Happy Chopper
Medium: Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Year: 2003
Sheet: 70×50 cm (27 1/2 x 19 5/8 inches)
Edition: 750 (of which 150 signed)
Artist’s Proofs: 31 signed AP
Publisher: Pictures on Walls, London
“A 5-color deluxe print lovingly crafted on heavyweight cartridge paper. This beautiful image captures the magical moment American Apache gunship helicopters visit chaos and terror on screaming civilian populations across the world.
An ideal gift.”
Happy Chopper depicts a squadron of armed military helicopters against a bright blue sky. In stark contrast with the cartoony fluffy clouds, the incoming choppers (American slang for helicopters) are rendered in much greater detail, in dark colors, with graphic emphasis on their heavy and threatening weaponry, evoking a sense of imminent danger. However, the lead chopper is “wearing” a baby pink bow, juxtaposing the violence of warfare with the innocence of childhood.
The bow adorning the otherwise accurate representation of the fighter helicopter mocks ideas of masculinity and militarism, whilst reinforcing their inherent menace. Happy Chopper first appeared in 2002 as a sprayed mural in Central London at the Whitecross Street Market.
Auction Market Overview
Happy Chopper (Unsigned)
2025 Auction Results
Bonhams online: 20 November 2025
Estimated: GBP 12,000 – 18,000
GBP 14,080 / USD 18,545
BANKSY (British, born 1974)
Happy Chopper (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Numbered 626/750 in pencil
Published by Pictures on Walls
Christie’s London: 30 September 2025
Estimated: GBP 12,000 – 18,000
GBP 16,510 / USD 22,190
BANKSY
Happy Chopper (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Numbered 465/750 in pencil
(only the first 150 were signed)
Tate Ward: 13 August 2025
Estimated: GBP 10,000 – 15,000
GBP 16,250 / USD 22,060
BANKSY (British 1974-)
Happy Choppers (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Numbered from an edition of 750 in pencil
Estimated: USD 20,000 – 30,000
Happy Chopper (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Artnet Auctions: 10 April 2025
Estimated: USD 15,000 – 20,000
USD 17,500
BANKSY (British, b. 1974)
Happy Chopper (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Numbered 350/750 in pencil
Christie’s online: 1 April 2025
Estimated: GBP 12,000 – 18,000
GBP 21,420 / USD 27,675
BANKSY
Happy Chopper (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Numbered 221/750 in pencil (only the first 150 were signed)
2024 Auction Results
Sotheby’s online: 26 September 2024
Estimated: GBP 20,000 – 30,000
GBP 20,400 / USD 27,152
BANKSY (b. 1974)
Happy Choppers (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Numbered in pencil 631/750
Roseberys London: 5 March 2024
Estimated: GBP 15,000 – 20,000
GBP 17,056 / USD 21,680
BANKSY (British b.1974)
Happy Choppers (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove
Numbered 312/750 in pencil
Sotheby’s London: 26 January 2024
Estimated: GBP 15,000 – 25,000
GBP 19,050 / USD 24,227
BANKSY (b. 1974)
Happy Chopper (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Numbered in pencil 504/750
2023 Auction Results
Happy Chopper (unsigned) sold 6 times in 2023 for a total turnover of GBP 129,377 (USD 160,092) at an average price of GBP 21,579 (USD 26,682). Its highest price of GBP 25,200 (USD 30,996) was achieved at Christie’s online on 14 March 2023.
Sotheby’s online: 26 September 2023
Estimated: GBP 15,000 – 25,000
GBP 20,320 / USD 24,717
BANKSY (b. 1974)
Happy Chopper (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Numbered in pencil 504/750
Bonhams London: 20 September 2023
Estimated: GBP 15,000 – 20,000
GBP 19,200 / USD 23,782
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Numbered 182/750 in pencil
Sotheby’s online: 20 April 2023
Estimated: GBP 15,000 – 20,000
GBP 21,590 / USD 26,876
BANKSY
Happy Chopper (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors
Numbered 383/750 in pencil, lower right
Bonhams London: 19 April 2023
Estimated: GBP 18,000 – 25,000
GBP 19,125 / USD 23,793
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Numbered 713/750 in pencil
Christie’s online: 14 March 2023
Estimated: GBP 20,000 – 30,000
GBP 25,200 / USD 30,996
BANKSY
Happy Chopper (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Numbered 582/750 in pencil, lower right
2022 Auction Results
Happy Chopper (unsigned) sold 14 times at auction in 2022 for a total turnover of GBP 432,131 (USD 536,406) at an average price of GBP 30,867 (USD 38,315). Its highest price of GBP 40,200 (USD 55,074) was achieved at Forum Auctions on 3 February 2022.
Sotheby’s online: 17 August 2022
Estimated: GBP 20,000 – 30,000
GBP 25,200 / USD 30,240
BANKSY
Happy Chopper (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Numbered 631/750 in pencil, lower right
Sotheby’s online: 26 April 2022
Estimated: GBP 20,000 – 30,000
GBP 37,800 / USD 47,628
Happy Chopper (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
GBP 32,760 / USD 43,243
BANKSYScreenprint in colors on wove paper
Estimated: GBP 25,000 – 35,000
GBP 37,750 / USD 41,340
Screenprint in colors
Numbered 397/750 in pencil
Forum Auctions: 3 February 2022
Estimated: GBP 25,000 – 35,000
GBP 30,000 (Hammer)
GBP 40,200 / USD 55,075
BANKSY (b.1974)
Happy Choppers (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Numbered from the edition of 750 in pencil
2021 Auction Results
Happy Chopper (unsigned) sold 18 times at auction in 2021 for a total turnover of GBP 902,436 (USD 1,242,987) at an average price of GBP 50,135 (USD 69,055). It reached its highest price at auction, when it sold at SBI Art Auction on 30 January 2021 for JPY 10,925,000 (USD 104,000 / GBP 75,910).
Estimated: GBP 20,000 – 30,000
GBP 47,880 / USD 66,553
Happy Chopper (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Estimated: NZD 70,000 – 100,000
NZD 111,625 / USD 82,162 / GBP 59,109
Happy Chopper (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Estimated: GBP 25,000 – 35,000
Happy Chopper (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Numbered 322/750 in pencil, lower right
Estimated: JPY 2,500,000 – 3,500,000
JPY 10,925,000 / USD 104,000 / GBP 75,910
AUCTION RECORD FOR HAPPY CHOPPER (UNSIGNED)
BANKSY
Happy Chopper (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint
Numbered on the lower right, Numbered on the certificate
From the edition of 750
2020 Auction Results
Happy Chopper (unsigned) sold 7 times at auction in 2020 for a total turnover of GBP 341,346 (USD 451,203) at an average price of GBP 48,764 (USD 64,458). It sold at Sotheby’s online on 18 September 2020 for GBP 63,000 (USD 83,160), its highest price for 2020.
Bonhams London: 10 December 2020
Estimated: GBP 30,000 – 40,000
GBP 60,250 / USD 81,063
Screenprint in colors on wove
Numbered 239/750 in pencil
Sotheby’s online: 18 September 2020
Estimated: GBP 10,000 – 15,000
GBP 63,000 / USD 83,160
BANKSY (b.1974)
HAPPY CHOPPERS (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Numbered 278/750
Phillips online: 28 May 2020
Estimated: HKD 70,000 – 90,000
HKD 300,000 / USD 38,695 / GBP 29,315
BANKSY
Happy Choppers (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Numbered ‘621/750’ lower right
Happy Chopper (signed)
2024 Auction Results
Christie’s online: 26 March 2024
Estimated: GBP 30,000 – 50,000
GBP 40,320 / USD 51,135
BANKSY
Happy Choppers (signed), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Signed in black ink, numbered 63/750 in pencil (only the first 150 were signed)
2023 Auction Results
Sotheby’s London: 26 September 2023
Estimated: GBP 30,000 – 40,000
GBP 38,100 / USD 46,344
BANKSY (b. 1974)
Happy Chopper (signed), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Signed in pencil and numbered 134/750
Christie’s Online: 14 March 2023
Estimated: GBP 40,000 – 60,000
GBP 44,100 / USD 54,243
BANKSY
Happy Chopper (signed), 2003
Screen-print in colors on wove paper
Signed and dated in black ink, lower right
Numbered 15/750 in pencil, lower right
2022 Auction Results
Happy Chopper (signed) sold 6 times at auction in 2022 for a total turnover of GBP 425,689 (USD 553,855) at an average price of GBP 70,948 (USD 92,309). It achieved its highest price at SBI Art Auction in Tokyo on 29 January 2022, when it sold for JPY 16,675,000 (USD 144,739 / GBP 105,649).
Sotheby’s online: 17 August 2022
Estimated: GBP 25,000 – 45,000
GBP 44,100 / USD 52,920
BANKSY
Happy Chopper (signed), 2003
Screen-print in colors on wove paper
Signed and dated in black ink, lower right
Numbered 71/750 in pencil, lower right
Estimated: GBP 40,000 – 60,000
BANKSY
Happy Chopper (signed), 2003
Screen-print in colors on wove paper
Signed and dated in black ink, lower right
Numbered 7/750 in pencil, lower right
Estimated: GBP 30,000 – 50,000
GBP 56,700 / USD 71,442
BANKSY
Happy Chopper (signed), 2003
Screen-print in colors on wove paper
Signed and dated in black ink and with the artist’s heart annotation, lower right
A Print aside the numbered edition
Forum Auctions: 25 April 2022
Estimated: GBP 55,000 – 80,000
Estimated GBP 77,720 / USD 97,927
BANKSY
Happy Chopper (signed), 2003
Screen-print in colors on wove paper
Signed and dated in black ink, lower right
Numbered /750 in pencil
SBI Art Auction: 29 January 2022
Estimated: JPY 8,000,000 – 12,000,000
JPY 16,675,000 / USD 144,739 / GBP 105,649
BANKSY
Happy Chopper (signed), 2003
Screenprint
Signed and numbered on the lower right
From the edition of 750
2021 Auction Results
Happy Chopper (signed) sold twice at auction in 2021. It sold at Christie’s online in London, on 1 April 2021, for GBP 93,750 (USD 129,375), and at Forum Auctions on 2 September 2021, for GBP 65,660 (USD 91,265).
Estimated: GBP 70,000 – 100,000
GBP 93,750 / USD 129,375
Happy Chopper (signed), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Signed in pencil, numbered 37/750
2020 Auction Results
Happy Chopper (signed) sold 4 times at auction in 2020 for a total turnover of GBP 338,735 (USD 448,786) at an average price of GBP 84,684 (USD 112,197). It sold at Christie’s online in London, on 23 September 2020, for GBP 106,250 (USD 140,250), its highest price for 2020.
Phillips Hong-Kong: 4 December 2020
Estimated: HKD 250,000 – 350,000
HKD 1,071,000 / USD 138,000 / GBP 102,985
BANKSY
Happy Chopper (signed), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Signed, dated and numbered ‘BANKSY 03 50/750’ lower right
Christie’s online: 23 September 2020
Estimated: GBP 25,000 – 35,000
GBP 106,250 / USD 140,250
BANKSY (B. 1974)
Happy Choppers (signed), 2003
Screenprint in colors on wove paper
Signed and dated in black ink, numbered 79/750 in pencil