A Relic of the Road Victorian Number Plate '20' Up for Grabs

Reg Plates Article

A Relic of the Road Victorian Number Plate '20' Up for Grabs

Get ready for a bidding war, car enthusiasts and status symbol seekers! A piece of Australian motoring history, a Victorian heritage number plate bearing the simple yet prestigious number '20', is heading to auction and is expected to fetch millions. This isn't your average license plate; it's a coveted collector's item, a gateway to a world of exclusivity and a potential investment windfall.

The allure of heritage number plates, particularly those with low numbers like '20', stems from their rarity and historical significance. These plates were issued in the early days of motoring, around 1911 in Victoria's case. Back then, cars were a novelty, a symbol of progress and wealth. Owning a car meant belonging to a select group, and a low-numbered plate further amplified that status. These plates weren't handed out like today's registrations; they were most likely assigned chronologically to early car owners, making them a tangible link to the pioneering days of Australian motoring.

The value of heritage number plates has skyrocketed in recent decades. The convenience and personalisation offered by modern vanity plates simply can't compete with the prestige and history embodied by these early registrations. Australia, particularly Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland, has seen a surge in demand for these plates, driven by individual collectors, investment firms, and even superannuation funds. These low-digit plates have become a lucrative investment, with values steadily climbing year after year.

The current record for a Victorian two-digit heritage plate belongs to number '14', which sold for a staggering $2.275 million in 2022. With bidding for '20' already exceeding $1.3 million at the time of writing, experts are eagerly anticipating if it can dethrone '14' and establish a new benchmark. The online auction hosted by Trading Garage is attracting significant interest, and all eyes are glued to the bidding activity.

The potential buyer profile for such a prestigious plate is fascinating. It could be a car aficionado with a deep appreciation for automotive history, someone who desires a unique identifier for their prized classic car. It might attract a high-net-worth individual seeking a conversation starter, a symbol of their success and exclusivity. There's also a strong possibility of investment firms or superannuation funds viewing this as a lucrative asset, one that holds its value and potentially appreciates over time.

The excitement surrounding the auction of '20' transcends the car community. It's a captivating story of the evolution of transportation, a tangible reminder of a bygone era. It's a testament to the enduring human desire for collectables and status symbols. The final hammer price will not only be a record-breaker, but also a reflection of the cultural and historical significance these heritage plates hold.

This isn't just about a number plate; it's about owning a piece of motoring history. The winner will not only be acquiring a coveted status symbol, but also becoming a custodian of a relic from the early days of Australian motoring. The final price tag will be a fascinating indicator of the ever-growing value these heritage plates hold in today's market. So, buckle up and keep an eye on the auction! The bidding war for '20' promises to be a thrilling ride.

How close a series of letters or numbers are to a real name of word: if the match quality is high (and the numbers and letters are very convincing in making a popular word), the value of the registration plate will be higher. This means that a match like 5IMON, for the name Simon, will be worth a lot more than a more obscure set of letters and numbers that are not as convincing a match, such as S17 MMM for the name Sam.

The style of the plate: this means establishing if it is a new-style plate, an older-style format or if it is dateless or Irish, for instance. Other options are that it is a prefix-style plate or a suffix-style plate. New-style number plates, which have been produced since 2001, tend to be the least valuable because they are a bit less appealing to some collectors, plus the rule about not having plates that are newer than your car can also come into play, putting people off from buying a newer-style plate for their older car. Prefix-style number plates, which were in production between 1983 and 2001 can be more popular as more vehicles are entitled to have those licence numbers, and they may have fewer characters in total. Suffix-style plates, issued from 1963 to 1983 are relatively rare, which means they can attract higher prices than prefix-style plates and newer designs. Dateless number plates, also known as cherished number plates, were produced between 1903 and 1963 and are nearly always the most valuable number plate configurations; they have fewer digits and their dateless nature means that people can hide the age of their car. Irish number plates are similar to dateless number plates, especially because they don’t have a year identifier. They also tend to be cheaper than other types of vehicle registration plates.

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