The Hagerty Collector Car Market Rating has dropped to its lowest level in nearly 15 years, signaling continued cooling across the collector car landscape despite isolated high-profile auction results. Entering the new year, the rating fell another 0.63 points to 58.28, extending a prolonged downturn that began after the market peaked in the summer of 2022.
The Market Rating, which measures market activity, momentum, and overall strength, has now declined in 37 of the past 43 months. While the market ended 2025 with some optimism, that momentum has not carried forward. Its companion metric, the Hagerty Market Index, also reversed recent gains, falling 0.68 points after three months of modest increases and moving further away from its late-2022 high.
Fresh data from the latest Hagerty Price Guide reinforces the downward trend. Compared with the October 2025 update, both average and median Condition #3, or “good,” values declined by 0.5 percent across all vehicles in the guide. The decreases affected both high-end collectibles and more mainstream enthusiast vehicles. The Blue Chip Index, which tracks 25 seven-figure cars in excellent condition, fell 1.3 percent, while the Hagerty Hundred slipped 0.1 percent. When inflation is factored in, the declines are even more pronounced.
Private-market activity has also softened. Only 35.2 percent of cars sold privately are now transacting above their insured values, the lowest level in nearly four years. Insured value increases have slowed as well, particularly among vehicles valued under $250,000, where requests to raise coverage have dropped to their weakest ratio in more than four years. Higher-end vehicles have shown similar stagnation, with modest changes in insured value requests over the past year.
At public auctions, the median sale price has fallen to $26,513, its lowest real value in nearly six years and an inflation-adjusted low. This decline comes even as auction volume continues to grow, with more than 5,000 vehicles sold annually on a rolling basis. The lower median price may reflect a broader mix of vehicles crossing the block, including everyday models added to meet rising inventory demand.
Macroeconomic indicators tied to the collector car market also declined for a fourth straight month, reaching their weakest level since fall 2020. Still, headline-grabbing results at recent auctions suggest select segments remain resilient. Whether those standout sales can shift broader market trends remains to be seen in upcoming updates.
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