When viewing Markets on CLASSIC.COM, you may see two different price figures: CMB and Average Price.
While both are based on sales data, they serve different purposes.
- CMB helps explain how a Market is performing
- Average Price shows the mean of past sales
Neither figure should be used as the exact value of a specific vehicle.
Read on to understand what each metric represents and how they differ.
What Is “CMB”?
CMB stands for CLASSIC.COM Market Benchmark.
CMB is a benchmark value for a Market that represents the value of a typical vehicle in that Market based on sales data collected by CLASSIC.COM.
CMB is calculated using a proprietary methodology that analyzes historical sales data, placing greater weight on more recent transactions while also accounting for overall market activity.
CMB considers:
- Sales volume
- How recent are those sales
- Overall Market behavior over time
Next to the CMB, there is an arrow and a color that reflect Market movement, not the value of a specific vehicle. These indicators help show whether a Market is trending up or down based on the most recent sales activity.
A green CMB with an upward arrow means the Market Benchmark has increased.
A red CMB with a downward arrow means the Market Benchmark has decreased.
Why Does CLASSIC.COM Use CMB?
Valuing collector vehicles is complex. Even similar vehicles can sell for very different prices. CMB is used to monitor changes in an individual Market’s value as buying and selling activity unfolds, providing a stable reference point over time.
CLASSIC.COM groups similar vehicles into Markets. CMB provides a single reference point that represents the overall value level of each Market.
This allows us to:
- Compare one Market to another
- Track Market trends over time
- Understand the relative value between trims, variants, or generations
What Is “Average Price”?
Average Price is the mean sale price for a group of sold listings.
It is calculated by dividing the total dollar volume of sold listings by the number of sold listings.
CMB vs. Average Price
|
CMB |
Average Price |
|
Market benchmark |
Simple average |
|
Weighs recent sales more heavily |
All sales are weighted equally |
|
Represents a typical vehicle |
Can be affected by outliers |
|
Best for comparing Markets |
Best for reviewing past sales |
When Should You Use Each?
Use CMB to:
- Compare Markets
- Understand Market trends
- See relative value across variants
Use Average Price to:
- Review historical sales
- Understand simple pricing averages
Note: Neither figure should be used as the exact value of a specific vehicle. To understand what a specific vehicle is worth, you must compare Sales Comps based on key specs and more.