Cobra Vs Gold

a barn-find 1963 Shelby Cobra (chassis No. CSX 2080), changed hands for $467,500 and represents a unique opportunity to make a direct comparison between the rise in a collector cars value and that of a traded commodity - gold. The matching-numbers CSX 2080, the fifth 289 Cobra built, was purchased by its second private owner in 1981 with $30,000 worth of gold coins. The cumulative average market gold price that year was $460 per ounce. The car was driven only once by its new owner and then parked for the next 30 years, leaving it in very original, unrestored condition for its appearance on the auction podium in Fort Lauderdale. Since 1981, gold values have fluctuated but have steadily been on the rise over the past decade and reached an all-time high on March 2, 2011, closing at $1,437.20 per ounce. Based on the current gold market, the original investment of gold coins has more than tripled in value and would be worth approximately $93,730 today. The $467,500 selling price of CSX 2080 represents an increase of about 15 times the original purchase price of $30,000 and outperforms the gold market five times over.

http://automotive.speedtv.com/article/autos-cobra-beats-value-of-gold/

interesting, I always thought cars were a terrible investment

They are. This is like measuring the value of a rare coin by comparing it to the jackpot someone won by dropping it into a slot machine.

Had he spent 30 grand in gold coins on a fleet of Pintos, I spect the outcome woiuld have been um different...

I wonder how much he would have made if he'd invested that $30k in Apple stock in 1981 and sat on it until today.

stuart in mn wrote: I wonder how much he would have made if he'd invested that $30k in Apple stock in 1981 and sat on it until today.

I did the math once.. You'd make a bit.. but Microsoft or Southwest airlines would be a better bet.

I took my 22 year old son into the bank today to open up a few investment accounts. The money guy told him that classics and future classics are a good long term investment

Ignorant wrote:

stuart in mn wrote: I wonder how much he would have made if he'd invested that $30k in Apple stock in 1981 and sat on it until today.

I did the math once.. You'd make a bit.. but Microsoft or Southwest airlines would be a better bet.

Berkshire Hathaway...

Raze wrote: Berkshire Hathaway...

stock wasn't around until the 90's. at that point it would be a good buy..

I do have to wonder - once we run out of oil/gas will cars continue to appreciate? Of course I'll be dead by then so it won't matter.

I think they're going to become more fun, actually. We'll have our 'bot to get us to work and back and cars will be for fun only. No worries about daily driverhood, no worries about gas mileage or emissions... right?