Mecum Chicago auction realizes $17.5 million in sales

(October 31, 2018) Mecum’s Chicago 2018 classic and collector car auction marked another in a long line of successful auctions that have shown huge growth with margins exceeding 30 percent from the previous year. With overall sales totals of $17.5 million, Mecum Chicago 2018 constituted a 38-percent increase over 2017 totals as 75 percent of all 896 vehicles offered hammered sold.

After a flurry of excited bidding among the auction’s packed house, the Chicago auction’s headlining offering also became its top seller as the 1979 Porsche 930 Turbo purchased new by NFL legend Walter Payton sold for $324,500.

The runner-up in top sales was a 1970 Plymouth Hemi Superbird that sold for $280,500, and the headlining Tom Jellison Collection of 58 vehicles sold in its entirety for nearly $2 million overall. Jellison’s 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG proved to be the top seller from his collection, and it rightfully claimed its place among the auction’s top sellers as well bringing $195,250.


1970 Plymouth Hemi Superbird

For the second year in a row, Friday of Mecum's Chicago auction celebrated a partnership with the Chicago Blackhawks. Renowned National Anthem singer Jim Cornelison opened the day with his signature delivery of the “Star Spangled Banner,” and hundreds of Blackhawks' fans decked out in team apparel received discounted admission to the auction and the opportunity to meet retired player and now-team-ambassador Chris Chelios during an on-site autograph session.

The complete top 10 collector-car sales at the Mecum Chicago 2018 auction include:

    1979 Porsche 930 Turbo at $324,500
    1970 Plymouth Hemi Superbird at $280,500
    2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG at $195,250
    1969 Chevrolet Yenko Camaro at $192,500
    1968 Shelby GT500KR Convertible at $165,000
    2017 Ford Mustang Petty's Garage at $165,000
    1968 Ford Mustang Fastback at $151,250
    2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon at $143,000
    1967 Ford Mustang Fastback at $126,500
    1956 Desoto Fireflite Convertible at $121,000