New York, 24 June 2026 - Phillips has announced results for the AMERICA 250, A Dedicated Chapter of the Auction Celebrating the Country’s 250th Anniversary which sold 100% by Lot, led by Roy Lichtenstein’s I Love Liberty.

The sale total was $1,444,026 / £1,096,858 / €1,271,711 with competitive bidding driving strong results for Roy Lichtenstein, Damien Hirst, Alex Katz, Robert Rauschenberg, and Joel Mesler, among others.  

Kelly Troester and Cary Leibowitz, Deputy Chairpersons and Worldwide Co-Heads of Editions, said, “This afternoon’s sale opened with great enthusiasm for AMERICA 250, a dedicated section that brought together a dynamic group of works reflecting the complexity and richness of American visual culture in honor of the country’s 250th anniversary. We were thrilled to see such strong engagement from collectors, with the section achieving a 100% sell-through rate, led by Roy Lichtenstein’s I Love Liberty, which realized more than five times its estimate to lead the sale,  and Robert Rauschenberg’s Signs, which achieved over four times its pre-sale expectations. Momentum continued with especially strong interest for the contemporary works in today’s auction. The selection of works by Damien Hirst saw solid results, led by The Souls on Jacob’s Ladder Take Their Flight at $122,550. Joel Mesler’s Untitled (Pool Party) drew fierce competition on the phones and online, nearly tripling its low estimate at $28,380. Overall, the sale reflected a vibrant start to the summer season, with 97% sold by value showed strong participation and spirited bidding underscoring the continued depth of demand across the editions market. We look forward to the fall season beginning in September with Editions auctions in London and October in New York.” 

Featured Image: 
Left: Roy Lichtenstein, I Love Liberty, 1982, Estimate: $40,000–60,000, Sold for $212,850
Right: Damien Hirst, The Souls on Jacob’s Ladder Take Their Flight, 2007, Estimate: $80,000–120,000, Sold for $122,550

(Press Release)