Auction Recap: Mecum Houston 2015
Mecum concluded its annual three-day sale at the NRG Center in Houston with a healthy $25,285,163 in total sales and a sell-through rate of almost 70 percent (645 lots sold of 934 on offer). While that was below the $33 million in sales at Mecum’s 2014 auction, the difference can be attributed in large part to the $7 million Ford GT prototype sold at Houston last year, as this year’s auction just didn’t have a comparable vehicle.
Despite the usual heavy presence of American muscle, the top 10 sales included a couple of newer exotics and a few prewar cars. Top sale was expected to go to the 1969 Dodge Hemi Daytona that crossed the block on Saturday, but the car was a no-sale at $625,000. Mecum sold another 4-speed Hemi Daytona in similar condition only a few months ago at Kissimmee for $900,000, but the difference between the two was that the car in Kissimmee had only 6,400 actual miles, while the car in Houston showed 46,407. The bidders in Florida were clearly willing to pay the premium for low miles, and it was something the car in Houston couldn’t match.
The Daytona was inevitably displayed at the front of the auction hall directly across from a blue 1970 Plymouth Hemi Superbird, leading to endless jokes of “do you want an orange one or a blue one?” The slightly less rare Superbird ended up selling for $480,000. A 2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition with 13 miles on it was the third-highest sale at $475,000 and actually brought several grand more than an identical car with just 2.7 miles that was sold by Auctions America in Fort Lauderdale last month.
Three prewar cars from the Tom Goodlett Collection broke into the top 10, including the auction’s top overall sale. The collection’s re-bodied 1932 Duesenberg sold for $500,000, a 1906 Packard S Touring did $300,000, and a 1910 Peerless Model 27 went for $275,000. And there was no shortage of great Mustangs in Houston this year. Two 1969 Boss 429 Fastbacks broke $200,000. Other notable sales on the lower end of the price spectrum included a 1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator at $38,000, a 1959 Lincoln Continental Landau for $21,000, and a somewhat shabby (but presentable) 1965 Austin Mini Traveler for only $9,500.
Mecum Houston Top 10:
- 1932 Duesenberg Model J Phaeton sold for $500,000
- 1970 Plymouth Hemi Superbird sold for $480,000
- 2006 Ford GT Heritage Edition sold for $475,000
- 1906 Packard S Touring sold for $300,000
- 1910 Peerless Model 27 sold for $275,000
- 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 sold for $262,500
- 1989 Porsche 911 Speedster sold for $225,000
- 1964 Chevrolet Corvette sold for $220,000
- 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 sold for $200,000
- 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Convertible sold for $180,000
Mecum’s next collector car auction is right around the corner, April 23-25 in Kansas City. The event will feature 700 cars.
