For original, restored models, people in the auction audience are often confused by the wide range of values for what seem to be nearly identical Corvettes sitting on the stage, Yager added. What they can’t see on the glossy surface are the reams of documentation, provenance and verification – such as the National Corvette Restorers Society’s Top Flight designations – that will make one Corvette much more valuable than its near twin without such confirmation.

This 1967 Corvette 427 roadster received strong bids at auction because of its documentation as well as its condition. (Photo: Barrett-Jackson)

He noted that among several highly desirable 1967 convertibles with 427cid V8s that sold on Saturday, one of them went for $209,000, with fee, while the others with comparable specs ranged between $89,000 to just over $100,000.

Besides any differences in restoration quality, the top-seller was multiple award-winning, fully documented and authenticated. Even though it has a replacement engine with a restamped matching serial number, it still drew serious money because of the buyer assurance provided by the paperwork.

“From an audience perspective, it looked like any other ’67 Corvette,” Yager said. “When a car has the right documentation, the right pedigree if you will, it brings big money.

“If you charted out the cars, which cars went high and what they had for documentation, you can see the correlation,” he added. “It proves that if you’re a serious collector, you need to have the right paperwork or you’re not going to get your money out of it.”

The NCRS stamp of approval is invaluable for a top bidder, Yager said, because if nothing else, it confirms that it is a good, well-sorted car.

“Knowledgeable buyers know that NCRS versification is important,” he said. “You know it’s not a car that looks good but performs bad.”

There is another factor that can drive car values up into the clouds, he noted. “There’s that anomaly where two guys get into a bidding war, which drives up the price.”

All-original survivors, such as this very low-mileage 1971 LS6 that sold at Barrett-Jackson, are rising in appeal. (Photo: Barrett-Jackson)

Original, unblemished survivors are of growing interest for collector cars across the board, and Corvettes are no exemption. The key example at Barrett-Jackson, Yager said, was the 1971 LS6 coupe, already a desirable model because of its high-performance 454cid V8, verified with fewer than 20,000 miles on it. All original and untouched with its factory paint job, pristine interior and factory under-hood stickers, the sale price on that one was $176,000, with fee.

Part of the strength of the Corvette market is Barrett-Jackson itself, Yager said, and the live coverage by SPEED that serves to excite people about collector cars and for Corvettes in particular.

Why the enduring interest in Corvettes compared with other sports cars and muscle cars?

“Corvette is America’s sports car,” Yager said. “People want to recapture that iconic time in America when things were a helluva lot simpler than they are today.”

Bob Golfen, Automotive Editor for SPEED.com, is a veteran auto writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, who has driven and evaluated essentially every new vehicle sold in the United States. A lifelong car enthusiast with a passion for collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle, he annually attends and writes about Arizona's famous January collector-car auctions, focusing on Scottsdale’s monumental Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event and other Barrett-Jackson auctions. SPEED.com fans email Automotive Editor Bob Golfen at