1961 Ford Thunderbird Market Value & Price History
The 1961 Ford Thunderbird has a current market value of $17,738 as of Oct 7, 2026, based on 84 verified auction sales tracked by DriveIndex, with half of the verified USD sales since 2003 between $17,000 and $33,000. Based on US sales through Jun 26, 2026. 4 have sold in the past 12 months, and 6 are listed for sale from $10,495 to $22,495. The median sale price is up 4.8% over the past 12 months versus the prior year.
Data: DriveIndex. 84 verified auction sales for the 1961 Ford Thunderbird (83 in USD, the basis for every dollar figure here), latest sale Jun 26, 2026. Value as of Oct 7, 2026. Methodology
What members see for the 1961 Ford Thunderbird
The value above is the headline. Members get the full picture behind it.
- All 84 sold prices, and where each one sold
- The live Value Signal, and how confident it is
- A 1–5 year value projection
- A Buy / Hold / Sell call
- An alert the moment one lists or sells
- The best and worst months to buy and sell
- An estimated market-bottom date
- Whether each of the 6 asks listed for sale is fair
- Deal Radar: underpriced listings across the market
Not ready? A free account shows the current value and recent sale dates.
Unlock the DriveIndex Value Signal to see whether this car is appreciating, stable, or depreciating, its projected value over the next 1–5 years, and the best months to buy and sell.
Open the Thunderbird on DriveIndex →1961 Ford Thunderbird For Sale (6)
Last checked Oct 7, 2026, unless a listing shows its own date
1961 Ford Thunderbird Price History
The median 1961 Ford Thunderbird sold for $19,800 in 2026, against $27,638 in 2012. Each row is the median of the verified sales recorded in that calendar year, so it moves with the mix of mileages and options that came to market as well as with the market itself.
| Year | Median sale | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $19,800 | 4 |
| 2025 | $18,900 | 5 |
| 2024 | $20,350 | 5 |
| 2022 | $28,050 | 7 |
| 2021 | $34,100 | 7 |
| 2019 | $18,150 | 6 |
| 2018 | $18,125 | 6 |
| 2017 | $21,470 | 3 |
| 2016 | $24,750 | 10 |
| 2015 | $23,463 | 6 |
| 2014 | $29,050 | 4 |
| 2013 | $17,050 | 5 |
| 2012 | $27,638 | 4 |
Years with fewer than three verified USD sales are omitted — a one-sale “median” is a single car, not a market.
Recent 1961 Ford Thunderbird Auction Results
| Sold | Price | Mileage | Gearbox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 26, 2026 | $18,700 | — | Automatic |
| May 15, 2026 | $11,000 | 90,000 mi | Automatic |
| May 14, 2026 | $20,900 | 41,146 mi | Automatic |
| Jan 8, 2026 | $34,100 | 2,069 mi | Automatic |
| Sep 12, 2025 | $10,000 | 16,000 mi | Automatic |
| Sep 11, 2025 | $14,980 | 103,563 mi | Automatic |
| May 14, 2025 | $25,300 | 80,795 mi | Automatic |
| Jan 31, 2025 | $18,900 | 98,000 mi | Automatic |
| Jan 10, 2025 | $45,100 | 6,024 mi | Automatic |
| Oct 1, 2024 | $15,500 | 77,000 mi | Automatic |
| May 27, 2024 | $21,250 | 78,000 mi | Automatic |
| May 25, 2024 | $11,750 | 200 mi | — |
| May 16, 2024 | $44,000 | 9,845 mi | Automatic |
| Jan 10, 2024 | $20,350 | 26,004 mi | Automatic |
| Nov 11, 2023 | $31,900 | 7,955 mi | Automatic |
Verified results from the world's leading collector-car auction houses and marketplaces.
All Ford Thunderbird auction results →See the full picture on the 1961 Ford Thunderbird
Browsing is free. Upgrade to unlock the Value Signal™, projections, and the tools collectors use to buy and sell at the right time.
- Full Value Signal™ + confidence: appreciating, stable, or depreciating
- 1–5 year price projections
- Buy / Hold / Sell call per car
- Complete sales & listings feed + up to 10 yrs of history
- Analyst notes & compare up to 4 cars
- Price & custom alerts (make, color, options)
- Portfolio tracker (garage) + analytics
- Everything in Pro, plus:
- Portfolio Outlook (a hold/sell call for every car you own)
- Watchlist Intelligence (act-now calls on the cars you follow)
- Head-to-Head Verdict (compare cars, the data crowns the buy)
- Market Deal Radar (every live ask under market value, catalog-wide)
- Best & worst months to buy and sell
- What each option adds to the price + separate manual vs automatic values
- Listing analyzer with fair-value deal scores
- Rad’s Market Update (his picks & price targets)
Ford Thunderbird by Year
Which Thunderbird year should you buy? Every year compared →1961 Ford Thunderbird: Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a 1961 Ford Thunderbird worth?
A 1961 Ford Thunderbird is worth approximately $17,738 as of Oct 7, 2026, based on 84 verified auction sales tracked by DriveIndex. Based on US sales through Jun 26, 2026. Half of all verified sales fall between $17,000 and $33,000; the full verified range is $10,000 to $48,400. Condition, mileage and options move an individual car within that band.
How much did a 1961 Ford Thunderbird cost new?
The 1961 Ford Thunderbird carried an original MSRP of $2,944. Verified examples now trade around $17,738.
How much has the 1961 Ford Thunderbird depreciated?
It hasn't depreciated. The 1961 Ford Thunderbird is worth about 503% more than its original MSRP of $2,944, with verified examples now trading around $17,738. That compares today's value with the sticker price, not adjusted for inflation.
How many 1961 Ford Thunderbird sell per year?
4 have sold at auction in the past 12 months. DriveIndex has tracked 84 1961 Ford Thunderbird sales in total.
Are 1961 Ford Thunderbird sale prices higher or lower than a year ago?
The median 1961 Ford Thunderbird sale price is up 4.8% over the past 12 months versus the prior year, based on verified auction sales. That figure tracks the median of what actually sold, so it moves with the mix of mileages and options that came to market as well as with the market itself. The full Value Signal classification (appreciating, stable, bottomed, or depreciating) and its 1–5 year projection are part of DriveIndex Pro.
Where can I buy a 1961 Ford Thunderbird?
DriveIndex lists 6 1961 Ford Thunderbird for sale, priced from $10,495 to $22,495 (last checked Oct 7, 2026). DriveIndex aggregates for-sale listings and auction results from the world's leading collector-car auction houses and marketplaces.
More Ford Models
All Ford models →Collections Featuring Ford
Pro unlocks its live Value Signal, every sold price, a 1–5 year projection and an alert the moment one lists or sells. Collector adds the best months to buy and sell and where the market bottoms.
Get Pro →