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These were the 10 highest auction prices paid for collector cars in 2017

Like a historic house, the classic car auction world is still settling into its foundation after 2014’s results nearly blew the whole thing apart. The top 10 cars sold at auction this past year further prove this…

While a total of 1.08bn US dollars’ worth of cars — 111.91m dollars of which is in the top 10 cars — is still very impressive, don’t get us wrong, overall sales numbers are on the decline for the third year in the row now. And with this, new market trends are emerging and some surprising cars have cracked the top 10 list.

Even though there were 48 Ferraris in the top 100 list, just three have made it into the top 10, and while the 1950s and ‘60s are still the most popular eras, a modern supercar — the McLaren F1 — has slipped into a very notable position: number three. While we saw some record-breaking numbers for Porsches this year, only one example has made it onto the list. There has been one factor that has remained constant over the years, though — if you’re selling your car and want to make headlines, take it to the sunny West Coast in August. For the full list of the 10 most expensive cars sold at auction in 2017, see below. 

Number 10

A 1959 Aston Martin DB4 GT Prototype sold at RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale for 6.765m dollars.

Number 9

 

A 1963 Jaguar E-type 3.8 Lightweight Roadster sold at Bonham’s Scottsdale sale for 7.37m dollars.

Number 8

A 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Cabriolet sold at RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island sale for 7.7m dollars.

Number 7

A 1963 Jaguar E-type 3.8 Lightweight Roadster sold at Bonhams’ Quail Lodge sale for 8m dollars.

Number 6

A 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta sold at RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale for 8.305m dollars.

Number 5

A 1970 Porsche 917K sold at Gooding & Co’s Pebble Beach sale for 14.08m dollars.

Number 4

A 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB Competizione sold at Gooding & Co’s Pebble Beach sale for 14.52m dollars.

Number 3

A 1995 McLaren F1 sold at Bonham’s Quail Lodge sale for 15.62m dollars.

Number 2

A 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione sold at RM Sotheby’s Icons sale in New York for 17.99m dollars.

Number 1

A 1956 Aston Martin DBR1 sold at RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale for 22.55m dollars.

Photos: RM Sotheby's / Bonhams /  Rémi Dargegen for Classic Driver © 2017