A limited edition No. 1 license plate commemorating Abu Dhabi Government’s Golden Jubilee has been sold for Dh31 million.
The winning bidder for the coveted plate, Abdullah Al Mahri, 32, was quoted as saying by The National that he bought it in honor of the country’s Rulers, who worked tirelessly to make the UAE No.1 in the world.
“I’m very proud to get No.1, especially for this golden jubilee, 50 years of the Abu Dhabi Government. I’m very proud and I’m very happy,” Al Mahri reportedly said.
Fifty plates featured an exclusive category “50” in the top left of each plate to commemorate the Government’s jubilee, the report said.
Hosted by Emirates Auction in cooperation with Abu Dhabi Police, organizers reportedly hoped the auction would break the world record for the world’s most expensive plate.
That was set in the capital in 2008 when a No.1 plate was sold for Dh52.5m. The sale was still a success, Emirates Auction chairman Abdullah Al Mannai reportedly said of the Dh99 million raised at the auction.
“We received more than I expected,” said Mr Al Mannai. “We exceeded our numbers, the audience was bigger. Every country has a series of numbers and this is the first time there was a series released just for a limited number in the UAE.”
Other numbers to fetch high winning bids included plate No.7, which sold for Dh13.4m to a young Emirati bidding in proxy for a buyer who wanted to celebrate the seven emirates – and because it is a lucky number, reported The National.
One of the early bidding wars erupted for plate No 11. The opening bid started at Dh240,000 but the price tag quickly escalated to Dh6.15m as a young Emirati boy kept raising the bid. No.50 was also a big-ticket item, selling for Dh6.8m, the report said.
The winning bidders will not be awarded the ownership certificate and declared the true owners of the plates until they make the full payments this week, Emirates Auction reportedly said.
