CameraWorth.com

Kiev John Player Special

The Kiev John Player Special is a novelty Soviet-era rangefinder camera finished in the black-and-gold livery of the John Player Special cigarette brand. It is a 35mm film camera based on the Kiev rangefinder platform, sold as a collector's piece rather than a mainstream photographic tool.

At recent UK auction, hammer prices for the Kiev John Player Special have sat in the £350–£700 range, with a median around £650 based on three recorded sales. As of 2026, this remains a thinly traded collector item, so the price a given example sells for today is highly sensitive to cosmetic condition of the black-and-gold finish and to the presence of any original packaging.

I have one to sell

Sales History

Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.

Date Price Source
Jun 2023 EUR 650 Leitz Auction
Nov 2022 EUR 700 Leitz Auction
Nov 2018 EUR 650 Leitz Auction
Mar 2018 EUR 450 Leitz Auction
Nov 2016 EUR 380 Leitz Auction
May 2009 EUR 200 Leitz Auction
Nov 2006 EUR 350 Leitz Auction
Nov 2005 EUR 265 Leitz Auction

Other Kiev cameras