Additional Coverage:
- ‘Antiques Roadshow’ guest couldn’t stop laughing after expert revealed value of her vintage F1 poster (marketrealist.com)
A vintage Formula One poster from the 1966 Monaco Grand Prix recently surprised its owner on “Antiques Roadshow” with a valuation far exceeding its purchase price. The owner, a self-proclaimed F1 enthusiast, originally bought the poster for $1,200.
She was met with laughter and disbelief when expert Nicholas D. Lowry appraised the piece between $2,500 and $3,500.
Lowry, admitting to a limited knowledge of Formula One, researched the 1966 race, highlighting Sir Jackie Stewart’s victory and the event’s role in the filming of the movie “Grand Prix.” Crucially, he identified the poster as an original print by renowned motorsport artist Michael Turner, whose work graced Monaco Grand Prix events from 1964 to 1970. The clarity of the text “24e Grand Prix Automobile” distinguished the original from subsequent reproductions.
This wasn’t the only instance of motorsports memorabilia commanding high values on the show. In a separate episode, a 1958 Indianapolis 500 checkered flag, signed by almost all participating drivers, including the late Pat O’Connor, was appraised at $10,000.
The flag presented a historical anomaly: while tradition dictates all drivers sign before the race with the winner signing again in the center, only winner Jimmy Bryan’s signature appeared centrally. This puzzled both the expert and the owner, but didn’t detract from the flag’s significant value and emotional resonance for the owner, who plans to pass it down to his son.