Shannons Motorclassica Plate Auction Delivers $2.4m Result
- Single letter plate ‘Q‘ makes auction record $181,000
- Rare Victorian motorcycle plate ‘4’ sells for record $150,000
- Strong bidding sees some plates double pre-auction estimates
Sales of more than $2.4mill were achieved at Shannons Motorclassica’s Rare Heritage Number Plate Auction on Saturday, October 12, when 38 rare, collectible and historic number plates went under the hammer at Melbourne’s historic Royal Exhibition Building.
The auction in conjunction with Motorclassica and VicRoads Custom Plates, saw strong bidding on some lots from the packed auction crowd, including phone and online bidders.
The top seller on the night was the Victorian single letter number plate ‘Q’ – the first time a single letter plate had been auctioned for 10 years – which reached an auction record $181,000.
One of the earliest and most desirable motorcycle number plates to come to public auction, ‘4’, also generated huge interest. Coming to auction from long-term ownership, it sold for $150,000 – a record price for a Victorian motorcycle plate.
Eleven of Victoria’s highly desirable early three-digit Heritage numerical plates were also auctioned, with the best seller being plate ‘781’, which sold for $140,000.
Attractive number combinations were also in demand, with the ‘no-reserve’ plate ’99.888’ that was expected to reach $25,000, sold for more than double that at $60,000. Meanwhile, two other attractive 5-digit plates – ’18.181` and ’11.811’ – both sold with ‘no reserve’ for $52,000 and $50,000 respectively.
Among the three-digit plates, the hallowed Porsche numbers ‘916’ and ‘934’ both proved predictably popular, selling for $108,000 and $102,000 respectively.
So too were the sequential plates ‘470’ and ‘471’ which brought $112,000 and $107,000.
‘Birthday’ plates predictably attracted plenty of bidder interest, with ‘2019’ selling for $57,000 and ‘1998’ for $58,000.
Shannons National Auctions Manager, Christophe Boribon, was pleased with the overall $2.4 million result and the engagement of the enthusiastic Motorclassica auction crowd.
"Interest in number plates continues to grow nationally and this result is reflective of that. We had a large number of bidders in the room and online and achieved some outstanding results.”
Motorclassica Event Director Paul Mathers said the decision to focus on collectible and highly desirable number plates this year was vindicated.
“Motorclassica’s annual auction is always an event highlight and the level of interest that this auction generated certainly confirmed our decision.
Number plates are so personal… often they add the finishing touch to that special car or motorcycle… sometimes they have personal significance… and for others they are an investment.
It was great to see so much passion in the room tonight."
View all Results from the Shannons Rare Number Plate Auction in Conjunction with Motorclassica
For more information on the auction contact Christophe Boribon on (03) 8588 0809, or 13 4646 (Option 5) or email auctions@shannons.com.au.
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