Classic car auctions surge
Art and classic car auctions topped more than $600 million in March despite geopolitical headwinds, showing collectors are still spending big report. Notably, music memorabilia made headlines too — David Gilmour’s ‘Black Strat’ smashed guitar auction records at $14.5M this month sale.
Hagerty’s post‑sale tally shows the March classic‑car slate set a new seasonal record, with total sales across Broad Arrow Amelia Island, Gooding Christie’s Amelia Island and RM Sotheby’s Miami listed at $255.9 million and the week’s top car, a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider, selling for $16.5 million. (hagerty.com) Broad Arrow’s Amelia Island program alone was reported to have generated roughly $107 million in March, with multiple model‑level records including a 1972 Lamborghini Miura SV that hammered for $6.7 million. (classic-car-auctions.info) Christie’s March sale of the late Jim Irsay’s collection on March 12 sold all 44 lots for a day‑one total of $84,091,350 and produced more than 20 individual auction records for guitars and rock memorabilia. (guitarworld.com) Christie’s highlights included Jerry Garcia’s custom “Tiger” at $11.56 million, and notes that Irsay had originally purchased the Black Strat at Christie’s in 2019 for a reported $5.245 million before consigning it in 2026. (rollingstone.com) Market commentary from Bank of America’s Drew Watson and others tied the flurry of high‑end buying in March to heightened volatility in oil and equity markets after the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East, with auction houses reporting strong international bidding across London and Florida sales. (cnbc.com)
