The third time was not really a charm for Mecum Auctions when it came to selling collector cars in Las Vegas. After exceeding $22 million in sales in each of its first two visits, the auction company posted only $17.7 million in sales at its recent event in the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The top sale of the event was the $159,500 paid for a 1959 Chevrolet Corvette convertible built on a custom chassis and with a new LS3 engine.
Mecum said 542 vehicles went to new owners with the auction posting a 70 percent sell-through rate.
Four private collections on the auction docket did perform very well, Mecum said in its post-auction news release. All seven cars in the California Collection sold, for a combined $367,400; 10 of the 11 cars in the Robert Thomas TA Collection of Pontiac Trans Ams brought $328,350; all 12 of the cars in the Glen Richardson Collection sold, for $453,200; and the 16-car Nashville Collection brought $521,950, again with all of the cars selling.
Among items of automobilia that Mecum terms “Road Art,” the top sales were a Buick Sales and Service tin channel neon sign that brought $47,200 and a double-sided porcelain 1950s Sandman Motel neon sign with arrow that sold for $22,420.
Mecum did not report on its inaugural Mecum Presents Guitar Search by Domino offerings of vintage guitars.
Top 10 sales, Mecum Las Vegas 2019
- 1959 Chevrolet Corvette convertible, $159,500
- 1967 Ford Mustang fastback Eleanor tribute, $134,750
- 1957 Ford Thunderbird F-Code, $133,100
- 1967 Shelby GT500 fastback, $132,000
- 1967 Chevrolet SS 427, $118,250
- 1994 Porsche 911 Speedster, $115,500
- 1970 Chevrolet El Camino LS6, $115,500
- 1960 Chevrolet Impala resto-mod, $115,500
- 1966 Chevrolet Corvette coupe, $115,500
- 1970 Plymouth Barracuda convertible, $110,000
(Prices reported include buyer’s fee.)
Since the Las Vegas auction, Mecum has staged its annual Chicago sale in Schaumburg, Illinois, and concludes its 2019 collector car auction year December 5-7 in Kansas City.
