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Collectibles

The top 25 Formula One helmets are surprisingly cheap

By Mike Hanlon
March 02, 2024
The top 25 Formula One helmets are surprisingly cheap
An exercise in cutting edge idolatry, some of these helmet designs are now recognisable by a large percentage of the planet's population. We used two helmet images in lead image that were not in the top 25 highest sales, but they almost certainly will be one day. Can you pick them? The image gallery for this article is extensive with images and links to the original auction results of the top 25 priced helmets, but important helmets that have sold previously.
An exercise in cutting edge idolatry, some of these helmet designs are now recognisable by a large percentage of the planet's population. We used two helmet images in lead image that were not in the top 25 highest sales, but they almost certainly will be one day. Can you pick them? The image gallery for this article is extensive with images and links to the original auction results of the top 25 priced helmets, but important helmets that have sold previously.
View 49 Images
An exercise in cutting edge idolatry, some of these helmet designs are now recognisable by a large percentage of the planet's population. We used two helmet images in lead image that were not in the top 25 highest sales, but they almost certainly will be one day. Can you pick them? The image gallery for this article is extensive with images and links to the original auction results of the top 25 priced helmets, but important helmets that have sold previously.
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An exercise in cutting edge idolatry, some of these helmet designs are now recognisable by a large percentage of the planet's population. We used two helmet images in lead image that were not in the top 25 highest sales, but they almost certainly will be one day. Can you pick them? The image gallery for this article is extensive with images and links to the original auction results of the top 25 priced helmets, but important helmets that have sold previously.
After a fruitless history of trying to make F1 relevant to America, Liberty Media's reality soap opera for men, the Netflix "Drive to Survive" series, looks to have humanized the sport, resonated with the masses and is beginning to capture the attention of the gargantuan American collector marketplace.
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After a fruitless history of trying to make F1 relevant to America, Liberty Media's reality soap opera for men, the Netflix "Drive to Survive" series, looks to have humanized the sport, resonated with the masses and is beginning to capture the attention of the gargantuan American collector marketplace.
Lewis Hamilton x Takashi Murakami 2022 Japanese GP helmet - now the world's most expensive motorsport helmet
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Lewis Hamilton x Takashi Murakami 2022 Japanese GP helmet - now the world's most expensive motorsport helmet
Charles Leclerc in this helmet awaiting release from the garage in Monaco
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Charles Leclerc in this helmet awaiting release from the garage in Monaco
Phil Hill was America's first F1 champion and the only one born in America. When his complete Herbert Johnson helmet ensemble came to market in 2021, it had been retained by the Hill family since it was worn, and it briefly became the world's most valuable F1 helmet. Made of shellacked canvas and cork, it was a milestone on our journey to the composite masterpieces of today, and it perfectly captured a moment in motor racing history.
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Phil Hill was America's first F1 champion and the only one born in America. When his complete Herbert Johnson helmet ensemble came to market in 2021, it had been retained by the Hill family since it was worn, and it briefly became the world's most valuable F1 helmet. Made of shellacked canvas and cork, it was a milestone on our journey to the composite masterpieces of today, and it perfectly captured a moment in motor racing history.
The car control of Ayrton Senna came into its own in slippery conditions, and some of his wet weather performances were breathtaking. His drives in the wet 1984 Monaco Grand Prix, the wet 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix, and the wet 1993 European Grand Prix are the stuff of legend. His distinctive Brazilian flag helmet is instantly recognisable to motorsport fans from the era.
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The car control of Ayrton Senna came into its own in slippery conditions, and some of his wet weather performances were breathtaking. His drives in the wet 1984 Monaco Grand Prix, the wet 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix, and the wet 1993 European Grand Prix are the stuff of legend. His distinctive Brazilian flag helmet is instantly recognisable to motorsport fans from the era.
The power of intent - a trophy in visualisation
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The power of intent - a trophy in visualisation
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Offered from the Graham Hill Collection, this very early Bell full face helmet wore the family colours to two world titles, and son Damon followed up with a world title wearing the same colours a few decades later.
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Offered from the Graham Hill Collection, this very early Bell full face helmet wore the family colours to two world titles, and son Damon followed up with a world title wearing the same colours a few decades later.
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Williams F1 driver Alex Albon transformed his helmet from one Grand Prix into a sports hall for 2000 children at an orphanage in rural Thailand
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Williams F1 driver Alex Albon transformed his helmet from one Grand Prix into a sports hall for 2000 children at an orphanage in rural Thailand
Another Michael Schumacher helmet with an astonishing provenance.
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Another Michael Schumacher helmet with an astonishing provenance.
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This helmet was used by four-time champion Alain Prost in the 1984 Dallas Grand Prix. Known for his grace under pressure, it was one of the few times he ever let a Grand Prix victory slip away. Prost had built a 7.5 second lead in the closing stages when his McLaren-TAG touched the wall.
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This helmet was used by four-time champion Alain Prost in the 1984 Dallas Grand Prix. Known for his grace under pressure, it was one of the few times he ever let a Grand Prix victory slip away. Prost had built a 7.5 second lead in the closing stages when his McLaren-TAG touched the wall.
This helmet was used by Michael Schumacher in just two races, for one first and one second place. The second place won him a title.
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This helmet was used by Michael Schumacher in just two races, for one first and one second place. The second place won him a title.
This helmet was primarily worn during Michael Schumacher's first world championship year of 1994 - it was
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This helmet was primarily worn during Michael Schumacher's first world championship year of 1994 in the Benneton Ford - the last Ford-powered Drivers' Champion
The master of one very fast lap in the television era of Formula One was Ayrton Senna, gaining him one of the largest pre-Facebook fan bases the sport has seen. Senna's helmets have held the record price for much of the last 20 years and may vie for top tens in the future, but we suspect art and charity auction helmets will prevail over the coming decade
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The master of one very fast lap in the television era of Formula One was Ayrton Senna, gaining him one of the largest pre-Facebook fan bases the sport has seen. Senna's helmets have held the record price for much of the last 20 years and may vie for top tens in the future, but we suspect art and charity auction helmets will prevail over the coming decade
Michael Schumacher's 2001 Championship year
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Michael Schumacher's 2001 Championship year
This helmet was the prototype designed by Rheos and Senna for his future helmets in 1990, so it's pretty special, and has an unbroken chain of provenance before and after that photograph being taken at a Philip Morris / McLaren team party on 20 February 1991
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This helmet was the prototype designed by Rheos and Senna for his future helmets in 1990, so it's pretty special, and has an unbroken chain of provenance before and after that photograph being taken at a Philip Morris / McLaren team party on 20 February 1991
A helmet worn by Ayrton Senna during the legendary 1988 season when the two fastest drivers were paired in the fastest car. Senna won eight Grands Prix, Prost seven, missing his fifth title by a handful of points after countback. There were 16 races - in motorsport you can't win them all, but that season McLaren came very close.
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A helmet worn by Ayrton Senna during the legendary 1988 season when the two fastest drivers were paired in the fastest car. Senna won eight Grands Prix, Prost seven, missing his fifth title by a handful of points after countback. There were 16 races - in motorsport you can't win them all, but that season McLaren came very close.
Worn by Michael Schumacher in the first three races of his 2001 Title win, this helmet witnessed three poles, two wins, one fastest lap, and one second place.
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Worn by Michael Schumacher in the first three races of his 2001 Title win, this helmet witnessed three poles, two wins, one fastest lap, and one second place.
One start, one win, one pole position, one fastest lap
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One start, one win, one pole position, one fastest lap
If you can't afford an F1 car, there could me no more iconic trophy from Michael Schumacher's glory days with Ferrari than a helmet that was worn to two Grand Prix wins, one of them in Monaco no less.
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If you can't afford an F1 car, there could me no more iconic trophy from Michael Schumacher's glory days with Ferrari than a helmet that was worn to two Grand Prix wins, one of them in Monaco no less.
Nigel Mansell was pure "Box Office." He was so courageous that the faithful christened him "il leone" (the lion).
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Nigel Mansell was pure "Box Office." He was so courageous that the faithful christened him "il leone" (the lion).
Nigel Mansell's 1992 Championship helmet was gifted to Haas, further enhancing its provenance and appeal
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Nigel Mansell's 1992 Championship helmet was gifted to Haas, further enhancing its provenance and appeal
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Juan Manuel Fangio won 24 races in his short 52-race career. He was 38 years old when he drove his first Grand Prix in 1950, lost a year through injury, and retired at 47 years of age having won five world titles. His percentage of wins, poles and fastest laps per start will never be beaten. Others may have won more races and titles, but on the statistics available, he's clearly the best there ever was. Christie's sold a Fangio helmet in 2004 for $49,350 against an estimate of $6,000 to $8000, and Bonhams sold the above helmet in 2005 for $34,500. The shirts/bats/gloves of Pele, Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali already sell for 100 times the price of one of Fangio's helmets, so it should be interesting to watch if the prices stay that way as F1 grows a following in America.
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Juan Manuel Fangio won 24 races in his short 52-race career. He was 38 years old when he drove his first Grand Prix in 1950, lost a year through injury, and retired at 47 years of age having won five world titles. His percentage of wins, poles and fastest laps per start will never be beaten. Others may have won more races and titles, but on the statistics available, he's clearly the best there ever was. Christie's sold a Fangio helmet in 2004 for $49,350 against an estimate of $6,000 to $8000, and Bonhams sold the above helmet in 2005 for $34,500. The shirts/bats/gloves of Pele, Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali already sell for 100 times the price of one of Fangio's helmets, so it should be interesting to watch if the prices stay that way as F1 grows a following in America.
2004 was the final year of the Schumacher/Ferrari years of F1 dominance, and the year Michael won his seventh and final world championship with Ferrari. Hence this helmet didn't reach the price heights of his championship and race-winning helmets.
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2004 was the final year of the Schumacher/Ferrari years of F1 dominance, and the year Michael won his seventh and final world championship with Ferrari. Hence this helmet didn't reach the price heights of his championship and race-winning helmets.
The second-highest price ever paid for an F1 Trading Card was USD$740,000 for a 1/1 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 (F1) #1 Lewis Hamilton Sapphire Edition Padparadscha PSA 8 on 27 September 2022.
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The second-highest price ever paid for an F1 Trading Card was USD$740,000 for a 1/1 2020 Topps Chrome Formula 1 (F1) #1 Lewis Hamilton Sapphire Edition Padparadscha PSA 8 on 27 September 2022.
The most expensive trading card so far (to the beginning of the 2024 Season) is this 2020 Topps Chrome F1 Superfractor #1 Lewis Hamilton (1/1) which fetched USD$900,000 on 1 May, 2022 at Goldin Auctions.
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The most expensive trading card so far (to the beginning of the 2024 Season) is this 2020 Topps Chrome F1 Superfractor #1 Lewis Hamilton (1/1) which fetched USD$900,000 on 1 May, 2022 at Goldin Auctions.
The most expensive Max Verstappen trading card fetched USD $534,000 in August 2022 at a Goldin auction. This 2020 Topps Chrome F1 Autographs SuperFractor Max Verstappen Signed Rookie Card (#1/1) is pictured sealed in its PSA Card Sleeve which signifies its official PSA grading. PSA is the largest authentication and grading company in the world for trading cards and memorabilia.
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The most expensive Max Verstappen trading card fetched USD $534,000 in August 2022 at a Goldin auction. This 2020 Topps Chrome F1 Autographs SuperFractor Max Verstappen Signed Rookie Card (#1/1) is pictured sealed in its PSA Card Sleeve which signifies its official PSA grading. PSA is the largest authentication and grading company in the world for trading cards and memorabilia.
The only card in the top 10 F1 trading cards (as at March 1 2024) that was minted prior to 2020 is this 2006 Futera Grand Prix "Next" Lewis Hamilton sold by Goldin auctions in March 2022 for USD$312,000. The 100-card Futera Grand Prix set minted in 2006 contains the very first Lewis Hamilton card. Hamilton didn't get onto the grid until 2007, and just 480 boxes were produced, with those distributed primarily in Asia and the Middle East. That meant supply was limited and demand has been fuelled by seven subsequent drivers titles. Grading authority PSA rates the card "exceptionally rare with only a handful actually confirmed to still exist." Kinda like race-worn F1 Grand Prix helmets really.
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The only card in the top 10 F1 trading cards (as at March 1 2024) that was minted prior to 2020 is this 2006 Futera Grand Prix "Next" Lewis Hamilton sold by Goldin auctions in March 2022 for USD$312,000. The 100-card Futera Grand Prix set minted in 2006 contains the very first Lewis Hamilton card. Hamilton didn't get onto the grid until 2007, and just 480 boxes were produced, with those distributed primarily in Asia and the Middle East. That meant supply was limited and demand has been fuelled by seven subsequent drivers titles. Grading authority PSA rates the card "exceptionally rare with only a handful actually confirmed to still exist." Kinda like race-worn F1 Grand Prix helmets really.
Lewis Hamilton's fascination with helmet art was on display again at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix when "Lewis Hamilton X Hajime Sorayama" did the work on his helmet. If this helmet ever reaches public auction, it's a good bet to take his current record.
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Lewis Hamilton's fascination with helmet art was on display again at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix when "Lewis Hamilton X Hajime Sorayama" did the work on his helmet. If this helmet ever reaches public auction, it's a good bet to take his current record.
When this helmet sold for GBP £22,562.50 (USD $35,000) at the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale, it was one of the most expensive helmets that had ever been sold. Another five years from now, with Formula 1 memorabilia prices looking set for a recalibration, one wonders what that $35,000 investment on a Herbert Johnson helmet used by the great Juan Manuel Fangio might return.
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When this helmet sold for GBP £22,562.50 (USD $35,000) at the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale, it was one of the most expensive helmets that had ever been sold. Another five years from now, with Formula 1 memorabilia prices looking set for a recalibration, one wonders what that $35,000 investment on a Herbert Johnson helmet used by the great Juan Manuel Fangio might return.
Not much to look at but pure gold. Read the fine print in the auction catalogue and you'll find a verifiable chain of custody of Fangio's helmet, boots and goggles from his 1950 campaign and his winning 1951 Formula 1 season through to Eva Peron, the First Lady of Argentina from 1946-52. Juan and Eva Peron were among the personal backers who helped a late-30s Argentinian get the opportunity to display his talents on the world stage.
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Not much to look at but pure gold. Read the fine print in the auction catalogue and you'll find a verifiable chain of custody of Fangio's helmet, boots and goggles from his 1950 campaign and his winning 1951 Formula 1 season through to Eva Peron, the First Lady of Argentina from 1946-52. Juan and Eva Peron were among the personal backers who helped a late-30s Argentinian get the opportunity to display his talents on the world stage.
In 2014 all the Champion MotoGP riders signed a helmet to be auctioned for charity. Agostini, Nieto, Rossi, Marquez, Lorenzo, Rainey and many more joined in ... and raised $313,813 for charity. It was a great concept and mirrored what was done a few years prior where all the rock musicians signed a guitar and raised USD $2.7 million for the "Reach out to Asia" charity. This could be done once a year in F1, with all drivers signing a helmet to be auctioned at the end of the year ... for charity. Money from nothing for a good cause
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In 2014 all the Champion MotoGP riders signed a helmet to be auctioned for charity. Agostini, Nieto, Rossi, Marquez, Lorenzo, Rainey and many more joined in ... and raised $313,813 for charity. It was a great concept and mirrored what was done a few years prior where all the rock musicians signed a guitar and raised USD $2.7 million for the "Reach out to Asia" charity. This could be done once a year in F1, with all drivers signing a helmet to be auctioned at the end of the year ... for charity. Money from nothing for a good cause
The idea of using the outer shell of a racing car as a blank canvas for the creation of art got started when a Parisian Art Auctioneer Hervé Poulain asked his friend Alexander Calder to paint his BMW 3.0 CSL Batmobile for the 1975 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. An idea whose time had come unfolded from there.
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The idea of using the outer shell of a racing car as a blank canvas for the creation of art got started when a Parisian Art Auctioneer Hervé Poulain asked his friend Alexander Calder to paint his BMW 3.0 CSL Batmobile for the 1975 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. An idea whose time had come unfolded from there.
Straight from a museum ... original and authentic
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Straight from a museum ... original and authentic
The Herbert Johnson Company has long produced its Poet Fedora range, and the style was chosen by Harrison Ford and Stephen Spielberg as the basis for the hat worn by Indiana Jones. Though up to 50 hats were produced for the later movies in the series, a screen-worn version of the hat sold for more than $500,000 at auction in 2018.
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The Herbert Johnson Company has long produced its Poet Fedora range, and the style was chosen by Harrison Ford and Stephen Spielberg as the basis for the hat worn by Indiana Jones. Though up to 50 hats were produced for the later movies in the series, a screen-worn version of the hat sold for more than $500,000 at auction in 2018.
Formula One helmet prices don't compare well with Star Wars memorabilia either. Uber villain Darth Vader's helmet and mask "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back" (1980) sold for $1,125,000 in 2019 and screen-worn helmets from the Imperial Storm Troopers (record $245,000), Tie Fighter pilots (record $287,876) and Snow Trooper helmets (record $276,750) from the movie franchise are highly-prized.
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Formula One helmet prices don't compare well with Star Wars memorabilia either. Uber villain Darth Vader's helmet and mask "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back" (1980) sold for $1,125,000 in 2019 and screen-worn helmets from the Imperial Storm Troopers (record $245,000), Tie Fighter pilots (record $287,876) and Snow Trooper helmets (record $276,750) from the movie franchise are highly-prized.
The world's most expensive sporting helmet ever sold at auction was the helmet Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum wore in winning the 2012 FEI World Endurance Championship-winning. The winning helmet of the 100-mile race sold at an Emirates Auction (UAE) raising funds for the Al Jalila Foundation. An anonymous bidder paid USD $6,547,603 (Dh24.05 million) for the helmet in November, 2015
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The world's most expensive sporting helmet ever sold at auction was the helmet Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum wore in winning the 2012 FEI World Endurance Championship-winning. The winning helmet of the 100-mile race sold at an Emirates Auction (UAE) raising funds for the Al Jalila Foundation. An anonymous bidder paid USD $6,547,603 (Dh24.05 million) for the helmet in November, 2015
Movie memorabilia often attracts bids that most people would consider irrational. The helmet used by the Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) in Ridley Scott's Oscar®-winning "Gladiator" (2000) fetched $377,606 (£281,250 inc BP)
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Movie memorabilia often attracts bids that most people would consider irrational. The helmet used by the Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) in Ridley Scott's Oscar®-winning "Gladiator" (2000) fetched $377,606 (£281,250 inc BP)
Lewis Hamilton's fascination with helmet art was on display again at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix when "Lewis Hamilton X Hajime Sorayama" did the work on his helmet. If this helmet ever reaches public auction, it's a good bet to take his current record.
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Lewis Hamilton's fascination with helmet art was on display again at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix when "Lewis Hamilton X Hajime Sorayama" did the work on his helmet. If this helmet ever reaches public auction, it's a good bet to take his current record.
This 1947-48 baseball cap is a helmet of sorts, though it predates the use of batting helmets. Jackie Robinson was the first black MLB baseballer and he endured an inhuman "trial by fire" on all fronts. This cap has three protective plates sewn into it, to mitigate "bean balls" - pitches aimed at the head. Robinson wore this cap when he walked onto Ebbets Field and broke the colour line on 15 April 1947. From Wikipedia: "Robinson's character, his use of nonviolence, and his talent challenged the traditional basis of segregation that had then marked many other aspects of American life." The cap fetched $590,994 at Lelands Auctions in 2017.
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This 1947-48 baseball cap is a helmet of sorts, though it predates the use of batting helmets. Jackie Robinson was the first black MLB baseballer and he endured an inhuman "trial by fire" on all fronts. This cap has three protective plates sewn into it, to mitigate "bean balls" - pitches aimed at the head. Robinson wore this cap when he walked onto Ebbets Field and broke the colour line on 15 April 1947. From Wikipedia: "Robinson's character, his use of nonviolence, and his talent challenged the traditional basis of segregation that had then marked many other aspects of American life." The cap fetched $590,994 at Lelands Auctions in 2017.
Movie memorabilia sells on a different level to F1 memorabilia too. The distinctive flight helmet worn by Tom Cruise as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in the 1986 movie "Top Gun" sold for $406,250 (inc BP) at Propstore in 2021
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Movie memorabilia sells on a different level to F1 memorabilia too. The distinctive flight helmet worn by Tom Cruise as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in the 1986 movie "Top Gun" sold for $406,250 (inc BP) at Propstore in 2021
Do you remember the taunting Frenchman on the castle wall in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail (XXXX) who delivered such classic cinema lines as "I fart in your general direction" and "I wave my private parts at your Aunties"? Well his helmet sold at Propstore UK for £65,000 (USD $76,750) in November 2023
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Do you remember the taunting Frenchman on the castle wall in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail (XXXX) who delivered such classic cinema lines as "I fart in your general direction" and "I wave my private parts at your Aunties"? Well his helmet sold at Propstore UK for £65,000 (USD $76,750) in November 2023
One of Babe Ruth's 1930s New York Yankees game-worn caps sold for $537,278 in 2012, but would fetch much more today. If in doubt, see this article entitled "Babe Ruth baseball bat sells for $930,000 as sports memorabilia market heats up" from 2020.
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One of Babe Ruth's 1930s New York Yankees game-worn caps sold for $537,278 in 2012, but would fetch much more today. If in doubt, see this article entitled "Babe Ruth baseball bat sells for $930,000 as sports memorabilia market heats up" from 2020.
The most expensive helmet from any American power sport is this Houston Oilers helmet signed by legendary coach Bum Phillips. We don't have a pic but Sports Collector Daily captured the story and nuance back in 2011. Husband and wife Tort law legends Steve and Amber Mostyn bid against each other in a charity auction with the hammer finally falling at $2,000,000. It's still not the most expensive modern sports helmet.
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The most expensive helmet from any American power sport is this Houston Oilers helmet signed by legendary coach Bum Phillips. We don't have a pic but Sports Collector Daily captured the story and nuance back in 2011. Husband and wife Tort law legends Steve and Amber Mostyn bid against each other in a charity auction with the hammer finally falling at $2,000,000. It's still not the most expensive modern sports helmet.
If you haven't grasped just how big and powerful the American sports card collecting industry is, this might help. On the list of the most valuable sports trading card, you'll see the record for a hockey card is Wayne Gretzky's rookie card - one of only two known 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie cards that are graded Gem Mint 10 (at left in the image). The box on the right sold at Heritage Auctions for $3,720,000 on 24 February 2024. It is an unopened sealed case (16 boxes/48 packs) of 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Wax cards from Gretzky's Rookie. Someone gambled $3,720,000 that the value of the cards inside, which will all be graded 10 or close, will be worth more than they paid. We're guessing they've done the numbers. Hope so!
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If you haven't grasped just how big and powerful the American sports card collecting industry is, this might help. On the list of the most valuable sports trading card, you'll see the record for a hockey card is Wayne Gretzky's rookie card - one of only two known 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie cards that are graded Gem Mint 10 (at left in the image). The box on the right sold at Heritage Auctions for $3,720,000 on 24 February 2024. It is an unopened sealed case (16 boxes/48 packs) of 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee Hockey Wax cards from Gretzky's Rookie. Someone gambled $3,720,000 that the value of the cards inside, which will all be graded 10 or close, will be worth more than they paid. We're guessing they've done the numbers. Hope so!
View gallery - 49 images

As the only visible part of a Formula One driver on global television each race, the F1 racing helmet has become a modern icon. But in a world where a Mickey Mantle baseball card is worth US$12.6 million, it's amazing how little F1 helmets sell for.

When we analysed the Formula One helmet memorabilia marketplace, we were amazed to find that 17 of the top 25 prices ever paid for an F1 helmet occurred in 2023, but we were equally amazed that most of the helmets worn by the champions of yesteryear were buried deep in the results with low prices or had never been to auction because they meant more to their custodians than their monetary value.

With that monetary value soaring, we expect to see a few more helmets from motorsport's antiquity coming to auction in 2024.

One of the fascinations of this research was finding quite a few prior auction results of important racing helmets that were dirt cheap when calibrated against 2023 prices, and the prices they might be fetching a decade from now with F1 finally being embraced by America.

Juan Manuel Fangio won 24 races in his short 52-race career. He was 38 years old when he drove his first Grand Prix in 1950, lost a year through injury, and retired at 47 years of age having won five world titles. His percentage of wins, poles and fastest laps per start will never be beaten. Others may have won more races and titles, but on the statistics available, he's clearly the best there ever was. Christie's sold a Fangio helmet in 2004 for $49,350 against an estimate of $6,000 to $8000, and Bonhams sold the above helmet in 2005 for $34,500. The shirts/bats/gloves of Pele, Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali already sell for 100 times the price of one of Fangio's helmets, so it should be interesting to watch if the prices stay that way as F1 grows a following in America.
Juan Manuel Fangio won 24 races in his short 52-race career. He was 38 years old when he drove his first Grand Prix in 1950, lost a year through injury, and retired at 47 years of age having won five world titles. His percentage of wins, poles and fastest laps per start will never be beaten. Others may have won more races and titles, but on the statistics available, he's clearly the best there ever was. Christie's sold a Fangio helmet in 2004 for $49,350 against an estimate of $6,000 to $8000, and Bonhams sold the above helmet in 2005 for $34,500. The shirts/bats/gloves of Pele, Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali already sell for 100 times the price of one of Fangio's helmets, so it should be interesting to watch if the prices stay that way as F1 grows a following in America.

Fangio's success rate is emphasised by the numbers. He took pole position in 56.9% of the races he contested at the highest level (Hamilton 31.3%, Schumacher 22.15%, Verstappen 17.8%). He set the fastest lap in 45.1% of races (Schumacher 25.1 %, Hamilton 19.6%, Verstappen 16.2%) and he won 47.1% of the time (Hamilton 31.0%, Schumacher 29.6%, Verstappen 29.2%). Those stats are correct prior to the first race of 2024.

Motor racing has minted helmets ever more voraciously over recent years, but when Formula One started in 1950, the grids were still using a mixture of leather helmets and the "pudding basins."

Hence, though military helmets have been around for 5000 years, motor racing helmets have only existed for around for 70 years. This list is truly an historical list, though the price sold at auction might not be the best arbiter of importance for some of them.

In 2022 an early 1950s race-used leather helmet used by Juan Manuel Fangio went to market at Julien's Auctions in Hollywood - a company renowned for extracting value from elite provenance. Unfortunately, it was sold in an American sports environment and when sold with the workmanlike boots Fangio raced in and the perished goggles, it did not present as special amongst items from Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan and the other legends of American sports and .... we're guessing only one petrol head was there that day. Boy, did they score a bargain at USD $5,760. Those are still the original laces that "El Maestro" would have laced up before each Grand Prix.

Not much to look at but pure gold. Read the fine print in the auction catalogue and you'll find a verifiable chain of custody of Fangio's helmet, boots and goggles from his 1950 campaign and his winning 1951 Formula 1 season through to Eva Peron, the First Lady of Argentina from 1946-52. Juan and Eva Peron were among the personal backers who helped a late-30s Argentinian get the opportunity to display his talents on the world stage.
Not much to look at but pure gold. Read the fine print in the auction catalogue and you'll find a verifiable chain of custody of Fangio's helmet, boots and goggles from his 1950 campaign and his winning 1951 Formula 1 season through to Eva Peron, the First Lady of Argentina from 1946-52. Juan and Eva Peron were among the personal backers who helped a late-30s Argentinian get the opportunity to display his talents on the world stage.

There are lots of precedents of important helmets selling at auction for prices well below their worth today. A lightweight racing helmet from 1958 World F1 Champion Mike Hawthorn failed to sell against an estimate of £10,000 - £14,000 in 2019, the record for a helmet worn by Kimi Raikkonen's is just $33,812, Gilles Villeneuve's record is just $33,050 and even after being the lovable bad boy in a feature film, James Hunt still didn't make this list with his highest-priced helmet being $61,497.

If you haven't already seen our analysis of this marketplace, it might be a better place to start. On the other hand, the list presents as a joyous journey through Formula One racing history, from leather helmets to shellack and cork, to Graham Hill's pioneering full-face Bell helmet to Sir Lewis Hamilton taking the concept into the art realm and beyond.

In that regard we must make a final mention of one special helmet before we get into the F1 list.

In 2014 all the Champion MotoGP riders signed a helmet to be auctioned for charity. Agostini, Nieto, Rossi, Marquez, Lorenzo, Rainey and many more joined in ... and raised $313,813 for charity. It was a great concept and mirrored what was done a few years prior where all the rock musicians signed a guitar and raised USD $2.7 million for the "Reach out to Asia" charity. This could be done once a year in F1, with all drivers signing a helmet to be auctioned at the end of the year ... for charity. Money from nothing for a good cause
In 2014 all the Champion MotoGP riders signed a helmet to be auctioned for charity. Agostini, Nieto, Rossi, Marquez, Lorenzo, Rainey and many more joined in ... and raised $313,813 for charity. It was a great concept and mirrored what was done a few years prior where all the rock musicians signed a guitar and raised USD $2.7 million for the "Reach out to Asia" charity. This could be done once a year in F1, with all drivers signing a helmet to be auctioned at the end of the year ... for charity. Money from nothing for a good cause

A decade ago, members of the LCR Honda MotoGP team decided to enrol all the champions of MotoGP in a joint venture to raise funds for AECC, (Spanish Association against Cancer) (www.aecc.es) and Riders For Health (www.riders.org), the official charity of MotoGP.

The helmet sold for USD $313,813 and was the most expensive motorsport helmet in the world until 2023. At the time it was sold, the highest prices ever paid for an F1 helmet are both on this list; the $118,628 Ayrton Senna helmet sold in 2012 and the $118,238 Sebastian Vettel helmet sold in 2013.

In short, F1 helmet prices are rising rapidly and are still undervalued in comparison to American sports.

Items shaded in blue sold at auction during 2023
Items shaded in blue sold at auction during 2023

The above chart indicates not just that prices are rising, but the analysis explains they may go much higher yet.

This list uses the full price of a helmet at auction, including the buyers premium to reflect the entire purchase price. If it is sold outside the United States, we convert the sale price to USD on the next day of currency trading at the prevailing rates.

This listing uses those figures to create the all-time most expensive list of Formula One helmets sold at auction at this point in time (March 1, 2024).

25 | $75,502 | Nigel Mansell

Nigel Mansell's 1992 Championship helmet was gifted to Haas, further enhancing its provenance and appeal
Nigel Mansell's 1992 Championship helmet was gifted to Haas, further enhancing its provenance and appeal

Year: 1992 | Team: Canon Williams Renault
Manufacturer: Arai
Auction House: RM Sotheby's | Date of Sale: October 11, 2023
Official Auction Page Link
Sold by RM Sotheby's as part of the Nigel Mansell’s Legacy Collection, this helmet was worn by Mansell during his Championship-winning 1992 Formula 1 season. The World Champion’s personal memorabilia collection contributed three helmets to the top 25 of all-time, and another nine helmets to the top 50, surpassing Ayrton Senna and second only to Michael Schumacher in having the most helmets on the list.

24 | $79,200 | Michael Schumacher

This helmet was primarily worn during Michael Schumacher's first world championship year of 1994 - it was
This helmet was primarily worn during Michael Schumacher's first world championship year of 1994 in the Benneton Ford - the last Ford-powered Drivers' Champion

Year: 1994 | Team: Mild Seven Benetton Ford
Manufacturer: Bell
Auction House: RM Sotheby's | Date of Sale: September 6, 2023
Official Auction Page Link
From Michael Schumacher's personal collection, and with a Certificate of Authenticity from Bell, this helmet was used by Michael during his first world championship year of 1994 when he raced for Benetton, taking eight wins, six poles and eight fastest laps from 16 races to prevail over Damon Hill by a single point.

The presentation of such momentous motorsport momentos is paramount in achieving high prices and one of the factors in the high prices achieved during 2023 was the vast improvement in how they were presented from the Schumacher and Mansell Collections. We're predicting that many of these sacred objects might be "rehoused" to present better - apart from becoming a great reminder to be as good as you can be each day, the presentation needs to be congruent with the importance of the object.

23 | $84,385 | Nigel Mansell

Nigel Mansell was pure "Box Office." He was so courageous that the faithful christened him "il leone" (the lion).
Nigel Mansell was pure "Box Office." He was so courageous that the faithful christened him "il leone" (the lion).

Year: 1985 | Team: Canon Williams Honda
Manufacturer: Arai
Auction House: RM Sotheby's | Date of Sale: October 11, 2023
Official Auction Page Link
This helmet was worn by Nigel Mansell to the first of his 31 Grand Prix wins in the 1985 European Grand Prix at Brands Hatch. The 75-lap race was a momentous one, with Ayrton Senna's Lotus-Renault cracking the 140 mph barrier in qualifying to take pole and a young Alain Prost (McLaren-TAG) finished fourth in the race, securing his first Drivers' Championship with two rounds of the season to spare.

22 | $85,200 | Michael Schumacher

If you can't afford an F1 car, there could me no more iconic trophy from Michael Schumacher's glory days with Ferrari than a helmet that was worn to two Grand Prix wins, one of them in Monaco no less.
If you can't afford an F1 car, there could me no more iconic trophy from Michael Schumacher's glory days with Ferrari than a helmet that was worn to two Grand Prix wins, one of them in Monaco no less.

Year: 2001 | Team: Scuderia Ferrari
Manufacturer: Schuberth
Auction House: RM Sotheby's | Date of Sale: September 6, 2023
Official Auction Page Link
This helmet was worn by Michael Schumacher during his 2001 Championship-winning Year. It was delivered to Schumacher by helmet artist Jens Munser on 27 March 2001, and was used by Michael win the 2001 Monaco Grand Prix and the 2001 Spanish Gran Prix, along with pole and fastest lap in Barcelona.

21 | $87,600 | Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher smokes them all in the 2002 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa Francorchamps

Year: 2002 | Team: Scuderia Ferrari
Manufacturer: Schuberth
Auction House: RM Sotheby's | Date of Sale: September 6, 2023
Official Auction Page Link
Another helmet designed and certified by Jens Munser, this specimen was worn by Michael to win the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa on 1 September 2002. He also took pole position and fastest lap in the helmet and won the championship.

20 | $87,600 | Michael Schumacher

This helmet was used by Michael Schumacher in just two races, for one first and one second place. The second place won him a title.
This helmet was used by Michael Schumacher in just two races, for one first and one second place. The second place won him a title.

Year: 2002 | Team: Scuderia Ferrari
Manufacturer: Schuberth
Auction House: RM Sotheby's | Date of Sale: September 6, 2023
Official Auction Page Link
Delivered on 4 July 2002, this signed helmet was used by Michael Schumacher in the 2002 Hungarian and Japanese Grands Prix. In Hungary he qualified second behind teammate Rubens Barrichello, set the fastest lap and finished second, with the 1-2 finish securing Ferrari's fourth consecutive Constructors' Championship. In Japan, Schumacher took a clean sweep with pole position, fastest lap and the win. It was a dominant Ferrari season with Schumacher first and Barrichello second in the points and 15 Ferrari wins from 17 starts (Schumacher 11, Barrichello 4),

19 | $87,939 | Alain Prost

This helmet was used by four-time champion Alain Prost in the 1984 Dallas Grand Prix. Known for his grace under pressure, it was one of the few times he ever let a Grand Prix victory slip away. Prost had built a 7.5 second lead in the closing stages when his McLaren-TAG touched the wall.
This helmet was used by four-time champion Alain Prost in the 1984 Dallas Grand Prix. Known for his grace under pressure, it was one of the few times he ever let a Grand Prix victory slip away. Prost had built a 7.5 second lead in the closing stages when his McLaren-TAG touched the wall.

Year: 1984 | Team: McLaren-Porsche
Manufacturer: GPA
Auction House: Bonhams | Date of Sale: November 17, 2023
Official Auction Page Link
One of the oldest helmets on our top 25 list , and one of the very few pieces of memorabilia from four-time-champ Alain Prost that has been sold in the modern auction era.

This helmet was used by Prost during the famous 1984 Dallas Grand Prix, a one-off F1 Grand Prix held in the Texas State Fair Grounds. The weather was unkind, with a string of 100+ °F (38 ° + C) days that overwhelmed the event. Temperatures were so high that the track surface began to break down, with racing delayed until it could be repaired with quick-dry cement. Prost and Niki Lauda tried to organise the drivers to boycott the event on safety grounds but it went ahead and only eight of the 26 starters were classified as finishing, though only five saw the chequered flag. Just one car finished on the same lap as Keke Rosberg's Williams-Honda, and Nigel Mansell collapsed trying to push his Lotus-Renault the length of the straight in order to finish. He didn't make it, but was classified sixth, three laps behind the winner.

18 | $90,000 | Nigel Mansell
The House That Newman/Haas Racing Built

Year: 1985 | Team: Canon Williams Honda
Manufacturer: Arai
Auction House: RM Sotheby's | Date of Sale: October 29, 2022
Official Auction Page Link
Sold as part of RM Sotheby's 2022 auction of The House That Newman/Haas Racing Built, this race-worn Nigel Mansell F1 helmet was gifted to Haas by Mansell, giving the helmet a double-whammy of provenance, as Mansell famously joined Newman/Haas straight from winning his 1992 F1 title, winning the 1993 CART Indy Car World Series .

Nigel Mansell's $90,000 (inc buyers premium) F1 helmet sold at Newman Haas

Not much is known about the provenance of the helmet, but someone obviously did their homework prior to auction,

17 | $97,200 | Michael Schumacher

One start, one win, one pole position, one fastest lap
One start, one win, one pole position, one fastest lap

Year: 2002 | Team: Scuderia Ferrari
Manufacturer: Schuberth
Auction House: RM Sotheby's | Date of Sale: September 6, 2023
Official Auction Page Link
This helmet was used by Michael Schumacher in his 2002 Championship Year in 2002. It was delivered towards the end of the season, and was used in the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa Francorchamps. Schumacher took pole, set the fastest lap and won the race ... and the fastest lap of 1:47.176 was also a new lap record.

16 | $98,400 | Michael Schumacher

Worn by Michael Schumacher in the first three races of his 2001 Title win, this helmet witnessed three poles, two wins, one fastest lap, and one second place.
Worn by Michael Schumacher in the first three races of his 2001 Title win, this helmet witnessed three poles, two wins, one fastest lap, and one second place.

Year: 2001 | Team: Scuderia Ferrari
Manufacturer: Schuberth
Auction House: RM Sotheby's | Date of Sale: September 6, 2023
Official Auction Page Link
Another signed Schumacher Schuberth helmet by Jens Munser Designs with a winning provenance. Delivered on 22 January 2001, this helmet was worn by Michael in the first three races of his 2001 Title win: the Australian, Malaysian, and Brazilian Grands Prix. In Australia, Michael took pole, fastest lap and a win. In Malaysia, he qualified on pole and won. In Brazil, the he qualified on pole but ultimately finished second to the West McLaren of David Coulthard.

15 | $102,000 | Ayrton Senna

A helmet worn by Ayrton Senna during the legendary 1988 season when the two fastest drivers were paired in the fastest car. Senna won eight Grands Prix, Prost seven, missing his fifth title by a handful of points after countback. There were 16 races - in motorsport you can't win them all, but that season McLaren came very close.
A helmet worn by Ayrton Senna during the legendary 1988 season when the two fastest drivers were paired in the fastest car. Senna won eight Grands Prix, Prost seven, missing his fifth title by a handful of points after countback. There were 16 races - in motorsport you can't win them all, but that season McLaren came very close.

Year: 1988 | Team: McLaren Honda (signed)
Manufacturer: Rheos
Auction House: RM Sotheby's | Date of Sale: December 2, 2019
Official Auction Page Link
This helmet was used during the first championship year of three-time Formula 1 World Champion Ayrton Senna, the year that McLaren almost pulled off the perfect season.

From our story, How Fernando Alonso almost gazumped the Pope's Ferrari, which centers on the 1988 season: "Going into the 12th (of 16) race in the 1988 World Formula One Championship, the 1988 Italian Grand Prix at Autodromo Nazionale di Monza on 11 September 1988, Ferrari had not won a race, and McLaren had won them all to that point.

In the race, Prost's McLaren had engine problems but Senna's McLaren was leading with just two laps to go when he collided with a backmarker, leaving the two Ferraris an unlikely 1-2 finish.

If it been a film script, it would have been scrapped as just too implausible. Ferrari came from the clouds to take a 1-2 victory at the home of Italian motorsport just a few weeks after the visit of a man who would later become a Saint, and the first race since the death of Italy's beloved Enzo Ferrari. Just to complete the fairy tale, McLaren won all of the remaining races of the year, and (statistically) enjoyed the most dominant year in Formula One history (to that point - Red Bull was better last year).

There has never been a more credible case of divine intervention."

This helmet was there.

14 | $102,263 | Ayrton Senna

Straight from a museum ... original and authentic
Straight from a museum ... original and authentic

Year: 1988 | Team: McLaren Honda (signed)
Manufacturer: Rheos
Auction House: Automobilia Ladenburg | Date of Sale: November 7, 2020
Official Auction Page Link
So was this helmet. It is fascinating that two helmets from the same driver from the same momentous year should sell at such similar amounts. It's also signed.

13 | $107,863 | Ayrton Senna

This helmet was the prototype designed by Rheos and Senna for his future helmets in 1990, so it's pretty special, and has an unbroken chain of provenance before and after that photograph being taken at a Philip Morris / McLaren team party on 20 February 1991
This helmet was the prototype designed by Rheos and Senna for his future helmets in 1990, so it's pretty special, and has an unbroken chain of provenance before and after that photograph being taken at a Philip Morris / McLaren team party on 20 February 1991

Year: 1990 | Team: Honda Marlboro McLaren (signed)
Manufacturer: Rheos
Auction House: Artcurial | Date of Sale: June 22, 2015
Official Auction Page Link
Ayrton Senna's prototype helmet completed in 1990 and the model for all those helmets now coveted by collectors the world over.
Senna won the title wearing identical helmets throughout 1990 and McLaren won the Constructors Champion.

12 | $109,200 | Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher's 2001 Championship year
Michael Schumacher's 2001 Championship year

Year: 2004 | Team: Scuderia Ferrari
Manufacturer: Schuberth
Auction House: RM Sotheby's | Date of Sale: September 6, 2023
Official Auction Page Link
This Schuberth helmet comes from Michael Schumacher's personal collection, and was used during his 2001 Championship Year. Delivered on 11 September 2001, this helmet was used during the 2001 Italian Grand Prix at the Cathedral of Speed (Monza). Michael qualified third, and finished fourth. The visor is signed.

11 | $109,200 | Michael Schumacher

Another Michael Schumacher helmet with an astonishing provenance.
Another Michael Schumacher helmet with an astonishing provenance.

Year: 2001 | Team: Scuderia Ferrari
Manufacturer: Schuberth
Auction House: RM Sotheby's | Date of Sale: September 6, 2023
Official Auction Page Link
This helmet was used once in a race by Michael Schumacher during the 2002 Belgian Grand Prix. In this helmet, Schumacher took pole, set the fastest lap and won. With such a perfect record, the helmet was retired and had been in his personal collection until this sale.

10 | $112,181 (Charity) | Alex Albon

Williams F1 driver Alex Albon transformed his helmet from one Grand Prix into a sports hall for 2000 children at an orphanage in rural Thailand
Williams F1 driver Alex Albon transformed his helmet from one Grand Prix into a sports hall for 2000 children at an orphanage in rural Thailand

Year: 2022 | Team: Williams Duracell
Manufacturer: Bell
Auction House: F1Authentics | Date of Sale: October 11, 2022
Official Auction Page Link
This helmet was used by Thai-British racing driver Alex Albon during the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix, being sold by F1Authentics in 2022 with the entire proceeds going to one of Albon's passion projects, the Wat Sakraeo Orphanage in rural Thailand. The money funded the building of a new sports hall for the 2000 children at the orphanage. The design was a collaboration between Alex and the kids. Charity auctions are one of the very few endeavours where everybody wins.

9 | $118,238 (Charity) | Sebastian Vettel

The power of intent - a trophy in visualisation
The power of intent - a trophy in visualisation

Year: 2013 | Team: Red Bull Infiniti
Manufacturer: Arai
Auction House: Bonhams | Date of Sale: December 9, 2013
Official Auction Page Link
Four-time champion Sebastian Vettel hadn't had much luck in his (home) German Grand Prix and it was the one that he wanted to win most.

In 2013, Sebastian collaborated with Jens Munser Designs (who appears countless times on this list working with Michael Schumacher) to use his Arai to send a message, as much for himself as everybody else. The design uses Germany's national colours of black, red and gold to create a helmet with intent, with the helmet labelled and named "Home Run 2013" ... and he won!

The helmet is signed and visor tear-off too, and it was sold to the benefit of one of Vettel's many causes, the Wings for Life charity, along with helmet bag, Arai box and a Certificate of Authenticity. Apart from the design and one-start-one-win, it comes from the 2013 season during which he secured his fourth consecutive World Driver's Championship title.

8 | $118,628 | Ayrton Senna

The master of one very fast lap in the television era of Formula One was Ayrton Senna, gaining him one of the largest pre-Facebook fan bases the sport has seen. Senna's helmets have held the record price for much of the last 20 years and may vie for top tens in the future, but we suspect art and charity auction helmets will prevail over the coming decade
The master of one very fast lap in the television era of Formula One was Ayrton Senna, gaining him one of the largest pre-Facebook fan bases the sport has seen. Senna's helmets have held the record price for much of the last 20 years and may vie for top tens in the future, but we suspect art and charity auction helmets will prevail over the coming decade

Year: 1993 | Team: Honda Marlboro McLaren
Manufacturer: Shoei
Auction House: Silverstone (now Iconic Auctioneers - no link) | Date of Sale: July 12, 2012
Official Auction Page Link
Statistically one of the best ever and cut down in his prime, Ayrton Senna's trademark helmet design celebrated the colours of his home Brazilian flag coupled with Nacional, Marlboro, Boss and Honda branding and 12 years ago this was the most valuable helmet sold at auction. It was sold by British auction house Silverstone (now Iconic Auctioneers) for GBP £74,750 in 2012 with a McLaren International authentication certificate and the provenance of having been purchased by the vendor directly from McLaren's Ron Dennis. Senna's signed the Sid Mosca-designed helmet

7 | $120,000 | Michael Schumacher

Another Michael Schumacher helmet with an astonishing provenance.
Another Michael Schumacher helmet with an astonishing provenance.

Year: 2003 | Team: Scuderia Ferrari
Manufacturer: Schuberth
Auction House: RM Sotheby's | Date of Sale: September 6, 2023
Official Auction Page Link
This helmet comes from Michael Schumacher's 2003 championship year in 2003. It was delivered on 29 June 2003, and possibly used at the 2003 German Grand Prix, where Schumacher qualified sixth and finished eighth. This helmet was allocated as a spare for the British, Canadian and French Grand Prix'. The visor is signed.

6 | $171,506 | Graham Hill

Offered from the Graham Hill Collection, this very early Bell full face helmet wore the family colours to two world titles, and son Damon followed up with a world title wearing the same colours a few decades later.
Offered from the Graham Hill Collection, this very early Bell full face helmet wore the family colours to two world titles, and son Damon followed up with a world title wearing the same colours a few decades later.

Year: 1972 | Team: Brabham Ford
Manufacturer: Bell
Auction House: RM Sotheby's | Date of Sale: November 4, 2023
Official Auction Page Link
There are very few helmet liveries as distinctive as the Hill family colours. In an era where drivers often opted for single helmet colour or a version of their school tie, Hill’s loyalty to his rowing club saw him carry the design from one sport to another.

Prior to his motor racing, Hill competed as a rower for the London Rowing Club. Hill’s helmet was painted with the London Rowing Club’s dark blue with white oar blades. Graham carried the Hill colours to the FIA World Drivers' Championship in 1962 and 1968, then son Damon did likewise with the 1996 Drivers' Championship. The Hill family made history as the first family to have two generations of Formula 1 World Champions - the Rosbergs (Keke and Nico) repeated the feat at a later date.

@supercarseurope

A proud moment for Damon Hill! £115,000 + fees 😳 #f1 #formula1 #damonhill #grahamhill #helmet #formulaone #auction #rmsothebys

♬ original sound - Tom Callaghan

More than just a celebration of that feat, this helmet is almost the "missing link" between the leather flying helmets and "pudding basin" helmets of yesteryear, and the exquisite helmets of today produced with advanced composites and infinitely more scientific understanding.

Bell pioneered the full face helmet with the catchy slogan "if you've got a $10 head, wear a $10 helmet." At the forefront of motorsport visibility, Hill was one of the pioneers of the initiative, becoming one of the very first F1 drivers to use a full face helmet.

This helmet was used by Graham Hill during the 1972 and 1973 season and for three races at the beginning of the 1974 season. It is also likely that Hill would have worn this helmet for some of the 1971 season too. Adding to the authenticity, this helmet was sold from Hill family collection where it had resided since it was new.

5 | $184,340 | Ayrton Senna

The car control of Ayrton Senna came into its own in slippery conditions, and some of his wet weather performances were breathtaking. His drives in the wet 1984 Monaco Grand Prix, the wet 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix, and the wet 1993 European Grand Prix are the stuff of legend. His distinctive Brazilian flag helmet is instantly recognisable to motorsport fans from the era.
The car control of Ayrton Senna came into its own in slippery conditions, and some of his wet weather performances were breathtaking. His drives in the wet 1984 Monaco Grand Prix, the wet 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix, and the wet 1993 European Grand Prix are the stuff of legend. His distinctive Brazilian flag helmet is instantly recognisable to motorsport fans from the era.

Year: 1990 | Team: Honda Marlboro McLaren
Manufacturer: Rheos
Auction House: RM Sotheby's | Date of Sale: February 9, 2019
Official Auction Page Link
Ayrton Senna won 41 Grands Prix at 17 different circuits in his 161 Grand Prix starts before his tragic crash while leading the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix on 1 May 1994. It was his skill over a single blistering lap that warmed up the crowd, and he amassed a global following which ensures his helmets regularly return to the top of the most expensive list. We suspect he'll stay among the top 10 prices for a long time, as there are enough of the distinctive Senna helmet out there to see then come to auction every few years.

Complete with a radio, this Rheos helmet was used in the 1990 Formula 1 World Championship by Ayrton Senna in his McLaren MP4-5b, a year where both Senna and McLaren won their respective driver’s and team championships. The helmet shows desirable signs of wear both inside and out and is accompanied by a certificate from Angelo Parrilla, Senna’s manager during his time in karting, to whom Ayrton gifted this helmet.

4 | $193,750 | Phil Hill

Phil Hill was America's first F1 champion and the only one born in America. When his complete Herbert Johnson helmet ensemble came to market in 2021, it had been retained by the Hill family since it was worn, and it briefly became the world's most valuable F1 helmet. Made of shellacked canvas and cork, it was a milestone on our journey to the composite masterpieces of today, and it perfectly captured a moment in motor racing history.
Phil Hill was America's first F1 champion and the only one born in America. When his complete Herbert Johnson helmet ensemble came to market in 2021, it had been retained by the Hill family since it was worn, and it briefly became the world's most valuable F1 helmet. Made of shellacked canvas and cork, it was a milestone on our journey to the composite masterpieces of today, and it perfectly captured a moment in motor racing history.

Year: 1957 | Team: Unbranded Herbert Johnson Helmet
Manufacturer: Herbert Johnson
Auction House: Gooding & Co | Date of Sale: February 8, 2021
Official Auction Page Link
For the last 150 years, if you wanted the perfect hat for any occasion, you went to Herbert Johnson of 45 New Bond Street, London W1 and they'd tailor make it. They'd take your measurements, obtain a brief as to what it was to be used for, then design and craft you anything you wanted.

Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford went there when they wanted the right hat for Indiana Jones. Major Boothroyd of Q-branch (Q to you) went there when he wanted a gentleman's briefcase with a concealed sniper rifle for James Bond (Sean Connery). Blake Edwards went there to find a congruent hat for Inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers) in his ‘The Pink Panther’ film series. When they were searching for the right range of hats for Professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison) to wear in the 1963 movie My Fair Lady, they went to Herbert Johnson.

So too did the Grand Prix drivers of the day. Many of the top F1 drivers used Herbert Johnson helmets and this one was used for many years by one of the sport's champions. Pure gold - the Hill family, which had retained the helmet, its accessories and the box, provided a list of 22 events Phil had been photo-matched to, including the 1957 12 Hours of Reims, 1958 12 Hours of Sebring, 1958 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the famous 1958 Monzanapolis.

3 | $248,800 (Charity) | Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen auctions off his original Austrian GP helmet for charity

Year: 2022 | Team: Oracle Red Bull Racing
Manufacturer: Schuberth
Auction House: VIPrize | Date of Sale: September 4, 2022
Official Auction Page Link
Max Verstappen's first helmet on the list will not be his last. If he keeps winning at the current rate, he's going to become a phenomenon and his memorabilia will become very valuable on the auction block. This special edition helmet was created the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix with all proceeds going to "Wings for Life." Max looked for a while like he'd deliver a clean sweep of victories to go with the helmet to auction. He qualified on pole, won the sprint race, set fastest lap in the race, but finished second at the flag to Charles Leclerc.

2 | $328,430 (Charity) | Charles Leclerc

Charles Leclerc in this helmet awaiting release from the garage in Monaco
Charles Leclerc in this helmet awaiting release from the garage in Monaco

Year: 2023 | Team: Scuderia Ferrari
Manufacturer: Bell
Auction House: RM Sotheby's | Date of Sale: June 6, 2023
Official Auction Page Link
This 2023 Bell HP77 helmet was worn by Scuderia Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc during his home race in 2023, the Monaco Grand Prix. He qualified third, finished sixth and then approached RM Sotheby's to sell his entire racing suit via auction. His race suit fetched €61,200, his gloves €42,000, his boots €20,400, and the helmet went for €306,000 (USD $328,430). RM Sotheby's kicked in its commissions and it all went to the people of Emilia-Romagna (Ferrari's home of Maranello is there) where flooding had displaced 20,000 people.

1 | $387,500 | Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton x Takashi Murakami 2022 Japanese GP helmet - now the world's most expensive motorsport helmet
Lewis Hamilton x Takashi Murakami 2022 Japanese GP helmet - now the world's most expensive motorsport helmet

Year: 2022 | Team: Mercedes-AMG Petronas
Manufacturer: Bell
Auction House: Joopiter | Date of Sale: June 28, 2023
Official Auction Page Link
In many ways, Sir Lewis Hamilton's 2022 Japanese Grand Prix helmet was continuing a long tradition at Mercedes Benz of working with the artists of the day. Mercedes-Benz commissioned a young Andy Warhol to create his famous "Cars" series, and Sir Lewis has begun a journey down his own path that might yet create an entirely new genre of collectible.

The idea of using the outer shell of a racing car as a blank canvas for the creation of art got started when a Parisian Art Auctioneer Hervé Poulain asked his friend Alexander Calder to paint his BMW 3.0 CSL Batmobile for the 1975 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. An idea whose time had come unfolded from there.
The idea of using the outer shell of a racing car as a blank canvas for the creation of art got started when a Parisian Art Auctioneer Hervé Poulain asked his friend Alexander Calder to paint his BMW 3.0 CSL Batmobile for the 1975 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. An idea whose time had come unfolded from there.

Cars started out black, progressed to different colours and ... art cars got started when a Parisian Art Auctioneer driver and art auctioneer Hervé Poulain asked his friend Alexander Calder to paint his BMW 3.0 CSL Batmobile for the 1975 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race.

The idea caught on and became a focus for Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Porsche in the 1970s. BMW in particular worked with a host of hot contemporary artists to turn their most iconic models into a blank canvass. Creative powerhouses like Janis Joplin and John Lennon painted their own cars, and when Lennon's psychedelic Roller sold for $2,299,000 in 1985, it was the highest price ever paid for an automobile at auction.

John Lennon's Rolls-Royce Phantom V
John Lennon's Rolls-Royce Phantom V 

The previous record had been $440,000, so Lennon's Phantom V Rolls-Royce raised the world record price for any car by a factor of five. Those cars sold for their aesthetics and provenance far in excess of the market value of their "canvass."

Sir Lewis Hamilton has done us proud with this helmet because it appears to be just the start of him working with a range of artists to create a series of exquisitely painted artworks worn at momentous times, and with his millions of followers on social media, he has developed massive clout as an influencer.

Lewis Hamilton's fascination with helmet art was on display again at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix when "Lewis Hamilton X Hajime Sorayama" did the work on his helmet. If this helmet ever reaches public auction, it's a good bet to take his current record.
Lewis Hamilton's fascination with helmet art was on display again at the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix when "Lewis Hamilton X Hajime Sorayama" did the work on his helmet. If this helmet ever reaches public auction, it's a good bet to take his current record.

Already a fashion icon, Hamilton is in the process of becoming an artist and advocate too. That he's also seeking to win an eighth world championship in a Mercedes-Benz this year, and a Ferrari beyond that is ... well, very compelling viewing.

The potential for art helmets to help beautify and enliven the Formula One scene, synthesising value for worthwhile causes, bringing new artists into focus ... bears some thought.

In the meantime, we have a worthy champ and yet another battleground upon which Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen can engage, and like the 2024 season which starts tonight, it will be a battle royale, with two of the savviest communication machines in the world of sport behind them.

The world's most expensive sporting helmet ever sold at auction was the helmet Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum wore in winning the 2012 FEI World Endurance Championship-winning. The winning helmet of the 100-mile race sold at an Emirates Auction (UAE) raising funds for the Al Jalila Foundation. An anonymous bidder paid USD $6,547,603 (Dh24.05 million) for the helmet in November, 2015
The world's most expensive sporting helmet ever sold at auction was the helmet Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum wore in winning the 2012 FEI World Endurance Championship-winning. The winning helmet of the 100-mile race sold at an Emirates Auction (UAE) raising funds for the Al Jalila Foundation. An anonymous bidder paid USD $6,547,603 (Dh24.05 million) for the helmet in November, 2015

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Collectiblesformula oneHelmetLewis HamiltonMax VerstappenCharles LeclercAlex AlbonMichael SchumacherNigel MansellRM-Sothebys
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Mike Hanlon
Mike Hanlon
As a photojournalist, Mike’s work has been published in a dozen languages across 20+ countries. He has edited or managed over 75 different print publications, each with a different target audience: sports, automotive, advertising, marketing, design, ad infinitum. Mike has been working in the internet for more than 25 years and was the veteran of five internet start-ups before founding New Atlas in 2002.

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