Car plate No 9 expected to set record at police auction

Abu Dhabi: Car plate No 9, the fifth single-digit number in category 5 from Abu Dhabi Police, will go under the hammer today and is expected to fetch more than plate No 6 which was sold for Dh15.3 million last month, organisers said.

The other four single-digit numbers - 1, 5, 6 and 7 - which were sold earlier, set world records for number plate prices.

Hong Kong car plate No 9 remains the most expensive licence plate in that country. It was snapped up by tycoon Albert Yeung for about Dh6 million in 1994.

"We expect No 9 to sell for more than No 6, which was sold for Dh15.3 million last month," an official told Gulf News.

"A series of 69 themed numbers and 50 special request numbers will also be auctioned today," said Abdullah Mattar Al Mannaei, Managing Director of Emirates Auction, which conducts the auction on behalf of Abu Dhabi Police.

The 69 themed numbers on auction today include 669, 699, 6669, 9669, 69666 and 66999.

This theme was selected after plate 6969 sold last month for Dh500,000, which was higher than expected, said Al Mannaei.

The auction will be held at 4.30pm on Saturday in the Ittihad Ballroom at the Emirates Palace Hotel.

Al Mannaei said half the plates in Saturday's auction were chosen by customers through Emirates Auction's Auction Alert service. "We have included 50 plates that were specifically requested by interested buyers. So we expect a lot of excitement and action this time," Al Mannaei said.