houses.

Selling a Birkin is therefore very interesting for any private individual, but it remains important, however, to choose the right sales method.

Learn more about the exponential increase in the bag's value

Recognizing an original Birkin

The counterfeit market is increasingly strong in manufacturing various bags passing them off as luxury bags. On online platforms, the resale of these items is steadily increasing, and many customers are being tricked.

Even more copied than the Kelly from the house or the Timeless from Chanel, expertise is absolutely paramount when selling such a bag.

This is why, even if techniques exist to recognize a real Birkin, such as looking at the seams, or the inscription of the serial number inside, it is essential if you think you own a Birkin to have it appraised.

Elements of the signature

Birkin bags are systematically signed "Hermès - Paris". The inscription "made in France" is added below the signature. Inside the bag, a serial number is systematically included.

Some bags have an additional mark next to the signature to indicate specific manufacturing conditions.

Knowing the certain value of the bag 

If you happen to own a Birkin, or think you might, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal using our form on our website. A member of our team of experts and chartered auctioneers will contact you promptly with an estimate of your bag's market value, including all relevant information. If you wish to sell your property, you will also be accompanied by our specialists in order to benefit from alternatives to sell it at the best possible price, taking into account the inclinations of the market.