Steve McQueen's Driving License No. Z 6285 and Garment Bag | A rare and historically important international driver's license issued in 1964 accompanied by the garment bag used during the filming of Le Mans

Driver's License

Steve McQueen

Neile Adams McQueen (by descent from the above)

Bonhams Carmel, CA, 9 May 2009, Lot 39 (consigned by the above)

Private Collection (acquired at the above sale)

Antiquorum New York, 11 June 2009, Lot 415 (consigned by the above)

Acquired from the above by the present owner

Garment Bag

Steve McQueen

Don Nunley, Property Master for Le Mans (1971)

Acquired from the above in 2008 by the present owner

A rare and evocative artifact of one of the twentieth century’s most enduring cultural figures, the present International Motorcycle Driver’s License issued to Steve McQueen offers a direct and personal link to his passion for motorcycling and competitive racing. Granted by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and dated 1964, the license (No. Z 6285) was required for participation in sanctioned international events. Measuring approximately 3.5 by 5 inches and bearing McQueen’s signature, the document is both an official instrument and an intimate object, handled and carried by the actor during one of the most significant moments of his personal motorsport career.

This license is tied to McQueen’s participation in the legendary 1964 International Six Days Trial (ISDT), widely regarded as the most demanding motorcycle endurance competition of its time. Selected to represent the United States alongside accomplished riders such as Bud and Dave Ekins, Cliff Coleman, and John Steen, McQueen competed against the world’s best over punishing terrain, covering vast daily distances in a gruelling test of skill and endurance. Held in East Germany during the height of the Cold War, the 1964 ISDT carried both sporting and symbolic significance; at the opening ceremony in Erfurt, McQueen famously bore the American flag for the U.S. team, an experience often cited as one of the proudest moments of his life. McQueen first experienced the ISDT two years earlier while on break during the filming of “The Great Escape.”

Beyond its historic associations, the present license encapsulates the dual identity that defines McQueen’s enduring appeal. While celebrated globally as the “King of Cool” for his iconic film roles, he was equally respected within motorsport circles as a genuinely skilled and committed competitor. This duality is rarely captured in a single object as directly as here. Preserved as part of his personal effects and accompanied by family provenance, the license is one of the most significant and personal pieces of McQueen’s motorcycle memorabilia ever to appear at auction.

The accompanying black leather garment bag was acquired via Don Nunley, Property Master for Le Mans (1971), and is believed to have been used by Steve McQueen during the filming of this film.