√Got this vintage car merch in your wardrobe? It could be worth serious cash

Australian clothing resale sites have seen a rise in searches for vintage car merch, some of it worth thousands of dollars. Could you be sitting on a treasure trove?

Vintage clothing has seen an astronomical rise in popularity in recent years, thanks to its mix of style and sustainability.

According to the 2022 Fashion Resale Report by online reselling platform Reluv, 73 per cent of Australians reported buying pre-owned clothing, with 78 per cent of respondents citing environmental concerns as the reason for their pre-loved purchases.

It’s not just any vintage clothing that’s proving popular, with young shoppers exhibiting a particular appetite for vintage automotive merchandise.

“We’ve seen a 35 per cent increase in search queries for ‘vintage’ in motor racing merchandise, memorabilia, or clothing from October 2022 to March 2023, indicating Australians are keen to get their hands on authentic pieces that are part of the legacy of motorsports,” an eBay Australia spokesperson told Drive.

Before you get excited, your 2018 Honda Civic t-shirt probably isn’t hot property – it’s only certain pieces that are fetching hefty price tags online.

Judging by seller behaviour on resale platforms like eBay, Depop and Grailed, the asking prices for car brand merchandise from the pre-2000s – particularly with motorsport racing pedigree – suggest it’s particularly sought-after.

Though the reselling market tends to fluctuate depending on buyer and seller behaviour – here’s an estimated guide on which vintage automotive clothing items are highly valued in the current market today.

Note: this article does not constitute financial advice and all prices mentioned are indicative of general seller pricing trends rather than professional appraisal.

Vintage Ferrari jackets and luggage

Luxury leather goods from Ferrari such as jackets, bags and luggage are a hot commodity online. So too are the Italian brand’s collaborations with prominent figures like Michael Schumacher, as well as its retro racing merch featuring badges from previous sponsors such as Marlboro.

Vintage Ferrari jackets from the 1970s to the 1990s tend to start from approximately $AU100 and reach upwards of $AU1000 depending on the number of similar products available online – with ‘Made in Italy’ products tending towards the higher end of the price scale.

For example, a 1979 Ferrari leather bomber jacket – listed on the selling platform Grailed – is listed for $US648 ($AU965).

Similarly, a Depop user posted a $AU500 leather Ferrari racing jacket made in collaboration with its prominent driver Michael Schumacher.

Those smart enough to hold onto their Malboro-branded Ferrari apparel could be in luck as this type of vintage clothing can fetch well over $1000 and above.

While Ferrari clothing seems to be the most desirable in the current resale market, there is a submarket – albeit a relatively small one – for vintage Ferrari luggage, particularly with a Schedoni (previously branded as Cuoio Designer Modena) tag.

Two individual eBay users have listed individual Schedoni Ferrari bags at approximately $AU4450 each.

Photo Credit: *Grailed* | Price is in USD

NASCAR and motorsport graphic apparel

A spokesperson for Melbourne-based vintage store Vintage Sole told Drive there is a demand amongst its customers for graphic t-shirts featuring designs from American racing outfit NASCAR.

“NASCAR merchandise has seen the biggest rise and remains popular. However, large graphics [t-shirts] and recognisable names and brands are equally desired,” the spokesperson said.

“Previously, most of our vintage car merchandise seemed to collect dust with only top picks being bought by collectors and car/racing enthusiasts. Now, our car-themed items have seen a significant rise in traffic and demand across our stores and website, with it being amongst our top-searched categories online.”

The expansive range within this sub-category of vintage reselling makes it almost impossible to determine a set price range – with some sellers asking for as little as $AU10 for unbranded items to over $200 for pre-2000s ‘Made in USA’ NASCAR t-shirts.

However, it’s the NASCAR outerwear made exclusively by famous jacket-maker Jeff Hamilton that is highly valuable and sought-after by avid collectors, starting anywhere from $AU500 to an asking price of $AU5000 – or the equivalent of some used cars.

Ford Racing clothing

Australia’s deep love affair with the American auto giant Ford, coupled with the manufacturer’s illustrious history in the land Down Under, has generated an appetite for Ford merchandise from a bygone era.

Based on the various reselling platforms available to most Australians, pre-1990s Ford outerwear – such as jackets of any style – either with or without the ‘Ford Racing’ branding can generally fetch anywhere from $AU100 to $AU1000 and above depending on what era it came from and if it has any recognisable features that link it to that period.

Speaking of Ford merch, an eBay Australia spokesperson told Drive: “We [eBay Australia] know Aussies have a love affair with the Ford versus Holden rivalry, so it’s no surprise that these iconic brands, alongside Ferrari, appear in the top three vintage merchandise brands searched on eBay.”

Holden Racing team apparel

Drive would be remiss not to mention Australia’s patriotic infatuation with the now-departed Aussie car manufacturer, Holden.

Rare vintage Holden Racing Team (HRT) or Holden Specialty Vehicles (HSV) merchandise fetches a higher price tag from online resellers – with 2000s-era HRT/HSV clothing attracting $200 per piece and up.

“With the discontinuation of Holden, items from this brand, including clothing, accessories and particularly items from the Holden Supercars racing team are highly sought-after on eBay,” a spokesperson for eBay Australia told Drive.

Vintage Porsche sunglasses

Interestingly, while luxury car brand Porsche does have some vintage apparel listed for a hefty price tag – like this Porsche Racing jacket – it’s the brand’s sunglasses from around the 1970s-1990s period that have prices exceeding the $500 mark.

According to various eBay listings, the Porsche aviator-style sunglasses – dubbed the ‘Porsche Design by Carrera’ – with serial codes beginning in ’56’ –are the models with the highest resale value, fetching anywhere from $AU200 to close to $AU1000.

BMW Racing leather jackets

When looking at the overall vintage market, leather jackets from various car brands tend to be priced towards the higher end of the scale.

However, BMW Racing’s leather outerwear from the 1970s to 1980s has reached astronomical prices starting at more than $AU700 – with one BMW leather jacket from the 25th anniversary of the BMW M5 (limited to only 49 pieces) listed on Grailed for an eye-watering $US1900 ($AU2800).

Another BMW Racing jacket posted on eBay Australia has an asking price of $1712 and was made by Lewis Leathers – one of the oldest British leather jacket manufacturers – for BMW in the 1970s.

Vintage Williams Racing jackets

The price pattern coming from the vintage car market seems to be the longer the legacy, the higher the price tag.

This is evident when looking at the majority of the most expensive vintage Williams Racing clothing.

According to various online sellers, Williams Racing merch branded with the tobacco company Rothmans – which was a sponsor for the Formula One racing team from 1994 to 1997 – as well as pre-1980s Williams Racing merchandise are among some of the most coveted items for vintage sellers and collectors alike.

Rothmans-branded Williams Racing jackets are valued anywhere from $AU400 to just north of $AU1000.

Vintage Nismo clothing

Though luxury European car merchandise dominates the online market, there is a sub-category dedicated to Japanese manufacturers and their enthusiasts.

Nissan’s motorsport division – dubbed ‘Nismo’ – spawned a series of ’80s and ’90s jackets and crewneck sweaters with huge, block letters spelling out the brand’s name, many of which are currently valued anywhere from $AU600 to more than $AU3000.

Vintage Honda Racing apparel

Motorsport racing merchandise seems to attract the highest number of buyers and sellers alike – and Honda Racing isn’t exempt from this surge in demand and prices.

Honda Racing apparel from the 1980s and 1990s is extremely coveted – anything from jerseys to jackets, coveralls and t-shirts can attract anywhere from $AU300 to well over $AU1000 depending on the era.

Benetton Racing jackets

It’s no surprise to see discontinued brands’ merchandise reach soaring online prices due to the limited number of products worldwide.

This is the case for Benetton Racing – a now-defunct Formula One team that competed in motorsport from 1986 to 2001 – and its apparel, more specifically its racing jackets.

Benetton Racing jackets are priced anywhere from $AU100 for jackets made from lightweight materials to well over $AU1000 for Benetton outerwear which features Camel branding – a tobacco company that previously sponsored the racing team.