MARENGO, Ill. – It was standing room only for Mecum’s first Dallas, Texas auction, where more than 10,000 attendees came out to the Dallas Convention Center to watch the event live Oct. 6-8, 2011.
Mecum offered 645 cars during the three-day auction, achieving a 77% sell-through rate. Total sales surpassed $20.5 million, which encompasses total hammer sales of more than $19 million plus Mecum’s low 6% buyer’s premium on vehicles. The top seller was a 1969 Corvette L88 Coupe with Bloomington Gold SURVIVOR® status, which hammered for $562,500 after an exciting bidding battle.
The Operation Mend Camaro – a 2011 Camaro convertible customized with a blend of camouflage colors by West Coast Customs® – was the event’s second highest seller. With the audience standing as the car rolled onto the auction block, Mecum hammered the Camaro sold for $333,000. An additional $13,000 cash was raised by the audience, along with $10,000 donations from both Tom Abrams of Reliable Carriers and Ray Claridge of Cinema Vehicle Services.
A total amount of $366,000 was raised at the auction for Operation Mend, a partnership between Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, and the Veterans Administration-Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System established to help treat U.S. military personnel severely wounded during service in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“The excitement and enthusiasm expressed by everyone who participated was very positive,” said President Dana Mecum. “We had nearly 3,000 registered bidders, more than 1,200 of which were attending a Mecum Auction for the very first time! We set out to serve our customers by bringing the Mecum experience to the Texas market, and we did just that. With over 75% of our cars selling on the block, buyers were happy, sellers were happy, and it all made great entertainment for our spectators.”
Mecum will offer 750 collector cars at its upcoming Kansas City Auction Dec. 1-3, 2011, which will be broadcast live on “Mecum Auto Auction: Muscle Cars & More” on Discovery’s new network Velocity (formerly HD Theater). To consign a vehicle or pre-register to bid, visit www.Mecum.com or call 815.568.8888.