Number Plates News

Plate Sale Rounds-Off Spectacular Year for Emirates Auctions

04 January 2010

Having just completed the construction of the world's tallest building, the Burj Dubai, the United Arab Emirates celebrated a spectacular year of number plate trading with the sale of G 111, which changed hands for a cool £285,000.

The 65th auction of 'Distinguished Number Plates', which was held at the the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai, attracted more than 400 punters, all eager to jostle over a mouth-watering selection of plates for both cars and motorbikes.

"Bidders hailed from various spectrums [sic] of the community and nationalities," said licencing agency representative, Ahmed Bahrouzyan, adding that the turn-out "bears a strong relevance to the continuing success of distinguished number plate auctions."

In total, 75 car registrations and 15 motorcycle plates were sold, generating the equivalent of a staggering £2,360,600 for the authorities. The second favourite, '160', achieved a respectable £252,201, whilst third place went to G 66666 attracting, by comparison, a mere £87,429. Among other lots sold were three terrific two-digit plates, I 60, F 98 and G 52.

Whilst the sale of G 111 may appear to represent an eye-watering investment, statistically it ranks at only number 43 in the tally of the all-time most expensive registrations, a list which remains topped by the £7.2m paid in Abu Dhabi for the elusive number '1' in February 2006.

2009 proved to be a boom year for sales in the neighbouring principality, with no less than five plates claiming more than £2m a piece: '26', '42', 'I 44', '31' and 'E 17'.