Auspicious single-letter license plate sold for a whopping $3.2 million in Hong Kong

Image used for representation only. Image - Facebook / McLaren Hong Kong


Chinese fortune-telling and fortune go hand-in-hand. This is why it makes sense that someone would pay a whopping $3.2 million at a Hong Kong auction for a lucky car number plate. The license plate in question flaunts only the letter “R” and went under the hammer as the second-highest sum paid for a number plate in the city at a Lunar New Year auction organized by the Hong Kong Transport Department.

Hong Kongers have some unique and interesting number plates.

The license plate with the letter “W” continues to maintain the top spot after selling for HK$26 million ($3.3 million) in 2021. The registration plate was one of 49 with one of the most thrilling bidding wars. Bidding started at HK$5,000 ($650), and a dozen buyers raised the price quickly. One bidder offered HK$2 million, but the price soon jumped to HK$9 million, then HK$9.4 million.

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A Bentley with a fancy number plate.

Sixty rounds later, the hammer went down at HK$25.5 million one final time. Per SCMP, the letter ‘R’ is associated with racing cars and an auspicious number in Chinese fortune-telling, which explains why the license plate went for 5100 times the reserve price. The most expensive number sold for a staggering $9 million by Abu Sabah, aka Balvinder Sahni, one of Dubai’s many billionaires. Interestingly the tycoon splurged $9 million over the number plate of a car worth $800,000. The heart clearly wants what it wants!

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With over 15 years of experience in luxury journalism, Neha Tandon Sharma is a notable senior writer at Luxurylaunches. Her expertise spans luxury yachts, high-end fashion, and celebrity culture. Beyond writing, her passion for fantasy series is evident. Beginning with articles on women-centric gadgets, she's now a leading voice in luxury, with a fondness for opulent superyachts. To date, her portfolio boasts more than 2 million words, often penned alongside a cappuccino.