Hammer to fall on Graham Hill memorabilia
Prizes from each of Graham Hill’s Triple Crown wins, along with other trophies, steering wheels and a race-worn helmet are due to be auctioned
Trophies and memorabilia from the career of Graham Hill – motor sport’s only winner of the Triple Crown – is the latest prized collection set for auction.
Among the lots heading for RM Sotheby’s London sale on Saturday, November 4 are Hill’s trophies for winning the 1969 Monaco Grand Prix and 1972 Le Mans 24 Hours, plus the $12,500 cheque he received for his 1966 Indy 500 victory, above left. Other lots in the sale include his world champion’s trophy from 1962 and a 1970 Bell helmet in Hill’s London Rowing Club colours.
The auction follows hot on the heels of Nigel Mansell’s sale of his career memorabilia, which raised more than £2m. The 324 lots, also sold by RM Sotheby’s, included trophies, race-worn crash helmets, steering wheels and even Downing Street letters of congratulation from then prime minister John Major for winning the 1992 F1 and 1993 IndyCar titles. The memorabilia had previously been on show or kept in storage at Mansell’s Jersey museum, which has been closed down following the 70-year-old’s move to Florida.
Nine of the top 10 sales were crash helmets, the most expensive being the lid used for his first F1 win at the 1985 European GP at Brands Hatch. It sold for £68,400. The top-selling trophy was the gold-plated San Marino GP award from his championship-winning 1992 season, which went for £28,800.
Of the 48 race suits to go under the hammer, the top-selling example was a set of Williams overalls, again from his F1 title-winning year (£21,600), while a suit dating back to his 1998 British Touring Car Championship, where he made cameos in a Ford Mondeo, went for £1740.