Buckhannon, West Virginia; December 14th, 2025.
Fur prices do not function like fuel, grain, or precious metals, and they do not change day by day. There is no posted board and no guaranteed rate; prices are discovered when buyers compete, either at international auction or through regional buying networks, and the value of any individual pelt is determined only when a buyer decides it is worth paying for. Understanding that structure is essential before looking at any numbers, because the figures that follow are averages and snapshots, not promises.
At the international level, fur is commonly sold through auction houses such as Fur Harvesters Auction. Trappers consign pelts rather than selling them outright; the auction house sorts and grades the fur, then presents it to buyers, who bid based on demand, fashion trends, and quality. The highest bid becomes the sale price, commissions are deducted, and proceeds are returned to the trapper. These auction results reflect wholesale international demand at a specific moment in time, and they often differ significantly from what trappers receive when selling locally.
Alongside auctions, many trappers sell to country buyers or at state and regional association sales. These buyers offer immediate payment, assume the risk themselves, and typically pay less than top auction prices; however, their offers reflect real cash in hand and local demand. State and regional market reports usually reflect these transactions rather than international auction outcomes, which is why Appalachian Post reports both.
International Auction Averages: Fur Harvesters Auction
Based on the most recent completed FHA U.S. results from June 2025, the following auction averages were reported in U.S. dollars. These figures represent international wholesale results, not local buyer offers.
Beaver averaged approximately 15.48 per pelt; muskrat averaged about 2.70; mink averaged near 12.00; otter averaged about 30.79; red fox varied by section, with eastern fox averaging roughly 14.55 and northern fox averaging about 18.50; gray fox averaged about 10.88; silver fox averaged roughly 37.68; cross fox averaged about 33.03; white fox averaged approximately 48.75; fisher averaged about 48.47; marten averaged near 66.85; lynx showed a clear split by origin, with Alaska lynx averaging approximately 169.93 and combined lynx averaging about 135.34; timber wolf averaged roughly 597.72 for black wolves; wolverine averaged about 407.16; badger averaged near 23.81; skunk averaged about 79.96; ermine averaged roughly 8.47; squirrel averaged about 1.11; opossum averaged approximately 0.45.
The Alaska listing for lynx is significant, because it demonstrates that buyers treat Alaska-origin fur as a distinct category, often commanding higher values than similar species from other regions.
Appalachian Regional Market Averages
For Appalachia, state-level auction data provides a clearer picture of what trappers are actually receiving locally. Based on published averages from a West Virginia fur auction, Appalachian regional prices showed the following approximate averages.
Beaver averaged 30.46; coyote averaged 6.53; raccoon averaged 3.45; muskrat averaged 3.43; mink averaged 7.34; red fox averaged 6.78; gray fox averaged 18.64; river otter averaged 35.23; bobcat averaged 58.88; fisher averaged 36.00; skunk averaged 17.72.
These numbers reflect real sales at a regional level, and they illustrate why local prices for common species often exceed international auction averages; buyers are sourcing for immediate resale, trim trade, or speculative holding, rather than competing in a global market.
Midwest Regional Market Averages
In the Midwest, where volume and buyer competition are typically higher, state association auction results show somewhat stronger averages for several species. Based on published Iowa auction results, weighted across sale categories where applicable, Midwest averages were approximately as follows.
Raccoon averaged 3.80; coyote averaged 9.20; muskrat averaged 1.73; mink averaged 10.87; bobcat averaged 56.63; skunk averaged 14.49; red fox averaged 11.66; badger averaged 25.00; river otter averaged 33.37.
These figures demonstrate a modest premium over Appalachian prices for certain species, reflecting higher volumes and more established regional buyer networks.
Alaska Market Averages
Alaska operates in a market tier of its own, driven by cold-climate fur density, limited supply, and strong buyer demand for specialty pelts. Based on Alaska Department of Fish and Game reporting that uses recent auction averages for valuation, Alaska prices showed the following approximate averages.
Beaver averaged 24.03; coyote averaged 24.08; fisher averaged 56.93; lynx averaged 306.18; marten averaged 56.19; mink averaged 13.40; muskrat averaged 2.35; red fox averaged 10.18; river otter averaged 32.49; wolf averaged 232.56; wolverine averaged 422.31.
These figures underscore why Alaska fur is often singled out at auction and why it commands consistent premiums when quality and timing align.
Other Regions: South, Southeast, and Pacific Coast
For the South, Southeast, and Pacific Coast, publicly available state-level average tables are limited or inconsistent. As a result, Appalachian Post does not assign precise regional averages for those areas. Instead, international auction regional sections indicate that southern and southeastern pelts generally track below Appalachian and Midwest averages for most common species, while Pacific Coast and western-origin pelts perform better when classified as western types, particularly for coyote and specialty species. Where state associations publish verified averages, those figures will be incorporated in future reports.
What These Prices Mean, and What They Do Not
All prices listed above are averages, not guarantees. They are snapshots of what sold at specific auctions or regional sales, during specific seasons, under specific buyer conditions. Individual results depend entirely on buyer response at auction, regional demand, timing, and, above all, pelt quality and handling. A poorly prepared pelt can sell far below average, while an exceptional pelt can exceed it substantially.
The fur market rewards preparation, patience, and realism; no publication, buyer, or auction house can promise returns in advance. For trappers, understanding how auctions work, how regional buyers operate, and where their fur fits in that system remains the most reliable way to make informed decisions.
Sources
Primary First-Hand Sources
• Fur Harvesters Auction, June 17th–19th, 2025 U.S. Results (jun25us.pdf)
• West Virginia Trappers Association, published fur auction averages
• Iowa Trappers Association, published 2025 fur auction results
• Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Alaska Trapper Report (average auction values)
Beginning this week, the Appalachian Post’s Sunday 6:00 p.m. slot will be dedicated to a rotating Trapper Spotlight, focusing on the skills, species, safety, markets, and realities of modern trapping. Rather than repeating static price updates, this series will move through a structured yearly cycle, highlighting one species or core trapping topic at a time, so readers can return each week for practical insight, context, and experience-based reporting that stays relevant season after season.
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