Dh210,000 for a number plate

DUBAI — The auction of special number plates for cars organised by the Dubai Police Traffic Department yesterday fetched a whopping Dh4.45 million with the highest bid touching Dh210,000 for number E 141.

By Eman Al Baik

Published: Wed 20 Apr 2005, 11:16 AM

Last updated: Fri 19 Jul 2024, 10:39 AM

In all, 18 three-digit special number plates were auctioned which saw some fierce bidding from the participants. These included the number 171 sold for Dh200,000, 019 for Dh170,000, 232 and 696 for Dh155,000 each, 878 and 414 for Dh150,000 each, 858 and 727 for Dh140,000 each, 767, 545 and 282 for Dh135,000 each, 393 and 343 for Dh130,000 each, 636 for Dh125,000 and 949 and 494 for Dh120,000 each. The base price for this group was Dh80,000 with the minimum increase pegged at Dh5,000.

The second group consisted of 27 four-digit car numbers with two similar digits and nine of which had the zero digit. The number plates with 1100 and 9111 saw some heated bidding, which catapulted their prices to Dh106,000 and Dh101,000 respectively.

The remaining special number plates in the four-digit series auctioned were 9900 for Dh72,000, 8800 for Dh71,000, 7700 for Dh63,000, 5500 for Dh79,000, 4400 for Dh48,000, 3300 for Dh60,000, 2200 for Dh57,000, 5333 for Dh34,000, 4999 and 4888 for Dh32,000 each, 3666 for Dh63,000 and 3444, 2555 and 2777 for Dh35,000 each. Other car numbers in this group were 1333 sold for Dh58,000, 1222 for Dh63,000, 9888 for Dh30,000, 8999 for Dh60,000, 8333 for Dh37,000, 7666 for Dh33,000, 7111 for Dh61,000, 6999 for Dh39,000, 6444 for Dh31,000 and 5777 for Dh31,000.

The bid price for the first nine car numbers which had the zero digit was Dh40,000 with a minimum call of Dh2,000, while for the rest, it began at Dh10,000.

The last group consisted of 27 five-digit numbers with two similar digits. The special number plate 55111 witnessed heated bidding between two buyers, leading to a pitch of Dh26,000. This was followed by 22333 sold at Dh23,000, 88999 for Dh20,000, 22244 for Dh19,000, 22288, 11444 and 33666 for Dh18,000 each, 77555 and 88333 for Dh17,000 each, 44777, 44666, 33888, 22444, 55999, 99888 and 88666 for Dh16,000, 77999, 99333 for Dh15,000 each, 66222 for Dh14,000 and 99444 for Dh11,000.

Despite the basic bid beginning at Dh3,000 with a Dh1,000 minimum option, buyers began bidding at Dh10,000 to Dh15,000 for this group’s numbers.

In an interesting aside, the auctioners stopped the bidding process for the special number 66222 bid by a lady for Dh14,000. The bidding began at Dh12,000 called by a man, with the lady hiking it to Dh14,000. In a generous gesture, the auctioners brought the hammer down with appeals to others to refrain from bidding any further so that the lady gets the number.