A man in Dubai shelled out a staggering Dh35 million (Rs 70 crore or $9.5M) to bid for an exclusive car number plate, making it the third most expensive in the world. The ‘Most Noble Numbers’ charity auction that took place recently offered bids on exclusive vehicle number plates and mobile phone numbers.
Amidst an intense bidding from reputed philanthropists and distinguished personalities, the man, identified as auctioneer number 10, became a proud owner of AA8, a single-digit number in the auction that was organised by Emirates Auction and Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai (RTA), had raised Dh53 million.
The entire proceeds were given away to the ‘1 Billion Meals’ charity campaign, which will provide food to undernourished children, refugees, displaced people, and those affected by disasters and crises in over 50 countries across the world. Since the campaign was launched at the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan, funds equivalent to providing 340 million meals have been raised.
Double-digit car number plates F55 (Dh4 million), V66 (Dh4 million) and Y66 (Dh3.8 million) were the other plates sold at the auction. Last year, single digit plate number AA9 was sold for a whopping Dh38 million (Rs 79 crore).