Mecum Kissimmee 2024 ends with a record-shattering auto auction industry run

  • A record 4,383 vehicles offered had Mecum auctioneers working at a frantic pace of up to 400 vehicles per day. PHOTO/TERRY LLOYD
    A record 4,383 vehicles offered had Mecum auctioneers working at a frantic pace of up to 400 vehicles per day. PHOTO/TERRY LLOYD

The annual Mecum Kissimmee auto auction finished at Osceola Heritage Park on Jan. 14 and, continuing the event’s record-setting streak, the combined final take for the 25th anniversary event was a whopping $275 million, easily eclipsing last year’s record $234 million in sales.

The 2022 Mecum Kissimmee event total of $217 million took the title of the first collector car auction to surpass the $200 million mark in sales for a single event, giving Mecum Kissimmee three consecutive years of sales over $200 million, unprecedented in the auto auction industry.

The most expensive Ferrari that sold at the Kissimmee Mecum event was a 1963 250 GT SWB California Spyder that went for $17.875 million, the highest price paid for any auto at this year’s event. Bids went as high as $23.5 million for a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTS/4 NART Spyder, however, that amount was actually below the reserve price, so no sale.

The California Spyder was one of four Ferraris that were the top four sellers on Saturday, Jan. 13, the top single day for the Kissimmee auction. A rare 2005 Ferrari Enzo went for $4.51 million, followed by a 1992 Ferrari F40 sold for $ 3.41 million, and finally a 1958 Ferrari 250GT “Tour de France” went for $2.805 million.

A 1966 GT 40 Mk. 1 brought the secondhighest sale amount at $6.93 million, and a 1965 Shelby 427 Cobra went for $4.18 million, the fourthhighest amount. Rounding out the top ten high sellers was a pair of rare L88 Corvettes, sold as one lot at $2.585 million, a 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda at $2.145 million, and a 1956 Mercedes-Benz Gullwing 300SL went for $2.035 million, Tied for the bottom of the prestigious Top 10 was a 1987 Porche 959 Komfort and a 1948 Tucker 48, both going for $1.87 million each.

The 4,383 vehicles offered for auction was also a record amount, including 40 individual auto collections. One of the collections, The Rise of NASCAR’s Modern Era Museum Collection, had over thirty rare racing cars and memorabilia for sale, including auto hoods and driver helmets.

All of this activity generates a significant amount of economic impact for Osceola County. According to information from Experience Kissimmee, the Mecum Auto Auction generates over 6,000 hotel room nights and brings in over $56 million in economic impact to the area. The 2024 installment was the 19th year the event has been held at Osceola Heritage Park, and next year’s auction is slated for the same first through second weeks of January 2025.