Watching 1950 Cadillac prices
A friend is looking at buying a 1950 Cadillac, so I checked prices in Old Cars Price Guide, as well as the Old Cars Price Guide database, which includes auction…
A friend is looking at buying a 1950 Cadillac, so I checked prices in Old Cars Price Guide, as well as the Old Cars Price Guide database, which includes auction results from more than 100 auctions each year. While sifting through the results, I noticed some interesting trends in 1950 and 1955-’56 Cadillacs. For this blog, I'll address what I found in the database in regards to 1950 Cadillacs.
1950 Cadillacs:
I was checking out these prices for a friend who is looking at a Series 61 coupe. Here are the prices currently in Old Cars Price Guide:
Series 61 two-door hardtop: #1 36,000; #2 25,200; #3 16,200; #4 7,200
Series 62 two-door hardtop: #1 30,000; #2 21,000; #3 13,500; #4 6,000
Series 62 Coupe deVille: #1 42,000; #2 29,400; #3 18,900; #4 8,400
Series 62 convertible: #1 85,000; #2 59,500; #3 38,250;#4 17,000
1950 Cadillacs: 2007 and 2006 coupe database results:
There’s not a record of a Series 61 coupe selling at auction in 2007, but a couple Coupe deVilles popped up in No. 3 condition for 37,000 in 2007 and 27,250 in late 2005. Independently, there isn’t enough information here to draw a solid conclusion. However, a No. 2 Series 62 coupe sold for $33,000 in 2007 and a No. 3 Series 62 coupe sold for $27,250 in 2006, giving a good indication that there is an upward trend in values to hardtops.
1950 Cadillacs: 2007 and 2006 convertible database results:
Oddly enough, when it comes to convertibles, the trend appears to be going the other way. There are an astounding four 1950 Series 62 convertibles in No. 2 condition listed in the database from 2007 alone. These four cars fetched between $45,000 and $51,000. A fifth convertible, in No. 3 condition, was listed as selling for $49,500 at a 2007 January Arizona auction (this alone is good evidence why the January Arizona auction results are rarely considered in Old Cars Price Guide updates). These prices tell me that the No. 2 price is approximately $10,000 too high, which will affect other Cadillac prices across the board. (If a No. 2 price has gone down, then the No. 1 and No. 3-No. 6 prices should go down, too.)
Conclusion:
1950 Cadillac hardtop prices are likely up, while convertible prices are down. We'll have to watch this trend unfold and see if it continues.
Angelo Van Bogart is the editor of Old Cars magazine and wrote the column "Hot Wheels Hunting" for Toy Cars & Models magazine for several years. He has authored several books including "Hot Wheels 40 Years," "Hot Wheels Classics: The Redline Era" and "Cadillac: 100 Years of Innovation." His 2023 book "Inside the Duesenberg SSJ" is his latest. He can be reached at avanbogart@aimmedia.com
