What are they worth to you?

I typically respond with the question, how much do you think everything is worth? Some of the responses are comical. Most often, the number quoted is multiple millions over the true value.

Ultimately, I follow up with the saying, everything is worth what someone is willing to pay. However, many of the vehicles we have on display mean much more than a monetary amount.

Most of the vehicles on display at Miles Through Time Automotive Museum are privately owned, so although they may be worth a good chunk of change, they are only on display temporarily.

There is a lot of talk about the amount of money Jerry Seinfield turned down for his Steve McQueen Le Mans Porsche. The highest bidder was willing to pay $25 million, but Jerry wasn’t willing to sell it for that amount. They say everyone has a price, and for that car, $25 million wasn’t it.

I can’t help but think that one car was offered 5 times the amount of money I need to raise, to purchase land and build a 100,000 square foot building to move Miles Through Time Automotive Museum.

The value of one car is enough to build a structure to display upwards of 150 vehicles, but it is all about perspective. A 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe sold at auction in 2022 for a record-breaking $142 million. Is the car worth that much? It is for the buyer.

There are private collections in Northeast Georgia, where Miles Through Time Automotive Museum is that are far more “valuable” than what is on display in the museum. Some individuals have more cars than what is on display in the museum, but there’s a big difference.

Miles Through Time Automotive Museum exists because numerous people have decided to be a part of the museum in some way to contribute to the overall experience for visitors from all over the world.

I’m not a billionaire or a millionaire. Miles Through Time Automotive Museum doesn’t have any major funding, and we can’t purchase the best of the best rare vehicles.

And yet, the museum has managed to grow over the last 8 years to almost 140 full-size vehicles on display. Some aren’t worth much but are interesting, and some are worth as much as a house. The theoretical value of cars doesn’t matter because it is the history we focus on sharing.

So, to go back to the question, I get asked about the value of the cars on display. After I make them think about it on their own, I can typically redirect them to focus on what makes cars interesting and forget about what they may be worth.

Now, the price of vehicles when they were new is definitely much more interesting.

Bill Putman may have a different opinion from me since he has personally grown his collection to over 50 sports cars, most of which are British between 1951 and 1988. Bill is the creator of the Toad Hall Classic Car Museum. As far as I know, this is the only museum where every vehicle on display is red.

The Orphanage is a little bit different of a museum. This museum is also a gallery space that can be rented out. There is a permanent vehicle collection on display and other exhibits, and vehicles change constantly. Local and regional artists also have rotation exhibitions in the museum.

The FWD Seagrave Museum began in the original machine shop, and they have since acquired an additional building. The museum displays mostly FWD (Four Wheel Drive Auto Company) and Seagrave (fire apparatuses), but they also have other trucks on display.

Sometimes, I can’t catch them all in time, and unfortunately, the Himes Museum of Motor Racing Nostalgia is another museum that has closed its doors after the passing of its founder, Martin Himes.

I know visiting every museum isn’t possible and in some cases it’s not possible to visit any of these museums. I do encourage you to click the museum’s hyperlinked name so you can learn more about the museum.

You’ll be able to see exactly where the museum is located and how to contact the museum. If you keep scrolling down, you can also see the three main museums I mention each week, which will tell you what state they are in.

My intention is just to introduce you to all the automotive museums you can potentially visit. From there, you can follow each museum you find interesting and stay connected.

If you want to be a part of the museum I founded, let me know. We’d love to have you. I don’t think I have Jerry’s email. 😉

Have a great week!

SCROLL DOWN TO CHECK OUT THIS WEEK’S 3 AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUMS.

Plan your next trip, discover your new favorite, or find the nearest museum

 Sean Mathis
 Creator of Automotive Museum Guide
Founder of Miles Through Time Automotive Museum

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P.S. Make sure you follow AMG on Facebook and join the FB Group to see what’s going on at all the museums.