2014 Monterey Auction Preview: Cars $100,000-$1 million

For those who haven’t kept a keen eye on the market during the past five years, this list of cars to watch in Monterey priced from $100,000 to $1 million should neatly sum it up. While most of these cars were worth six figures in 2009, they certainly weren’t getting the prices they are expected to achieve next week. In some cases, they have appreciated by more than 100 percent.

1961 Jaguar E-type SI 3.8L Flat Floor Convertible
RM Auctions, Lot 142
Estimate: $375,000-$450,000
Hagerty Price Guide: $87,200-$322,000
E-type prices have rebounded emphatically following a bit of a dip in 2009, with flat floor converts leading the way. This example has outside bonnet latches and welded louvers to tick all of the boxes, and is looking to be one of the few steel-bodied cars to crack the $400K mark.

1972 Nissan Skyline H/T 2000GT-R Hakosuka
RM Auctions, Lot 201
Estimate: $125,000-$175,000
Hagerty Price Guide: not listed
The first Skyline to hit a major collector car auction is emblematic of an emerging storyline. Will younger buyers care about Tri-Five Chevys or Shoebox Fords, or will they be more likely to chase after the cars that influenced their own teenage tastes? If you count the number of Japanese cars versus American chrome-and-fin cars at the three main catalog sales, you may have your answer (5 vs. 5, for the record). A very important car for several reasons.

1966 Porsche 911 Coupe
Gooding & Company, Lot 153
Estimate: $400,000-$500,000
Hagerty Price Guide: $62,700-$163,000
It is no secret that early 911s have been on a tear, more than doubling in value in the past five years. Likewise, it is well documented that unrestored originals fetch the highest prices at auction, often surpassing prices of freshly and expertly restored cars. Gooding combines both phenomena with this car, and the wide-eyed estimate illustrates how a final result can sometimes be far greater than the sum of its parts.

1969 Maserati Ghibli Spider
Bonhams, Lot 226
Estimate: $700,000-$900,000
Hagerty Price Guide: $291,000-$475,000
A lofty estimate for a non-SS spec Ghibli Spider, but this is a particularly handsome and rare car with a strong ownership history. The Ghibli Spider’s value trajectory over the past year has been increasingly skyward—nearly 50 percent over the past 12 months—so perhaps the listed amount is within reach.

1968 Chevrolet Corvette L88 Convertible
Mecum, Lot S147
Estimate: $750,000-$850,000
Hagerty Price Guide: $488,000-$820,000
No American car has performed better in the market over the past few years than the L88 Corvette, and no auction company has capitalized on that fact better than Mecum. Since the beginning of 2013 alone the company has run an L88 across the block 11 times, while only approximately 100 remain today. This particular example is colorfully nicknamed “Bounty Hunter” and has been recently restored. Most importantly, it reportedly carries with it a known and documented history, which is paramount with these cars. We expect big things on this one.