An online auction of 80 government-owned numeric number plates has seen all auctioned items sold in a highly competitive bidding process, with one four-digit plate fetching $80,000.
The online sale exceeded industry expectations, generating $2.26m – revenue which will be returned to the public in funding for infrastructure and transport services to benefit all South Australians.
An unnamed South Australian has purchased the numeric plate 9991 for $80,000, the highest price paid for any plate in the auction.
The exclusive plates – featuring highly sought-after four, five and six-digit numbers – were originally assigned to South Australian vehicles prior to 1967.
They were gradually phased out and replaced with the general-issue plates in use today.
The auction was the first of its kind in six years, with 64 individual buyers purchasing 80 plates – and two buyers securing four plates each.
The highest prices paid for a five-digit plate – 22-228 – and a six-digit plate – 128-128 – were $37,000 each.
In other sale highlights, plates 2811 and 9899 each sold for $68,000, plate 1089 sold for $64,000, 7373 for $58,000, 8848 for $56,000, 8618 for $54,000, 8768 for $49,000, 91-119 for $33,000 and 118-811 for $32,000.
The average price paid for each of the 80 plates was $28,358.
All the numeric number plates were auctioned with ‘class specific’ rights, allowing them to be displayed on a registered vehicle, transferred to another vehicle under the same owner’s name, or have the rights transferred to another individual through a private sale or gift.
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Tom Koutsantonis declared the state’s first plate auction in six years a huge success.
“Every plate on offer had multiple bidders, which helped drive up the final result,” he said.
“One enthusiast has bought a piece of South Australia’s motoring history by paying $80,000 for the rare 9991 plate.
“Numeric number plates are no longer in circulation, which makes them extremely rare and a collector’s item.
“Most pleasingly, every cent of the proceeds will be returned to road infrastructure spending, generating a tangible benefit for the broader South Australian community.”
