A car registration plate has sold for $2,1-million in Hong Kong, making it the wealthy city’s most expensive vehicle number, a news report said on Sunday.
The plate — bearing the number ”18” — was bought by an electronics businessman after 43 rounds of bidding at an auction of car numbers on Saturday, the Sunday Morning Post newspaper reported.
The new record price beats by $500 000 the $1,6-million paid by Emperor entertainment group chairperson Albert Yeung for the registration number ”9” in 1994.
Personalised or unusual number plates are seen as a symbol of prestige among wealthy Hong Kong people and the government has cashed in by holding regular car-plate auctions since 2004.
Among the other most expensive car numbers in recent years are ”2”, which sold for $1,21-million, and ”I Love U”, which sold for $180 000. — Sapa-dpa