Silver Auctions Arizona
Silver Auctions Arizona split off from the original Spokane-based Silver Auctions a couple of years ago and is now headquartered in the desert Southwest. The auction house has continued the inclusive spirit of its forebearers: A wide presentation of interesting older cars, with something for everyone, whether you’re a first-time, bucks-down classic car buyer or a more seasoned buyer with deeper pockets. The event’s new timing, one weekend before the bulk of the action, means that it becomes the only game in town—an aperitif for the automotive buffet that hits the region over the course of the next week.
The house’s 2019 sale, January 11-13, had 30 more lots than the year before, but fewer of the offered vehicles went to new owners: just a 36-percent sell-through rate (139 sold of 384 lots) compared to 2018’s 50-percent sell-through (178 of 355 lots). The value of the average sale increased this year, if only marginally: 2019’s $17,861 average beat last year’s average by $105.
A new event location for 2019, at the Peoria Sports Complex (winter- and spring-training home of the San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners), puts you west of the main action. Peoria is just as distant from the heart of Scottsdale as Silver’s previous location was — but while the cars remained on display in a parking lot, the surrounding amenities outside the venue were vastly improved.
Since this auction took place in early January, Silver Auctions Arizona and Motorsport Auction Group of Nevada joined forces and announced that they will now do business as MAG Auctions. MAG is known for the sales it’s held at Hot August Nights in Reno, Nevada, and has
