Market Intelligence
RM Sotheby’s Auction in Munich: Christmas Gift from Germany
RM Sotheby’s Munich auction highlighted Dieter Aumann’s collection, achieving an 89.66% sell-through rate. Top cars included a €3.6M Mercedes Type 122 and €3.46M Porsche 550 Spyder, while modern vehicles struggled.
Talking about RM Sotheby’s auction in Munich on November 24 is essentially talking about the sale of Dieter Aumann's collection. The German collector's vehicles accounted for over three-quarters of the revenue; however, that wasn’t the only noteworthy aspect. Let’s take a closer look. The 2024 sell-through rate increased impressively from 85.51% in 2023 to 89.66%. It’s worth noting that no-reserve cars rose from 57.97% to 65.51%, so some improvement was expected. Nevertheless, the quality of the cars soared: despite fewer lots being offered, the estimated value jumped by nearly €10 million, from €18,970,000 to €28,705,000. The total sales result surged from €15,629,000 to €23,299,950, and the average price almost doubled from €264,898 to €448,076 (+70%).
Returning to the Aumann Collection and its key role in the auction's success, it’s worth noting that nine of the ten most expensive cars sold that day belonged to him. The star was a 1923 Mercedes Type 122 Indianapolis Racer. This car, one of four built for the 1923 Indianapolis 500, came with a remarkable history. It finished eighth in that race, was later re-bodied for the 1936 Vanderbilt Cup, and passed through the collections of Alec Ulmann, Henry Austin Clark Jr., Charles Addams (creator of the Addams Family), and Bernie Ecclestone before joining Aumann's collection in 1996. Though extensively modified and restored with liberties taken in the 1990s, the car had a reasonable reserve price of €2 million, despite an estimate of €3.8–5 million. It finally sold for €3,605,000.
