It was early afternoon on October 24, 2021, when a bidder paid USD 1,472,000 for a pair of worn sneakers at the RM/Sotheby's "Icons of Excellence & Haute Luxury" auction in Las Vegas. They were of course no ordinary "sneakers", the two shoes made of leather, rubber and cotton in American size 13 had been used by Michael Jordon in 1984.
The sneakers went under the hammer together with other products with iconic status, such as jewelry, watches, handbags, cars and a motorcycle.
The nine vehicles auctioned represented a combined estimated value of USD 4.3 million. Only the motorcycle was offered without a reserve price.
The Husqvarna 400 Cross from 1970 had once belonged to Steve McQueen's production company and went to a new owner for USD 92,500.
Real icons?
The eight cars came from Ferrari (2), Mercedes-Benz (2), Porsche, Ford, Shelby and Volkswagen. The selection seemed a little arbitrary, as one could certainly have imagined even more legendary vehicles with a higher status, such as a Lamborghini Miura, a Jaguar E-Type or a Duesenberg Model J.
However, with an average value of USD 475,000, the price was somewhat lower, even though the cars included a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster from 1960. This was bid up to USD 860,000, but this was not enough to sell, as the consignor had probably expected significantly more (estimated value USD 1 to 1.2 million).
Ford GT and VW Beetle Cabriolet
In addition to the Husqvarna, the VW Beetle Cabriolet from 1960, which was extensively restored in 2001, was finally sold for USD 50,400.
The new owner paid USD 522,000 for a Gulf-colored Ford GT Heritage from 2006.
Two thirds not sold
On average, the highest bids amounted to 81% of the average estimate. However, this was only enough to sell three vehicles, the other six remained unsold.
The Porsche 356 Pre-A Speedster from 1954 achieved a top bid of USD 450,000.
The Ferrari 512 BBi from 1984, which has only covered a good 20,000 miles to date and comes in a true-to-original color combination, attracted a bid of USD 300,000.
The once silver-colored and now black Ferrari 330 GTC from 1967 with Ferrari Classique certificate did not exceed USD 560,000.
The worst performer was the 1965 Shelby Cobra 427 S/C (CSX 4428) built by Kirkham Motorsports in the 1990s, for which no one wanted to bid more than USD 260,000, while a current Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series achieved a top bid of USD 480,000.
Handbags or super classics?
For the equivalent of a few handbags, you could have bought a beautiful Ferrari in Las Vegas. For some enthusiasts, the choice would probably have been easy, but for the bidders on October 24, 2021, handbags, sneakers and watches were clearly more attractive than cars.
Offered and Sold Vehicles
The following table lists all offered and sold vehicles with estimated prices, highest bids, and sale prices. The price conversion was made at the exchange rate valid on the auction day. All information is provided without guarantee.
| Lot | Car | Year | USD Est from | USD Est to | USD HP | USD SP | CHF SP | EUR SP | % Est | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05 | Porsche 356 Pre-A Speedster | 1954 | 500'000 | 600'000 | 450'000 | N | ||||
| 17 | Ferrari 512 BBi | 1984 | 325'000 | 400'000 | 300'000 | N | ||||
| 26 | Husqvarna 400 Cross | 1970 | 90'000 | 120'000 | 85'000 | 92'500 | 85'100 | 79'550 | -11.9%
|
V |
| 32 | Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series | 2021 | 525'000 | 625'000 | 480'000 | N | ||||
| 41 | Ford GT Heritage | 2006 | 450'000 | 550'000 | 470'000 | 522'000 | 480'240 | 448'920 | +4.4%
|
V |
| 47 | Ferrari 330 GTC | 1967 | 600'000 | 700'000 | 560'000 | N | ||||
| 53 | Shelby 427 S/C Cobra "CSX 4428" | 1965 | 350'000 | 400'000 | 260'000 | N |
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All information is provided without guarantee.
Legend: Column S = Status (V = Sold, N = Not sold, Z = Withdrawn, U = Under reserve)
Est = Estimate, HP = Hammer Price, SP = Sale Price
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