Auction Stats 
At the start of 2024, there was plenty of buzz—and not the good kind. Many speculated that a market “bust” was imminent, with predictions of a cooling trend hanging over the year like a dark cloud. Yet, as we look back, the numbers tell a more nuanced story.
Surprisingly, the market held its ground, staying remarkably close to 2023’s performance. Dollar Volume (DV) dipped by just 1%, while the number of cars listed and sold actually increased by 5%. Yes, average prices slid down by 7%, but the sell-through rate—essentially the ease of selling your car—remained steady (if not up slightly).
What does this tell us? Well, it’s a continuation of the story we told at the end of 2023: more cars are changing hands, but for slightly less cash. We'd call it a gentle cooling of the market, especially when it comes to prices. But now that we are 3 years post the pandemic price boom, this slowdown feels like a natural leveling out—not a big bubble burst.
Online vs Live Auctions
The real story comes to life when you compare live auctions to online ones. As we all remember, online auctions skyrocketed in popularity during the pandemic, transforming the market in ways no one could have predicted. Before 2020, live auctions stole the spotlight, but today, it’s impossible to review auction activity without diving into the impact of online platforms—they’ve become a cornerstone of the market.
In fact, online auction listings have been climbing year after year since the pandemic, showing no signs of slowing down. Meanwhile, live auction listings have remained almost eerily steady for the past three years. When we look at dollar volume, online auctions saw a bump this year, while live auctions experienced a slight dip. Let’s dive into the numbers!
| Year | Online | Live | Total Sold Listings |
| 2019 | 8,215 | 21,631 | 29,846 |
| 2020 | 14,485 | 16,395 | 30,880 |
| 2021 | 29,582 | 21,404 | 50,986 |
| 2022 | 39,283 | 24,831 | 64,114 |
| 2023 | 42,247 | 24,720 | 66,967 |
| 2024 | 46,900 | 24,736 | 71,636 |
When it comes to Dollar Volume, the overall total decreased by a modest 1% over the year. However, if we zoom in on the types of auctions, we see a clearer picture of the industry’s shifting dynamics. Live auctions have experienced a sharper decline in Dollar Volume, down 5% annually since 2022, despite sales in terms of listings remaining virtually unchanged (less than 1% variation per year). This indicates that the average sale prices at live events are declining. While average prices at online auctions have also decreased, the decline is less pronounced compared to live auctions.
| Year | Online | Live | Total Dollar Volume |
| 2019 | $256,512,293 | $1,507,430,480 | $1,763,942,773 |
| 2020 | $536,961,002 | $1,104,926,007 | $1,641,887,009 |
| 2021 | $1,343,510,500 | $1,597,027,906 | $2,940,538,406 |
| 2022 | $1,887,618,968 | $2,438,908,145 | $4,326,527,113 |
| 2023 | $1,876,972,246 | $2,310,774,332 | $4,187,746,578 |
| 2024 | $1,954,710,330 | $2,186,628,655 | $4,141,338,985 |
So, what’s the trade-off with online auctions? There’s been a clear rise in lower-quality cars making their way onto these platforms. Some might say the standards have been relaxed a bit to fuel the growth. More budget-friendly (and occasionally less refined) vehicles are flooding the online space, which has nudged the overall averages down. Meanwhile, top-tier blue-chip cars still dominate the live auction scene. Sure, we’re seeing some impressive 6-figure sales online, but live auctions continue to reign supreme for the most valuable vehicles. It’s not bad news, though—it’s just a sign of a shifting market, offering more variety for every type of buyer and seller.
Top Sales
Mecum landed the highest-grossing car of the year, while RM Sotheby’s secured six spots in the Top 10. The highest online sale came in at #14 on the list – with SBX claiming a $6M sale of a 2015 Lamborghini Veneno Roadster.
Dig into the details of the Top Sales of 2024 >
Trending Markets
These numbers are just the broad strokes, the 10,000-foot view. The reality is, the specialty car market is like a patchwork quilt—lots of little segments, each with its own vibe. Some areas might be cooling, sure, but others are still buzzing. If you’re buying or selling, it’s worth zooming in to see what’s really happening in your specific corner of the market.
Dig into the Trending Markets of 2024 >
What's next for 2025?
By no means do we have a crystal ball, but what we do know is:
- Online auctions are here to stay. The seasonality of the classic and exotic car market before 2020 was led very heavily by the auction schedule. Now, we are seeing more sales every week, especially in the mid and lower tiers. The landscape of the market will continue to shift, and we'll see more online auctions entering the space, and innovations from some of the original players.
- New classics and affordable enthusiast vehicles will continue a growth trend. As Gen X and Millennials continue to generate disposable income and look for alternate investment strategies – and overall joy of owning the cars of their youth – this trend will continue to grow, especially through online channels.
- It's more complicated than ever to buy and/or sell a classic, exotic, or collector car. Should you sell it at auction or dealer? If an auction, which kind – online or offline? And which venue? If you decide to sell through a dealer, how do you know if they are trustworthy and that you are getting a fair price? While we don't have all the answers (yet), you can start by:
- Following the Market for the cars you are interested in on our website,
- Tracking comps for your favorite cars in your Garage,
- Selling your car on CLASSIC.COM.
All the numbers
If you love diving into the numbers for the whole year, we've got you covered! Check out our most popular charts, breaking down key market stats by auction type and event. To give you a clearer picture, we’ve separated the big live auction events from other live events, making it easier to see their unique impact. The highlighted events include Scottsdale and Kissimmee in January, Amelia and Miami in March, and Monterey in August. Enjoy exploring the trends!
