/ 22 February 2005

Mystery man pays R5,3m for lucky licence plate

A mystery man in a surgical mask and cap bought the most expensive car licence plate sold in Hong Kong since 1997, paying HK$7,1-million (about R5,3-million), a Hong Kong newspaper said on Monday.

The winner, who bought the plate number 12 — which sounds like “certainly easy” in Cantonese — left immediately after the weekend auction without identifying himself, said the South China Morning Post.

The licence plate was the third-highest price paid in the city’s history.

The record for the most expensive plate is held by local tycoon Albert Yeung, who bought number nine — which sounds like “forever” in Cantonese — in 1994 for HK$13-million. — AFP