Mecum Houston Collector Car Auction Achieves $37m

Mecum Auctions’ 12th annual Houston, Texas, collector car auction wrapped on April 15, spanning three days and filling the NRG Center with more than 1,000 vehicles for sale. At the end of the event, 77% of the lots on offer changed hands, with overall total sales reaching $37m.

*1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback (Lot S131) sold at $324,500*. *Image: Mecum*

The 2023 auction featured several private collection offerings and was highlighted by the Horton Museum Collection of more than 100 museum-displayed collector cars. The assemblage saw 105 vehicles hammer sold for a total exceeding $9m. Several cars from the collection became top sellers, with strong individual sale prices a common theme among the diverse group. The collection’s 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback (Lot S131) became the high seller in Houston at $324,500, and seven other slots in the top 10 sellers list were also claimed by Horton Museum offerings — all seven of which were iconic American classics ranging from muscle cars to Mopars, Corvettes and ‘50s favorites.

*1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Hardtop (Lot S185) sold at $275,000. Image: Mecum*

The Bill Barker Estate Collection was another well-received assemblage in Houston, and all 26 of the vehicles in the offering hammered sold for an aggregate of more than $1.32m. The high sale of the group went to a 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z /28 (Lot S56.1) that sold for $112,750. Frank Tsuru’s nine-car collection also sold in its entirety, bringing $793,650 overall, led by a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe (Lot S164) that brought $140,250 and a 1960 Porsche 356 Roadster (Lot S165) that sold for $115,500.