P 7 Sold for $15 million
AA9 Sold for $10.3 million
CA 3 Sold for R340,000
1 FS Sold for R220,000
1-GP to 8-GP Auction Sold as a complete set for R1,890,000
9-GP Auction Sold for R167,000
MANDELA-GP Auction Sold for R66,000
1-CAA Estimated up to R150,000
Dubai’s single-digit plate AA9 sold for 38 million dirhams, about $10.3 million, at a charity auction in the city on Saturday, 1 May 2021. Contemporary reports described it as the second most expensive number plate sold at a public auction anywhere in the world at that time.
AA9 was the lead lot at the Most Noble Numbers auction, held at Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City. Bidding for the plate was fierce. The buyer asked to remain anonymous, and thanked Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, for the chance to take part in the charity.
Abu Dhabi’s plate 1, sold for 52.2 million dirhams in 2008, remained the highest public price. In April 2023, Dubai’s P 7 sold for 55 million dirhams. AA9 now ranks third among plates sold at public auction.
The auction was organised by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, Etisalat and Emirates Auction. The proceeds went to the 100 Million Meals campaign, which provides food aid from the UAE to people in 30 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and South America during Ramadan.
The evening raised 50.45 million dirhams in all. About 48.5 million dirhams came from the plates and mobile numbers on offer, and 1.95 million dirhams came from donations in the room. The campaign had already reached its 100 million dirham target, from 185,000 donors in 10 days, and the auction added to that fund.
Three double-digit plates were sold at the same auction. U31 fetched 2.6 million dirhams, E51 fetched 2.45 million dirhams, and T38 fetched 1.8 million dirhams. Together they raised 6.85 million dirhams.
T38 is reported at 1.8 million dirhams. With U31 and E51, that is the 6.85 million dirham total published for the three plates.