What Iconic Auctioneers does

Iconic Auctioneers Limited (formerly Silverstone Auctions) is a UK-based specialist auction house for collector cars, motorcycles and automobilia, headquartered in Ashorne, Warwickshire. The company operates a hybrid live-and-online marketplace, running marquee physical auctions at venues such as the Silverstone Circuit (The Wing), Kempton Park Racecourse and CarFest, alongside fortnightly timed online auctions accessible through iconicauctioneers.com with bidding in-person, online, by phone or by commission. Live sales are streamed on the website and YouTube, supported by a flagship content partnership with Harry Metcalfe (Harry's Garage, 640,000 YouTube subscribers) and 1M+ annual website hits.

The core product portfolio comprises Iconic Sales (high-value collectors' and competition cars), Classic Sales (attainable Everyman Classics, consolidated via the October 2024 acquisition of Classic Car Auctions), Iconic Motorcycle Sales, Automobilia Sales and Private Sales, with add-on services including free valuations, appraisals, cataloguing, photography/video, V5C and HPI processing, transport (EM Rogers, Moving Motorcycles), specialist insurance (Howden) and FX services (Currency Solutions). The technology layer is a standard auction platform with live streaming and integrations with Stripe, Google Analytics, Esendex, The Saleroom aggregator and Trustpilot; no proprietary AI components are disclosed.

Monetisation is entirely transactional. Live motor car buyers pay 12.5%+VAT buyer's premium on the first £300,000 of hammer and 10% thereafter, with higher premiums for motorcycles (15%+VAT), automobilia (20%+VAT) and number plates (10%+VAT). Sellers pay 7.5-15%+VAT commission plus cataloguing fees of £250-£750+VAT per lot and per-lot admin fees. In the online timed channel, buyers pay 6%+VAT (with minimums) while sellers list free, positioning it as a freemium funnel. Cumulative operating scale cited is 5,200+ vehicles sold for £270 million to buyers in 30+ countries and 30 UK/world record prices in the last two years.

Name

Iconic Auctioneers

Legal name

Iconic Auctioneers Limited

Website

https://iconicauctioneers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Iconic Auctioneers is a UK specialist auction house for collector cars, motorcycles and automobilia, operating live events at Silverstone and Kempton Park alongside fortnightly timed online auctions, serving global collectors, enthusiasts and investors across 30+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Classic Car Auction Services

NAICS

Used Car Dealers (44112), Motorcycle, Boat, and Other Motor Vehicle Dealers (44122)

SIC

Wholesale-Motor Vehicles & Motor Vehicle Parts & Supplies (5010)

akta.pro primary industry

Wholesale Vehicle Auctions (Physical & Online) (TLABAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sports Collectibles Marketplace & Auction Platforms (CRAMAOAI)

Keywords

• Classic car auctions
• Motorcycle auctions
• Automobilia auctions
• Timed online auctions
• Collector vehicle sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Ashorne

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Buyer's Premium (Live Auctions): Buyers pay a premium on the hammer price: 12.5% for motor cars (first £300,000) then 10% on balance, 15% for motorcycles, 20% for automobilia and lifestyle items, 10% for number plates. All plus VAT.
2. Seller's Commission (Live Auctions): Sellers pay commission of 7.5% plus VAT on motor cars (minimum £350 plus VAT for Classic Sales), 10% plus VAT on motorcycles (minimum £50 plus VAT), 15% plus VAT on automobilia, and 10% plus VAT on number plates.
3. Cataloguing Fees (Live Auctions): Sellers pay cataloguing fees covering photography, script writing, video and marketing: £500-750 plus VAT for Iconic Sale cars, £250 plus VAT for Classic Sale cars, £100-225 plus VAT for motorcycles, £25 plus VAT for automobilia.
4. Online Auction Buyer's Fee: For timed online auctions, buyers pay 6% plus VAT of the winning bid (minimum £600 plus VAT for motor cars, £350 plus VAT for motorcycles, 10% for number plates, 20% for automobilia) plus £25 plus VAT administration fee per lot.
5. Online Auction Seller's Fee: No seller entry fees or commission for timed online sales - sellers list vehicles for free.
6. Administration Fees: Administration fees cover money laundering checks, HPI checks, processing of V5C's, payment processing: £50 plus VAT per motor car, £20 plus VAT per motorcycle, £10 plus VAT per item of automobilia.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Iconic Auctioneers operates a specialist auction house selling classic and collector cars, motorcycles, and automobilia through both live physical auction events at major UK motoring venues (Silverstone Circuit and Kempton Park) and timed online auctions. The company provides consignment, marketing, valuation, and sale services to collectors and enthusiasts looking to buy or sell rare and high-value vehicles and memorabilia.

Product overview

Iconic Auctioneers is a specialist auction house for collectors' cars, motorcycles, and automobilia, operating as a single unified platform with multiple auction formats and sale types. The core portfolio comprises live event-based auctions (Iconic Sales for premium collector cars and competition vehicles; Classic Sales for accessible Everyman Classics), fortnightly Timed Online Auctions for remote selling, Private Sales for bespoke transactions, and dedicated Iconic Motorcycle Sales. Additional services include Automobilia auctions, free vehicle valuations, and appraisals. The October 2024 acquisition of Classic Car Auctions (now The Classic Sales by Iconic Auctioneers) unified the previously separate companies into one organisation with expanded service offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Classic Car Auctions Live and timed auction services for classic, vintage, and collector cars held at UK motoring venues and online. Targeted at individual collectors, enthusiasts, and investors seeking authenticated high-value vehicles.
• Motorcycle Auctions Auction services for classic and collector motorcycles, conducted as dedicated lots within scheduled auction events. Targeted at motorcycle collectors and enthusiasts.
• Automobilia Auctions Auction services for motoring memorabilia, signed items, models, and other automobilia collectibles. Targeted at collectors of motorsport heritage items.
• Timed Online Auctions Online timed auction format where lots are listed for a defined period with proxy and live bidding, allowing remote participation from international collectors. Targeted at geographically dispersed buyers who cannot attend physical events.
• Private Sales Brokerage service facilitating private treaty sales of high-value collector vehicles outside the public auction format. Targeted at sellers seeking confidential disposal and buyers requiring specific acquisition vehicles.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30 world record-breaking auction prices in two years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• EM Rogers TransportcoreOthers · 1 October 2024Transport partner for vehicles shipped to and from auction venues. Provides international shipping services to destinations including Europe, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Asia. EM Rogers can collect unsold vehicles not collected by deadline and transport to storage facility in Northampton.
• Moving MotorcyclescoreOthersTransport partner for motorcycles. Provides collection and delivery services for European and international motorcycle transport. Handles motorcycles not collected by deadline from auction venues.
• Howden InsurancecoreOthersInsurance partner providing specialist classic car and motorcycle insurance policies. Recommended by Iconic Auctioneers for buyers needing coverage from point of purchase.
• Harry Metcalfe / Harry's GarageflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerYouTube content creator presenting pre-sale preview videos for Iconic Sales. His Harry's Garage channel has 640,000 subscribers, providing international reach and exposure to potential buyers. Harry has documented his experience selling cars and motorcycles with Iconic Auctioneers.
• Currency SolutionsminorOthersCurrency exchange service provider. Fixes exchange rates at fall of hammer for international sellers to protect against currency fluctuations. Simplifies cross-border payments for overseas vendors.
• The SaleroomcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline auction platform partner where Iconic Auctioneers listings also appear. Bidding via The Saleroom incurs an additional 1% plus VAT fee on the hammer price. Provides additional reach for online auction bidders.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bring a Trailer: Leading US online collector car auction platform with a curated, enthusiast-driven community. Directly comparable online timed-auction format competing for cross-border consignments and buyer attention.
• Gooding & Company: US-headquartered auction house specializing in exceptional collector cars, frequently achieving world-record hammer prices. Direct competitor for premium consignments and global collector buyer attention.
• H&H Classics: UK-based classic car auction house running live and online sales across a similar price-tier spectrum. Direct UK competitor for vendor consignments and domestic collector buyers.
• Artcurial: Paris-based auction house with a dedicated automotive department running live collector car and automobilia auctions. Direct peer in format, product breadth, and European geographic footprint.
• Coys: Historic UK motor car auction house founded in 1919, running live classic and collector car auctions. Competes in the same UK live auction segment and serves overlapping collector and investor segments.
• Bonhams: Global auction house running major classic car, motorcycle, and automobilia sales at high-profile venues worldwide. Directly competes for premium collector vehicle consignments and operates a similar live-plus-online auction format.
• RM Sotheby's: World's largest collector car auction house, running marquee single-marque and general collector car auctions globally. Competes for the same ultra-high-value consignor pool and premium buyer base that Iconic targets.
• Aguttes: French auction house with a significant classic car and automobilia department, conducting live sales across Europe. Comparable in format and product mix to Iconic's classic and automobilia offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Mecum Auctions: Largest US collector car auction company running dozens of large-volume live events annually. Comparable product category but operates at much higher scale with a broader, more mass-market collector focus.

Others

• Silverstone Auctions (heritage): Direct historical predecessor brand to Iconic Auctioneers at Silverstone Circuit — referenced here as the legacy identity whose venue relationships and auction IP underpin the current entity's prestige.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IconicAuc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CCAClassicCarAuctions
• Facebookfacebook.com/classiccarauc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iconicauctioneers
• Instagraminstagram.com/classiccarauc
• TikToktiktok.com/@iconicauc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Iconic Auctioneers