Gooding Monterey. A baby Maserati lights the fuse of success

The idea that Gooding, after a year and a half of online-only auctions (excluding London in September 2020) was going to be a success came as the third lot was wheeled out. Not a car, but a children’s car by Allegretti that faithfully replicated a Maserati 250F in 1:2 scale. Obviously, to justify the $30-$40,000 estimate (€25-€34,000 without reserve) it had very respectable characteristics: A Benelli 250cc engine, disc brakes on all four wheels (not even the original had them!), five-speed sequential gearbox capable of reaching speeds of up to 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). But the estimate was the last thing potential buyers were concerned with – after a short bidding war, the car was sold for $156,250 (€132,800)! Well done dad (or grandpa)!