Rude Copper

Medium: Screenprint on wove paper
Year: 2002
Sheet: 59×42 cm (23 x 16 1/2 inches)
Edition: 250 (of which 50 signed)
Approximately 30 hand-finished with unique spray-painting (yellow or grey)

“Some people become cops because they want to make the world a better place. Some people become vandals because they want to make the world a better looking place”

Rude Copper features a British police officer, easily identifiable with his traditional custodian helmet, showing his middle finger to the viewer. Executed entirely in black and white, the officer’s face partially hidden by the shadow created by his helmet, this print illustrates Banksy’s nuanced relationship with law enforcement. Indeed, the artist’s mural work continues to be illegal, and is still conducted under the veil of secrecy and a fiercely protected anonymity. Obviously, Rude Copper has a wider meaning for the artist, warning the public to be wary of any form of organized authority and law enforcement. One can also interpret this image as an illustration of the popular thought of the law’s apparent disdain for the disadvantaged.

Rude Copper is considered to be the first of Banksy’s commercial prints. Intended to be a run of 100 prints, it was changed to 250 at last minute. Some were hand-finished with unique spray painting, some others were tagged with the “Anarchy” sign, many extras were printed, and around 50 were signed. It was released on two different types of paper.

Auction Market Overview

BANKSY (b. 1974)
Rude Copper (unsigned), 2002
Screenprint on wove paper
Stamped with the BANKSY tag in red ink and numbered 52/250 in pencil

2024 Auction Results

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Christie’s online: 26 March 2024
Estimated: GBP 12,000 – 18,000
GBP 15,120 / USD 19,176

BANKSY
Rude Copper (unsigned), 2003
Screenprint in black on wove paper
Stamped with the BANKSY tag in red ink
Numbered 212/250 in pencil (only a few impressions from the total edition of 250 were signed)

Roseberys London: 5 March 2024
Estimated: GBP 12,000 – 15,000
GBP 18,368 / USD 23,348

BANKSY (British b.1974)
Rude Copper (unsigned), 2002
Screenprint on wove
Numbered 240/250 in pencil

Forum Auctions: 30 January 2024
Estimated: GBP 15,000 – 20,000
GBP 15,000 / USD 19,023 (HAMMER)
GBP 20,100 / USD 25,491

BANKSY (b.1974)
Rude Copper (unsigned), 2002
Screenprint in black
Stamped with the red Banksy tag, inscribed ‘DN’ and numbered from the edition of 250 in pencil

2023 Auction Results

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Sotheby’s online: 20 April 2023
Estimated: GBP 18,000 – 25,000
GBP 22,860 / USD 28,457

BANKSY
Rude Copper (unsigned), 2002
Screenprint on wove paper
Numbered 58/250 in pencil lower right
Stamped with the BANKSY tag in red ink, lower right

2022 Auction Results

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Sotheby’s online: 26 April 2022
Estimated: GBP 20,000 – 30,000
GBP 40,320 / USD 50,803

BANKSY
Rude Copper (unsigned), 2002
Screenprint on wove paper
Numbered 156/250 in blue pen, lower right
Stamped with the BANKSY tag in red ink, lower right

Roseberys London: 8 March 2022
Estimated: GBP 20,000 – 30,000
GBP 34,840 / USD 47,382

BANKSY
Rude Copper (unsigned), 2002
Screenprint on wove paper
Numbered XXX/250 in blue pen, lower right
Stamped with the BANKSY tag in red ink, lower right

2021 Auction Results

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Sotheby’s online: 18 March 2021
Estimated: GBP 12,000 – 18,000
GBP 47,880 / USD 66,655

BANKSY (b. 1974)
Rude Copper (unsigned), 2002
Screenprint on wove paper
Numbered 170/250, stamped with the BANKSY tag in red ink

Forum Auctions: 10 June 2021
Estimated: GBP 20,000 – 30,000
GBP 34,000 (Hammer)
GBP 45,560 / USD 64,695

BANKSY (b.1974)
Rude Copper (unsigned), 2002
Screenprint in black on wove paper
Stamped with the red Banksy tag, numbered from the edition of 250 in pencil

2020 Auction Results

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Forum Auctions: 27 October 2020
Estimated: GBP 25,000 – 35,000
GBP 46,000 (Hammer)
GBP 61,640 / USD 81,365
AUCTION RECORD FOR RUDE COPPER (UNSIGNED)

BANKSY (b.1974)
Rude Copper (unsigned), 2002
Screenprint in black on wove paper
Stamped Banksy in red ink as issued, numbered from the edition of 250 in pencil

Bonhams London: 18 June 2020
Estimated: GBP 8,000 – 12,000
GBP 30,062 / USD 37,170

BANKSY (British, b. 1975)

Rude Copper (unsigned), 2002
Screenprint in black on thin wove
Numbered 137/250 in pencil, with the artist’s stamp in red ink

Sotheby’s online: 26 March 2020
Estimated: GBP 8,000 – 12,000
GBP 27,500 / USD 33,335

BANKSY (b.1974)
RUDE COPPER (unsigned), 2002
Screenprint on wove paper
Numbered 161/250

 

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Rude Copper (signed)

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2025 Auction Results

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Christie’s London: 30 September 2025
Estimated: GBP 30,000 – 50,000
GBP 50,800 / USD 68,275 

BANKSY
Rude Copper (signed), 2003
Screenprint in black on wove paper
Signed in black ink, with the BANKSY tag in red ink
Numbered 211/250 in pencil
(only a few impressions from the total edition of 250 were signed)

2024 Auction Results

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Tate Ward Auctions: 20 March 2024
Estimated: GBP 40,000 – 60,000
GBP 50,000 / USD 63,410

BANKSY (British 1974-)
Rude Copper (signed), 2002
Screenprint on wove paper
Signed and numbered 220/250 in pencil

Bonhams LA: 1 March 2024
Estimated: USD 70,000 – 100,000
GBP 70,340 / USD 89,400

BANKSY (B. 1974)

Rude Copper, 2002
Screenprint and spray paint on paper
Signed and numbered ’10/100 Banksy’ (lower right)

2023 Auction Results

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NO SALE AT AUCTION IN 2023

2022 Auction Results

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NO SALE AT AUCTION IN 2022

2021 Auction Results

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Bonhams London: 15 October 2021
Estimated: GBP 100,000 – 150,000
GBP 112,750 / USD 155,049

BANKSY
Rude Copper (signed), 2002
Screenprint on wove paper
Signed in black pen, lower right
Numbered 12 in black pen, lower right

2020 Auction Results

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Forum Auctions: 4 September 2020
Estimated: GBP 100,000 – 150,000
GBP 125,000 (Hammer)
GBP 167,500 / USD 221,100
AUCTION RECORD FOR RUDE COPPER (SIGNED)

BANKSY (b.1974)
Rude Copper (signed), 2002
Screenprint in black with unique spray paint in yellow on wove paper
Signed and numbered 2/250 in black ink, stamped with the red Banksy tag as issued

Forum Auctions: 21 January 2020
Estimated: GBP 70,000 – 90,000
GBP 75,000 (Hammer)
GBP 100,500 / USD 131,115

BANKSY (b.1974)
Rude Copper (signed), 2002
Screenprint in black with unique spray paint in grey on wove paper
Signed and numbered 1/250 in black ink, stamped with the red Banksy tag as issued

 

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Rude Copper (Hand-finished)

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Digard Paris: 2 December 2024
Estimated: EUR 60,000 – 100,000
EUR 78,000 / USD 81,780

BANKSY (British, b. 1975)
Rude Copper (Green), 2003
Spray paint and silkscreen on paper
Unique outside the edition

Phillips London: 13 July 2023
Estimated: GBP 60,000 – 80,000
GBP 60,890 / USD 79,821

BANKSY
Rude Copper (unsigned), 2003
Screen-print with unique spray paint on paper

Digard Auctions: 10 May 2022
Estimated: EUR 60,000 – 100,000
EUR 182,000 / GBP 158,340 / USD 192,255

BANKSY
Rude Copper (Hand-Finished), 2002
Screen-print with unique spray-paint in red
Stamped with the BANKSY tag in red ink, lower right

Artnet Auctions: 24 November 2020
Estimated: USD 100,000 – 150,000
USD 215,820 / GBP 160,000

BANKSY  (British, b. 1974)
Rude Copper, 2002
Screenprint with spray paint in background (orange) and subject (black) on wove paper

Forum Auctions: 12 December 2017
BANKSY NYC
Estimated: USD 20,000 – 30,000
USD 34,000 (Hammer)
USD 45,015

BANKSY
Rude Copper (Anarchy), 2002
Screenprint in black with unique spray paint in grey
Numbered 134/250 in pencil
Stamped with the BANKSY tag in red ink, lower right

Christie’s London: 7 December 2011
Estimated: GBP 2,000 – 3,000
GBP 10,000 / USD 15,685

BANKSY (B.1974)
Rude Copper (Anarchy), 2002
Screenprint with unique yellow spray painting on wove paper
Signed and numbered 224/250 in black ink
with Banksy tag