Some vintage Holdens could be worth as much as Ned Kelly's armour and Indigenous Artefacts - find out the surprising reason why
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As any vintage car enthusiast will tell you, there’s nothing quite like the unique feeling of being behind the wheel of a classic Holden.
There’s something special about every model — from the Holden Commodore to the Sandman, Torana, or even Monaro, vintage Holdens remain so popular among collectors.
However, the market for these unique cars could soon be about to change, with a series of vintage Holden cars currently up for an initial auction.
The cars will be put under the hammer as part of a larger classic car auction from Lloyds Auctions but the federal government is said to be potentially classifying the vehicles—worth millions of dollars—as 'Australian Protected Objects.'
This designation bars any item of significant importance to Australia, such as sacred Indigenous artefacts or a piece of Ned Kelly’s armour, from ever being exported out of the country.
Other objects that are associated with this designation include artworks and Victoria Cross honours that were given to war veterans.
Lloyds Auctions said their collection of vintage cars, which includes the Holdens, are worth a grand total of tens of millions combined.
'We have notified all foreign bidders and interested parties that they face possible challenges in exporting some of these special classics,' said Lee Hames, the firm’s chief operations officer.
It's important to remember that Holden stopped being manufactured in Australia back in 2017 as a result of unsuccessful negotiations between the company's owner General Motors and the then-Abbott administration.
Speaking of the classic vehicle's potential 'protected' status, did you know that it requires an extensive process for an object to be considered 'culturally significant' in Australia?
Each year, the Department of Communication and the Arts, in collaboration with the Australian Heritage Council, assesses applications from those seeking the protected status of their objects.
The process involves a thorough evaluation of the object’s cultural, social and historical significance, as well as its wide public support through survey results, letters of interest and endorsements from otherwise recognised organisations.
Once they’ve done the due diligence on the object’s significance, it can then be assigned to one of two classes - Class A or Class B - which dictates where it can be exported or not.
Class A objects are not allowed to be exported, while Class B items can only be exported if permission is granted by the government.
Typically, Class A objects are those of spiritual importance to Indigenous people, items associated with famous people, and those with great moral or historic value, while Class B usually includes items with historical or artistic significance.
Holdens from the 1970-1980s era have been identified as especially significant by the Department of Communications and the Arts, due to the car’s tremendous importance to the culture of Australians at that time.
Because of this, any adult-model Holden from that era could be awarded a Class A protected status, barring them from ever being exported out of Australia.
In Australia, the export of cultural artefacts and historic objects is regulated by the Australian Government, under the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986, objects of national significance and importance cannot be exported from the country for their protected status.
In light of the possibility of export restriction on certain classical Holdens up for auction, bidders and interested parties should be aware that they may face challenges in attempting to export them outside of the country.
The export policy means that these cars are valued not only monetarily but also due to their historical significance within Australia.
There you have it, folks! Do you own a classic Holden? Or perhaps you know someone who does? We’d love to hear your stories about these timeless classics in the comments below!
There’s something special about every model — from the Holden Commodore to the Sandman, Torana, or even Monaro, vintage Holdens remain so popular among collectors.
However, the market for these unique cars could soon be about to change, with a series of vintage Holden cars currently up for an initial auction.
The cars will be put under the hammer as part of a larger classic car auction from Lloyds Auctions but the federal government is said to be potentially classifying the vehicles—worth millions of dollars—as 'Australian Protected Objects.'
This designation bars any item of significant importance to Australia, such as sacred Indigenous artefacts or a piece of Ned Kelly’s armour, from ever being exported out of the country.
Vintage Holden cars may soon be designated as an item of 'cultural significance' to Australia. Credit: Holden.
Other objects that are associated with this designation include artworks and Victoria Cross honours that were given to war veterans.
Lloyds Auctions said their collection of vintage cars, which includes the Holdens, are worth a grand total of tens of millions combined.
'We have notified all foreign bidders and interested parties that they face possible challenges in exporting some of these special classics,' said Lee Hames, the firm’s chief operations officer.
It's important to remember that Holden stopped being manufactured in Australia back in 2017 as a result of unsuccessful negotiations between the company's owner General Motors and the then-Abbott administration.
Speaking of the classic vehicle's potential 'protected' status, did you know that it requires an extensive process for an object to be considered 'culturally significant' in Australia?
Each year, the Department of Communication and the Arts, in collaboration with the Australian Heritage Council, assesses applications from those seeking the protected status of their objects.
The classic Holden cars are poised to have the same value as sacred indigenous artefacts and a piece of Ned Kelly's armour. Credit: Holden.
The process involves a thorough evaluation of the object’s cultural, social and historical significance, as well as its wide public support through survey results, letters of interest and endorsements from otherwise recognised organisations.
Once they’ve done the due diligence on the object’s significance, it can then be assigned to one of two classes - Class A or Class B - which dictates where it can be exported or not.
Class A objects are not allowed to be exported, while Class B items can only be exported if permission is granted by the government.
Typically, Class A objects are those of spiritual importance to Indigenous people, items associated with famous people, and those with great moral or historic value, while Class B usually includes items with historical or artistic significance.
Holdens from the 1970-1980s era have been identified as especially significant by the Department of Communications and the Arts, due to the car’s tremendous importance to the culture of Australians at that time.
Because of this, any adult-model Holden from that era could be awarded a Class A protected status, barring them from ever being exported out of Australia.
In Australia, the export of cultural artefacts and historic objects is regulated by the Australian Government, under the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986, objects of national significance and importance cannot be exported from the country for their protected status.
In light of the possibility of export restriction on certain classical Holdens up for auction, bidders and interested parties should be aware that they may face challenges in attempting to export them outside of the country.
The export policy means that these cars are valued not only monetarily but also due to their historical significance within Australia.
There you have it, folks! Do you own a classic Holden? Or perhaps you know someone who does? We’d love to hear your stories about these timeless classics in the comments below!
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