Not Ranked
JWheaton:
I suspect that their interest in having original cars on the block is that they would pull the continuation Shelbys up in price. These auction houses aren't stupid. They know what a lot of this stuff is going for on an "off auction" basis. To wit, one of the original FIA roadsters was sold privately a few months ago. This car had a Mile's provenance but it needs everything---stem to stern. More putty in the hood than metal--so I am told. It changed hands at $800,000+.
My point is that one unique original car like that could pull the CSX 4000 cars ahead by $20-$30K. If you can leverage off the original car's price, that just makes the auctioneer that much more $$$$ on the other replicas up for sale.
If I were the auction house, I would bring in a original car, set a big reserve, and "captive" bid it with my own people doing the bidding just to give that particular marque the hype that it needs. Whose to say that isn't already going on at some of these auctions?
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