When the gavel fell at Mecum's Tulsa 2026 sale, most of the cars on offer struggled to reach six figures. One mid-size Mopar, however, quietly rewrote the record books. A 1965 Dodge Coronet 500 convertible changed hands for $73,700 — the highest price ever paid at public auction for a non-A990 example of the model.At first glance, a fifth-generation Coronet doesn't shout rarity. Dodge built well over a million of them, and 1965 alone accounted for more than 200,000 cars, roughly 33,000 of those in the upscale 500 trim. What turns this particular drop-top into a collector's prize is a pair of factory boxes ticked on the original order sheet.1965 Dodge Coronet 500 convertible front three-quarter viewTwo rare options in one carThe first is the body style. Convertibles were a niche choice in the mid-1960s, and Dodge built fewer than 6,000 Coronet drop-tops for 1965. Narrow that down to the 500 trim and the figure shrinks to just 3,168 cars.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe second is what sits under the hood. Buyers could spec their Coronet with everything from the humble 225-cubic-inch slant-six up to a trio of big-block V8s. The legendary 426 Hemi and 440 RB wouldn't arrive until 1966, so the most muscular factory choice that year was the 426-cubic-inch Street Wedge — not to be confused with the Hemi — rated at a healthy 365 horsepower. This car's original owner checked that box and paired it with a four-speed manual.1965 Dodge Coronet 500 convertible 426 Street Wedge V8 engine bayOne of just 155 ever builtRecords suggest Dodge installed the Street Wedge in roughly 2,100 Coronets, and fewer than 1,000 of those came with the manual gearbox. Combine the convertible top with the 426 V8 and the manual, and you arrive at a staggering rarity: this is believed to be one of only 155 examples ever produced.Rarity alone doesn't always move the needle, but this Coronet backs it up with a gorgeous restoration and a numbers-matching drivetrain. To understand why that detail matters so much to collectors, it's worth reading up on what "matching numbers" really means.A record-setting resultThe combination proved irresistible. Bidding pushed the convertible to a final $73,700 — modest next to the post-1965 Hemi Coronets that routinely clear six figures, but remarkable for a car that isn't a factory A990 dragster. Those lightweight Hemi specials remain the only 1965 Coronets to fetch six-figure sums at recent public sales, which makes this drop-top the priciest non-A990 example ever sold, eclipsing a $56,100 record set back in 2014 (also by a convertible).AdvertisementAdvertisementPerhaps the most striking part of the story is the trajectory: the same car sold for just $40,500 in February 2026, meaning its auction value jumped about 81% in only four months. You can judge the result for yourself in the video walkaround below.1965 Dodge Coronet 500 convertible rear three-quarter viewRelated reading on Finding Old CarsUnderstanding Matching Numbers: What They Mean and Why Collectors Pay MoreRare 1970 Dodge Dart Super Swinger Rescued After 30 Years in a FieldThe Auto Archeologist's Rarest Barn Finds of the Year: A Plymouth Cuda, a Corvette, and MoreThe Collector Car Debate That Refuses to Die: Original or Better Than Original?
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