Many classic cars are not only valuable because they have not been built for a long time, but because each one of them has a story to tell. And collectors are always looking for unique pieces. Hence, the famous auction house RM Sotheby's has not hesitated for a moment to put up for sale an absolutely unprecedented collection of 20 Ferraris that have remained completely hidden in a barn in Florida, in the United States.
For almost three decades, these sports cars have been abandoned in such an inappropriate place as a barn. According to the auction house, no one knew they were there. They only came to light when the shed where they were hiding collapsed, in 2004, due to Hurricane Harley that hit the Florida coast. It was then that the authorities discovered the twenty exclusive Ferrari parts and transferred them to a hangar in Speedway (Indiana), where they have been guarded until now.
The existence of this impressive collection has been a secret to all but a select group of collectors. Now the entire collection is available for auction. The exclusive gems range from sports cars that have competed on some of the world's greatest racing circuits to an extremely rare coupe that was once owned by a king.
The latter is a 1956 Pininfarina Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Speciale (expected to sell for between €1.5 million and €2 million), which is one of only four bodywork examples of its class built that same year. year and which was initially owned by King Mohamed V of Morocco.
Also noteworthy is Scaglietti's first 275 GTB/6C Alloy from 1965 with a “long nose” (2.5 million euros) that took part in the 1966 Targa Florio race. Then there is the magnificent Ferrari 512 BB Competizione (1.8 million euros). to 2.5 million euros) in a condition practically identical to when it competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the same year 1966.
Another gem is the body (quite deteriorated, mind you) of a 1954 Pininfarina 500 Mondial Spider Series I (1.1 to 1.5 million euros) which is expected to attract a lot of spotlight due to its extensive racing history. Ferrari lovers and collectors are sure to find some iconic model, from convertibles to angular oddities like the 1977 400 automatic or supercars like the 1991 Testarossa.
“This is a unique opportunity for fans to own these icons,” said Rob Myers, CEO of RM Sotheby's. “Most of these abandoned Ferraris remain intact, preserving their original purity and condition from the day they were purchased. It is a true embodiment of the popular saying of finding a needle in a haystack."
The vehicles in the collection will go on sale at Monterey Car Week, from Thursday, August 17 to Saturday, August 19. It will not be possible to make a previous reservation, so the bids are expected to be vibrant. In the video that accompanies this article, you can see Scaglietti's spectacular 1955 Ferrari 410 Sport Spider, put up for sale by RM Sotherby's during last year's Monterey Car Week.
