Rating and value of Hermès Birkin bags

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

Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your bag, and provide you with a precise estimate of its value on the current market.

Then, if you want to sell your bag, we'll point you in the right direction to get the best possible price. The price of a bag can vary according to the year, the leather, the edition (limited or not), the stones and metals used.

Rating and value of a Birkin by Hermès

Today, Birkins from Hermès are the most expensive and famous in the world.

Their success is well established. The price at which they sell on the art and auction markets ranges from €500 to €330,000, a considerable delta but one that speaks volumes about the value that can be attributed to your Hermès bags.

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

Order of value from classic to most popular bag

Reasons to auction a Birkin

The Birkin is a timeless bag, always in demand on the auction market. Buyers are prepared to pay unprecedented sums, as the house has made the it bag a rare object that is almost impossible to obtain new. At Hermès, you have to wait at least five years to hope to own this much sought-after bag one day.

Take into account its condition, its originality, the materials from which it was made (ostrich leather, calfskin, aligator, canvas), and whether or not it's a limited edition.

Rock collections are back among the most popular bags, as the nineties (90s) trend once again invaded the catwalks at Paris Fashion Week.

However, the rarest and most sought-after are the Aligator Birkins, which require a more expensive raw material that is harder to find and handle.

Lizard Birkins are also very rare, even if they're a little less expensive, closely followed by ostrich Birkins.

Why choose this route to sell your bag?

Auctions are a solution to consider when selling your Birkin, to gain time, visibility, potential buyers and, above all, high-ranking expertise.

Your Birkin bag is in the hands of qualified auctioneers andseasoned experts, who are committed to showcasing your Birkin in our sales specially dedicated to fashion.

Able to explain market trends and advise you on the right time to put your bag up for sale, they will advise and guide you to ensure you get the best price.

The most famous it bags

The story of Le Birkin d'Hermès begins in 1980, on a flight from Paris to London. Jane Birkin, traveling with her daughter Lou Doillon, complained on the plane that her handbag was not practical for storing her baby's bottles.

Jean-Louis Dumas, a passenger in the seat next to her, hears her complaint about the lack of pockets on Hermès bags. He designed his ideal bag on a paper napkin, and worked on the project with the singer for four years.

In 1984, the first Birkin was born, a gift from the company to Jane. It soon became a fashion icon in its own right.

One of the actress's Birkins was resold in 2021 for charity by Bonhams in London, achieving a record sum, proof of the craze for the bag today.

Since Hermès uses the marketing tool of rarity, it's hard to get a new Birkin, especially as the value of the piece increases by around 14% every year.

That's why the auction market is an increasingly popular way to buy and sell this collector's bag.

Find out more about how Birkin is made

A small symbol that can increase the price of your bag

Depending on whether your Birkin model is a limited edition, a custom order, a gift from the house, and many other reasons, Hermès applies a mark to the leather.

This can be a horseshoe, a colon, a dash - which can, if the bag is properly appraised, increase the resale price of the bag as it will be considered even rarer.

Here's an example:

Timeless effervescence

Hermès bags are so popular today because they are timeless, practical and elegant.

They are highly prized by buyers prepared to spend a lot of money on them, as they are luxury bags with no visible inscription or logo that could 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. Other brands don't put so much effort into the choice of materials and the assembly process.

Limited editions such as the Birkin All Black, the Crocodile Nilotocus Himalaya, the Birkin Sellier Faubourg, the Birkin Rock and the Birkin Shadow set absolute auction records.

They're all the more popular with buyers as it's almost impossible to get one of these bags in-store, as access is even more limited than for classic bags.

Recognizing an authentic Hermès bag

The counterfeit market is increasingly strong, manufacturing a variety of bags and passing them off as luxury items. On online platforms, the resale of these items continues to grow, and many customers are being tricked.

That's why, even if there are techniques for recognizing a genuine bag, such as looking at the seams, whether the bag stands up when you put it down (a Brikin, for example, even in poor condition, will stand up), the typography of the signature and the spacing of the letters, the metalized parts, or the inscription of the serial number inside, expertise is essential.

Know the true value of your bag

If you happen to own a Brikin d'Hermès, or think you might, don't hesitate to request a free evaluation using the form on our website.

A member of our team of experts and certified auctioneers will contact you promptly to provide you with an estimate of the market value of your bag, as well as any relevant information about it.

If you want to sell your property, our specialists will also help you find alternatives to sell it at the best possible price, taking into account market trends.