Dubai Number Reg Plate Auction Hits High Prices
Reg Plates ArticleDubai Number Reg Plate Auction Hits High Prices
Spending money for fantasy vehicle number plates is a good investment in Dubai, said an Emirati entrepreneur who spent over Dh3 million to purchase his favourite number at an auction on Saturday.
In its first open auction of the year, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) of Dubai placed 80 distinguished numbers for auction at the Godolphin Ballroom in the Emirates Towers Hotel. The numbers included numbers of two, three, four and five digits.
Waleed Abdul Khader spent Dh3.08 million to buy number 18 of O series on Saturday.
"I came here only for this number and I have got it for Dh3.08 million. It is a good investment that I am making and I advise others too to put their money in unique number plates," said the Emirati businessman.
"Investing in number plates is part of my business and I have full confidence in the potential value appreciation," he told Khaleej Times, in the middle of the auction, attended by a few hundred number plate enthusiasts.
"I have seen the value of number plates multiply several times over years. For instance, a number plate which was bought for Dh2 million about seven years ago is worth Dh30 million now.
The value of number plates has not come down and compared to investment in property or share market, this is an attractive option for me," said Abdullah Shahib, who was waiting to know the pulse of the auction before taking his turn. Some of the distinguished numbers were sold for over Dh1 million.
The following list shows plates that have been sold in the past at the highest prices. Most of these were sold in auctions across the country although some were sold by the DVLA.
- ‘25’ O for £518,000.
This is the most expensive Regplates ever sold by the DVLA, and were purchased in 2014 by Ferrari dealer John Collins. The plate is currently being used on a Ferrari. The market value of the car is around £10,000,000.
- ‘F 1’ for £440,000.
This Regplate was the previous record holder for the highest price paid for a reg plate. The plate represents the initials of Formula 1 racing and was bought in 2008 by Afzal Khan, a businessman from Bradford. The plates are currently being used on his McLaren Mercedes SLR, which is quite an impressive match.
- ‘S 1’ for £404,000.
This is claimed to be the first Regplate that was ever made in Scotland. Therefore, it is both special and rare, as it is only one of its kind. The Regplates were purchased in 2008 at an auction by an anonymous bidder who said the plate would be used on an old Skoda. It’s a good investment, either to mark history or as an antique.
- ‘1 D’ for £352,000.
These initials bear a resemblance to the American pop group One Direction. However, it is interesting to note that the Regplate was purchased a year before the group was even formed. Nabil Bishara, a businessman from Lebanon, purchased it.
- ‘M 1’ for £331,000.
Mike McCoomb, a businessman in the phone industry, bought this unique Reg plate back in 2006. He said the plates were meant for his son, who was 10 years old at the time of the purchase.
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