From the 1950s to 1970s, French entrepreneur Roger Baillon started collecting old cars -- most of them good enough for scraps -- with the hopes of opening a museum one day. Unfortunately, he died at the turn of he century and his son, who inherited the collection, died last year.
Baillon's grandchildren called a team of car specialists to estimate the value of these Hispano-Suizas, Bugattis, Maseratis, Ferraris and others. One of them, Matthieu Lamoure of Artcurial Motocars, said: “These sorts of finds do not happen often. I think you go into this profession for discoveries like this; it really is a treasure trove. No doubt a once-in-a-lifetime discovery.”
Some of the cars were stored in barns, under piles of newspapers, or even inside small shelters made of sheet metal. The entire collection will soon be auctioned and should fetch around €16 million, according to Lamoure.
He couldn't believe it when he found an undocumented 1961 Ferrari 250 California that reportedly belonged to Alain Delon. This one alone could be worth €9-12 million.
The Baillon family's collection also includes one of just three 1965 Maserati A6G Gran Sport berlinettas ever produced, and a Talbot-Lago that was once owned by King Farouk of Egypt.
Source: dailymail.co.uk