You’ll never guess what anyone paid for this license plate

What’s wrong with this world? The fact that someone can spend $15 million (!) on a license plate. Fortunately, the money goes to a good cause…

There are no personalized number plates in the Netherlands, but there are in Belgium and the United Kingdom, for example. License plates may also be resold there, which is sometimes associated with large sums of money.

Record price for a license plate

A record was set in the United Arab Emirates this week. That for the most expensive license plate ever. The sign, simply reading “P 7,” was auctioned for 55 million dirhams, about $15 million.

The buyer wished to remain anonymous. Although it certainly won’t be long before the license plate appears on a car and then it’s relatively easy to find out who it is.

Some digits are status symbols

Simple license plates consisting of just a letter and a number are considered a status symbol in certain circles. In 2016, the “D 5” registration was sold for almost $9 million, including in the United Arab Emirates.

Incidentally, this is not the previous record holder. This is the license plate “1” that grossed over $14 million in 2008. Like ‘P 7’ it was auctioned by the Emirates Auction Company.

‘Marjan’ on a Rolls Royce

In the Netherlands there are sometimes calls for the introduction of personalized number plates, but this will not happen. Registration is tied to the car here, not to the owner (or license plate holder), as is the case in Belgium, for example.

In the Netherlands we regularly meet Belgians with a personalized plate. A Rolls-Royce Ghost with the license plate “Marjan”, a Range Rover with “Dushi” and a BMW i8 with “Nr Plaat”.

Funny, but also a bit ordinary

What do you think of such badges? Would you like one? We often find them somewhat tasteless and ordinary. Although some examples are – we have to admit – very funny.