Warhol’s $32.6 Million ‘Dollar Bill’ Leads Sotheby’s Record Sale

Paintings of U.S. dollar bills that decorated the walls of Sotheby’s salesroom helped the auctioneer rake in 130.4 million pounds ($203.6 million) during its biggest contemporary art sale in London.

Although Wednesday’s uneven auction didn’t reach its target, the result was a 40 percent increase from the equivalent evening event a year ago. The 58-lot sale was led by Andy Warhol’s painting of a dollar bill that fetched 20.9 million pounds. But two Warhol silkscreens were among the nine unsold lots along with such market stalwarts as Francis Bacon and Gerhard Richter.