Nothing says luxury quite like a Birkin bag — look no further than their hefty price tags. Named after French actress Jane Birkin, the Hermès carryall was created in 1984 after Birkin told then-executive chairman Louis Dumas that she was in need of a purse suitable for young mothers.
Almost half a century later, Birkins are an enduring status symbol, with customers clamoring for increasingly rare variants of the leather tote. The bag has been immortalized in pop culture (most famously “Sex and the City”) and on the blockchain (rest in peace, MetaBirkin NFTs), while celebrities like Kris Jenner and Victoria Beckham count themselves as collectors.
With Hermès releasing their most prized purses in limited numbers, these one-of-a-kind pieces can fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction. Exotic skins, diamond hardware and unique designs only up the ante. Below, WWD lists some of the most expensive Birkin bags in the world.
$115,570
The Matte Alligator Birkin
The Matte Alligator Birkin 20.
Sotheby’s
This mint green matte alligator Birkin 20 with gold hardware was included in a 2023 Sotheby’s Hong Kong sale. The first of its kind to appear at auction, it fetched $115,570. Both crocodile and alligator skins are considered rare, but the former tends to be more expensive than the latter, at least as far as Birkins are concerned.
$137,500
The Ombré Birkin
The Ombré Birkin 25.
Sotheby’s
The Ombré Birkin was introduced in 2019. Crafted from ultra-rare Varanus salvator lizard skin, the bag comes adorned with palladium hardware and is lined with Parchemin chevre leather. While its retail price is between $40,000 and $80,000, the Ombré Birkin is worth almost double at auction. In 2020, Sotheby’s sold this purse for $137,500.
$139,230
The Metallic Birkin
The Metallic Silver Chèvre Birkin 25.
Sotheby’s
Released in 2005, limited-edition metallic Birkins were made in silver and bronze. Measuring 25 centimeters, they’re smaller than the typical Birkin, but they’ll still cost a pretty penny. A silver version with bronze detailing, sold by Sotheby’s in 2022, went for nearly $140,000.
$208,000
The So Black Birkin
The Matte Crocodile So Black Birkin 30.
Christie’s
Before Jean Paul Gaultier stepped down as creative director of Hermès in 2010, his final collection for the fashion house included a line of “So Black” handbags. This limited-edition matte niloticus crocodile 30 with PVD hardware fetched just over $200,000 when Christie’s auctioned it off in 2019.
$288,200
The Diamond Birkin
The Géranium Crocodile Diamond Birkin 35.
Christie’s
Birkins made with exotic skins are already considered rare, so it’s no surprise that a little bling increases the price tag. Crocodile diamond Birkins typically cost more than $200,000 on the resale market, with one of the most expensive being the Géranium 35, pictured above. Sold by Christie’s in 2018, the bag is crafted with porosus crocodile skin and includes 18-karat white gold and diamond hardware.
$400,000
The Faubourg Birkin
The Faubourg Neige Birkin.
Released in 2019, the Faubourg Birkin resembles an Hermès storefront. There are four shades of the coveted handbag, with the Neige or “Snow” colorway being the most valuable. Faubourgs have become among the most collectible Hermès bags, featuring both alligator and chèvre leather. Sotheby’s sold this rare 20-cm handbag with palladium hardware for $400,000 in 2022.
$450,000
The Himalaya Birkin
A Himalaya Diamond Birkin.
AFP via Getty Images
Sotheby’s sold a Himalaya Birkin 30 with diamond-encrusted white gold hardware for $450,000 in 2022. Made from niloticus crocodile skin, the highly coveted handbag features nine to 10 carats of stones. Named for their gradient pattern reminiscent of the snow-capped Himalaya mountains, even those without diamond hardware are considered some of the rarest — and most valuable — in the world.
$1.9 million
The Ginza Tanaka Birkin
The Ginza Tanaka Birkin.
AFP via Getty Images
Hermès collaborated with Japanese jeweler Ginza Tanaka in 2015 to create this $1.9 million platinum “Birkin.” It’s encrusted with 2,182 diamonds, including an 8-carat pear-shaped center piece.
$2 million
The Sac Bijou Birkin
The Sac Bijou Birkin.
Sotheby’s
Priced at $2 million, the Sac Bijou Birkin was released as part of Hermès’ Haute Bijouterie Collection in 2012. Designed by Pierre Hardy, the miniature handbag, intended to be worn as a bracelet, features over 2,000 diamonds set in rose gold. According to Sotheby’s, there are only three Sac Bijou Birkins in existence.
