Anyone who remembers 1976 can testify that the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence painted America red, white and blue with patriotic euphoria. In 2026, the country’s semiquincentennial (aka sestercentennial) will very likely bring a similar swell of national pride with fireworks, intense media coverage and inspiring museum exhibitions. All the hoopla, art experts say, will boost the value of Americana collectibles.
“Historically, important milestones for the country have given rise to a widespread excitement for all things American. With the Bicentennial in 1976, collectors clamored for Americana,” recalls Bill Rau, CEO and third-generation owner of M.S. Rau, an art and antiques dealer in New Orleans.
Most likely to increase in value the next few years, Rau predicts, are “items from America’s most popular historic figures—Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton and even Paul Revere, who was an impressive silversmith—as well as objects associated with wartime presidents like Roosevelt and Truman and to a lesser extent Woodrow Wilson. I recommend wealthy collectors begin doing their homework now.”
Advisors don’t have to be connoisseurs to give clients guidance about buying or selling precious pieces. But an understanding of the marketplace is essential, starting with its recent history for context.
“From 2000 to 2007 you saw a great uptick in the Americana market,” says John Hays, a deputy chair at Christie’s, the auction house, in New York. Then the financial crisis led to a slide that lingered a decade. “It took a long time to recover, but now we’re seeing the market move forward again,” Hays says.
Data bear that out. On May 12, Christie’s sold the smaller of two extant versions of Emanuel Leutze’s Washington Crossing the Delaware for $45,045,000. That was more than double the amount expected, and reflected an average annual compound increase of about 11.8% from the celebrated work’s previous sale 43 years ago at $370,000. “And Remington sculptures are on fire right now,” Hays adds, referring to the esteemed 19th century American West artist Frederic S. Remington.
Americana, like other collectible markets, is driven by sellers, not buyers or the economy, particularly at the high end, says Hays. “There is a very small supply of masterpieces and rare portraits in this field. So whether sellers are encouraged to put up [for sale] great things is important. It’s a pipeline driven market.”
Paths In
The players in the marketplace, both buyers and sellers, face advantages and challenges, and it’s important for advisors to outline these to their clients.
Auction houses let collectors bid in person at the events, by phone or online. In theory, an auction reveals an item’s true market value. The hammer price (or winning bid) shows the actual amount a buyer is willing to pay a willing seller.
But a problem for the buyer is not knowing the price up front. A case in point is the John Wilkes Booth reward poster that Dallas-based Heritage Auctions sold last year. “It was in great condition, two or three bidders really wanted it, and it set a world record. We got $275,000 for it. Normally these sell in the $60,000 to $80,000 range,” reports Curtis Lindner, director of the Americana Department at Heritage Auctions.
The winning bidder typically pays a buyer’s premium. It can top 20% for a mid-seven-figure object and come closer to 25% at lower prices. Sellers pay a commission that may be reduced or waived when offering an exceptional artifact.
Some wealthy collectors like to bid themselves for the thrill. Others engage an agent to bid for them, Lindner explains. Agents assess the desirability of available items, strategize with the collectors about how much to bid, then represent the collectors for a negotiated fee at the auction.