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Scottsdale (Arizona) – The First Classic Car Auctions of the Year

The Scottsdale and Phoenix collector cars sales in Arizona are the first major classic car auctions each year. Several auction houses, including Barrett-Jackson, Bonhams, Gooding, and RM Sotheby’s participate in this weeklong event that usually sees well over 3,000 cars on offer.

Current Scottsdale Record Holder: 1937 Mercedes Benz 54o K Spezial Roadster sold for $9,900,000 at RM Sotheby's Arizona 2016 sale
Current Scottsdale Record Holder: 1937 Mercedes Benz 54o K Spezial Roadster sold for $9,900,000 at RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2016 sale – Darin Schnabel ©2015 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The first significant collectors’ car auctions of the year are held each mid-January in Scottsdale, Arizona. This weeklong commercial event currently have all major classic car auctioneers competing (except Mecum, which usually starts selling at Kissimmee, Florida, a week or two earlier). RM Auctions, Gooding & Co, Bonhams, and Barrett Jackson regularly achieve over a million dollars on select vehicles but many other smaller auctioneers also participate covering cars in all price classes.

See Scottsdale, Arizona articles for the latest announcement and results. In 2021, most auctioneers will have online auctions with only limited onsite bidding. Barrett-Jackson postponed its sales to late March 2021.

Scottsdale Classic Car Auctions

1964 Ferrari 250 LM side profile
The previous Scottsdale-Arizona record holder: a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM sold for $9,625,000 by RM Auctions in 2015 – © 2015 Darin Schnabel, Courtesy of RM Auctions
Sterling-Moss-Mercedes-300-SL-Gullwing in Arizona 2014
Photo: Barrett Jackson

The annual January classic and collectors’ car auctions in Arizona are generally referred to as Scottsdale, even though many of the sales are in adjacent Phoenix, Arizona. It is the first major classic car event of the year and one of the biggest.

In contrast to many other classic car auction events, the Scottsdale week has purely commercial origins. The auctions have been an annual event since the 1970s but the first Arizona Concours d’Elegance was only held in 2014 but cancelled from 2018 as not commercially viable

Scottsdale, Arizona Classic Car Auction Results

1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix
1925 Bugatti Type 35 Grand Prix © Gooding

The Scottsdale week is big. The combined number of cars on offer at the various auction houses often exceeds 3,000. Although only a small number achieves over a million dollars, the Scottsdale auction week is only second to the Monterey Motor Week in August, where most of the top cars in the world are sold.

In 2020, a relatively week year, Barrett-Jackson earned nearly $130 million from 1900 vehicles sold, plus $7.65 million raised for charity. Gooding earned $35,867,560 while RM Sotheby’s earned $30.4 million.

Results for Auction Houses at Scottsdale 2019 and 2018

Hagerty reported to following numbers for the various Scottsdale, Arizona collector car auctions in 2019 and 2018:

Auction HouseScottsdale Total*Barrett-JacksonBonhamsGoodingRM Sotheby’s
Earning 2019 ($ million)250.9126.416.148.136.8
Earning 2018 ($ million)247.8112.325.249.236.0
Earnings 2017 ($ million)259.8101.036.333.353.7
Cars Sold / Offered 20192660 / 32941817 / 1818108 / 120105 / 124129 / 154
Cars Sold / Offered 20182668 / 31761709 / 172994 / 108110 / 129110 / 127
Cars Sold / Offered 20172899 / 34861703 / 171186 / 105105 / 125142 / 159
Sell-Through % 20198199.9908584
Sell-Through % 20188499878587
Sell-Through % 201783100828489
Average $ 201992,95269,571149,070458,458285,448
Average $ 201892,88765,692267,649447,415327,641
Average $ 201789,60159,323422,376317,492378,248
Million $ Cars 2019**235396
Million $ Cars 20183357129
Million $ Cars 20173527915

* Scottsdale total also include results from Russo and Steele, Worldwide Auctioneers and Silver.
** Include post-hammer deals announced in first published results.

Scottsdale Classic Car Auction Record Holders

The auction record for Scottsdale / Arizona is $9,900,000 achieved by a 1937 Mercedes Benz 540 K Special Roadster by Sindelfingen at the RM Sotheby's Arizona 2016 auction.
1937 Mercedes Benz 540 K Special Roadster – Darin Schnabel ©2015 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The auction record for Scottsdale / Arizona is $9,900,000 achieved by a 1937 Mercedes Benz 540 K Special Roadster by Sindelfingen at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2016 auction.

The Mercedes-Benz increased the Scottsdale record from the $9,625,000 paid for a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM sold at the 2015 RM Auctions Arizona sale. This car broke the previous record $9,405,000 set only a day earlier for a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Competizione at the 2015 Bonhams Scottsdale classic car auction and the $8,800,000 achieved for a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider by Scaglietti at the RM Auctions’ Arizona sale in 2014.

Results Achieved at Previous Scottsdale / Arizona Auctions

Red 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider sold at Scottsdale 2014
A 1958 Ferrari 250 GT achieved $8,800,000 at the RM Auction 2014 Arizona sale – Photo: Patrick Ernzen ©2013 Courtesy of RM Auctions

Scottsdale and Arizona Car Auctions 2021

Scottsdale & Arizona Auctions 2021

Many auction houses have sales (live, online, or a combination) during the annual Scottsdale week in mid-January (and end March 2021), including amongst others:

  • Barett-Jackson: Postponed until the week of 22 March 2021 in Scottsdale, Arizona — live auction.
  • Bonhams: 21 January 2021 in Scottsdale, Arizona — live auction.
  • Gooding & Company: 22 January 2021 — online only.
  • RM Sotheby’s: 22 January 2021 in Scottsdale, Arizona — live auction.
  • Russo and Steele: 23 January 2021 in Scottsdale, live but private event with restricted admission.
  • Worldwide Auctioneers: 23 January 2021 in Auburn, Indiana (but keeping the Scottsdale auction name!)

Scottsdale & Arizona Sales 2021 — Auction Results

Scottsdale & Arizona Sales 2021 — Auction Previews

Scottsdale & Arizona Sales 2021 — Pre-Auction Announcements:

Scottsdale & Arizona Sales 2020 – Auction Results

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