Australia’s most in-demand number plate has come up for auction, and it’s already going for a very pretty penny.
NSW registration plate number one is up for sale, and it’s already predicted that it will become “one of the most expensive number plates in the world”.
Described as a “never-before-seen unicorn”, the ultra rare number plate is currently being auctioned through Lloyds.
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At time of publishing, the auction had 42 days and 21 hours to go and was already at a whopping $10,010,000.
It’s understood that the registration plate is privately owned, and there appears to be no public record of who the current owner is or how they acquired it.
On its website for the auction, Lloyds advised that all bidders will “need to be pre-approved” due to the “extreme rareness and importance of this amazing piece of history”.
“This is the most sought-after Heritage Plate in Australia,” Lloyds says.
“After being tightly held for decades by the current custodians and never been offered for public auction before, this heritage ‘NSW 1’ number plate is a unicorn and is the holy grail must-have for any blue-chip passion investor or the number one gift for that person who has ‘everything’.”
It adds: “This is the first time ‘NSW 1’ is being offered via public auction in more than 110 years and will probably be the last, it is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to secure the most desirable and prestigious number plates in Australia.
“Generally rare heritage plates such as these are passed down through generations within families so the significance of this one in 100-year bidding event is record-breaking in itself.”
The auction and valuing company said it was likely that the number plate would wind up being more valuable than the car it is attached to.
“To speak a little about the origins of Australian number plates, they all began of course with the number 1 and were manufactured in enamel,” Lloyds says.
“You can see why single digit plates would be so highly valued and sought after being only 1 – 9 of them in each state of Australia.
“These are as rare as hens’ teeth and the perfect addition to any rare classic or prestige vehicle. In fact, you could potentially say that the number plate will be most likely worth MORE than the car.”
News of the auction has attracted a huge response from Reddit users, many of whom had a humorous response to the pricey auction.
“I bet a rich guy’ll buy it,” one said.
Another said: “I’m waiting for No 2.”
A third wrote: “Finally a rego worthy of my Mazda. Thanks OP, already put in my bid.”
For more information on the auction, head here.