The owner of the world's most expensive number plate spent AED 55 million—around R288 million—for it during a charity auction in April 2023. Picture: Screenshot/UAE The National News.
When it comes to collectible items among the world's wealthy population, there’s no saying what might peak their interest, but million-dollar number plates?
As a South African living in KwaZulu-Natal, it was appalling to know that we had to pay extra bucks because the province changed its licence plates.
So imagine what it felt like to know that one Dubai resident splurged £12,000,000 (almost R288,000,000) so he could have the title of owner of the ‘World’s Most Expensive Number Plate’.
The top ten list of the most expensive number plates all come from the United Arab Emirates, mainly Dubai and Abu Dhabi, according to Regtransfers.co.uk.
All of the top ten most expensive plates have a single-digit number, with the number "7" being repeated on the list three times.
The values of these number plates are ranked according to the pound sterling.
In tenth place, Abu Dhabi 50–7 is valued at £2,958,057 (around R71 million).
In ninth place, Abu Dhabi 5–7 is valued at £3,000,000 (around R72 million).
In eighth place, Abu Dhabi 8–5 is valued at £3,500,000 (around R84 million).
In seventh place, Dubai 0–9 is valued at £4,363,000 (around R104.7 million)
In sixth place, Abu Dhabi 2-2 is valued at £4,991,380 (close to R120 million).
In fifth spot, ironically, is D 1, or Dubai 1, owned by Saeed Abdel Ghaffar Khouri and valued at £7,250,000 (around R174 million).
In fourth place is Indian businessman Baldwin Sahani with D 5 (Dubai 5) valued at £7,324,207 (around R175.7 million).
Valued at £7,497,781 (around R180 million), in third place is Dubai AA 8.
In second place, valued at £7,620,140 (around R183 million), is Dubai AA 9.
And in first position, valued at £12,000,000 (around R288,000,000), is Dubai P 7.
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