The Car of Your Movie Dreams

It’s playoff time, Collectors. 

For the eventual champions in the NHL and NBA, that will mean prized collectibles worth holding onto for a lifetime. For everyone else… your playoff merch will fall into a wide category of forgotten collectible curios. By the way, what happens to championship apparel for teams that lose the big game?

Since 2015, Good360 and World Vision have been contracted by each of the “big four” leagues to distribute unreleased merchandise to people in need. So if you’re hurting after a big loss, feel some comfort knowing that the $60 shirt you were preparing to buy is now being used for a great cause.

However, teams have also mistakenly sold “winning” merchandise before playoff elimination. In 2008, the Patriots released “19-0” gear shortly before losing their nineteenth game – Super Bowl XLII – and remnants still pop up on eBay. And once in a blue moon, you might find a Jets fan at a New Jersey rest area wearing “2010 AFC Champion” gear. Oh, what could have been.

Now let’s get into it.

Collector’s Item

When you think about John Wayne, you probably imagine him riding a horse. But in 1973’s “McQ”, he famously took the wheel of a Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. A nearly-identical model sold Wednesday for $112,000 (check out the comments for some movie references) – blowing past previous ‘73 Firebird sales of different-colored models. This price tag had Hollywood imagery on its side.

That’s not to say vintage Firebirds are cheap – they normally run mid-five figures. Plus, this is an exceptional “collector-grade” model, showing only 250 miles. But the look of this model captures a certain public imagination. Who wouldn’t want to drive on the open road as The Duke?

This isn’t the first time a car’s price has skyrocketed due to movie resemblance. 1960s Aston Martin DB5s, made famous by Sean Connery’s James Bond, sell for over $1M. Comparable DB4s sell for half of that.

If you’re more of a Roger Moore fan, models of the 1977 Lotus Esprit, which Bond drove (and dove) in “The Spy Who Loved Me” have sold for over $500,000. Famously-ridiculed silver DeLoreans still net $100,000 – triple the price of red models – because Marty McFly accidentally hit 88 miles per hour in one.

Regardless of quality, all these cars have one thing in common: distinction. Remember Bumblebee in “Transformers”? Yellow is the best-selling color for Camaros and resells for 18% higher than other colors. Regardless of one’s taste, the Bumblebee image evoked by a yellow Camaro is undeniable. Unforgettable looks cater perfectly to fervent fanbases, and the money will usually follow.

Penny Thoughts

• NBA Top Shot saw one of its largest-ever sales on Wednesday. A 1/1 Victor Wembanyama highlight sold for $145,000, which also marks the second-highest sale of a Wemby collectible (the first being his NBA debut game-worn jersey). Is NBA Top Shot back, or is this sale more about Wemby Hype? Time will tell.

• You’ve probably collected signed balls, cards, or jerseys, but what about… household items? The Vegas Golden Knights auctioned off “My Favorite Things” baskets for charity, highlighting signed everyday items important to each of their players. Among a sea of golf balls and hats, baskets also included Old Dutch ketchup chips, nerf toys, spatulas, and Monopoly boards.

• A pair of sneakers Michael Jordan wore during his rookie season could garner $500,000 at an upcoming REA auction (put up for sale by a former Detroit Pistons ballboy). If you’re looking for an MJ item a bit more affordable (but definitely stranger), a Mantel user spotted a truly unique piece for sale: Jordan’s 1982 prom photo, bidding for $1,200. How much would it take for you to sell yours?

• We’ve gone in-depth on the bursting physical media market, and well, one of the space’s most coveted items was just discovered at – you guessed it – Goodwill, reminding us yet again how important it is to take a second look in those thrift-store bargain bins.

Last weekend, we stopped by Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville to learn more about collecting guitars, and a 1954 Stratocaster (selling for $250,000) and a 1954 Les Paul (selling for $230,000) caught our eye. They gave us all the scoop on those valuable models and more, which we discussed in our recent dive into the collectible guitar world.

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