Index of collectible American cars of the 1950s
1950s American Classics were the only index that posted positive movement this publication. This 1 percent gain was the result of just two movers out of 19 component cars – the 1954 Buick Skylark, which posted a 9 percent boost and the 1958 Chevrolet Impala, which grew 5 percent. While the remainder of component cars posted no movement at all, the market segment was surprisingly active, although most movement was relegated to more focused groups within larger generations. While Hudson Hornet Convertibles experienced no movement, Sedans grew by 6.5 percent and while standard “Baby Bird” T-Birds remained the same, the more powerful E-Code and F-Code cars grew by 5 percent.
At this point, it is hard to walk away with any real indications of what the market for 1950s American cars has in store for the future. The fourth quarter is typically a sleepy time for buying and selling of American Classics, so a real read on this market may not be possible until we see the usual glut of American cars come up for sale at the January auctions.
-Greg Ingold, January 2023
The Hagerty Price Guide Index of 1950s American Classics is a stock market style index that averages the values of 19 of the most sought after collectible American automobiles of the 1950s. The list below shows the cars that make up the index, while the graph to the left shows this index’s average value over the years. Values are for #2 condition, or “excellent” cars.