$1m bid for X-rated number plate

This sexy status symbol has triggered a colossal seven-figure bidding war among car enthusiasts, the super wealthy and keen collectors.

An Australian car enthusiast has paid $1.25 million for the right to display the NSW number plate “69”.

The plate attracted a bidding war with some 69 people bidding in an online auction hosted by Collecting Cars.

Lee Hallett, Asia-Pacific head for the auction house, said it was a “great coincidence” that the plate and number of bids shared the same digits.

“But it’s no coincidence it sold for $1.25 million,” he said.

“Collecting Cars has seen a surge in the sale of Australian heritage number plates, especially two-, three- and four-digit plate combinations.

“Sales like this low two-figure combination are particularly sought-after. This was Collecting Cars’ ninth heritage number plate auction in this ongoing series and sales remain strong.”

Bidding on the heritage number plate, sold by online auction at Collecting Cars, started from $100 a week ago before rocketing to the moon.

How the plate might look at your car.

Customers quickly pushed bidding to $100,000 within hours, before it shot to $969,696 and remained there for several days.

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Bidding has reached the cool $1 million mark.

Now bidding has topped $1 million ahead of the auction ending Tuesday night.

Despite the massive sum, the plate is unlikely to top the record sum paid for an Australian number plate, which is the $11.5 million fetched by NSW heritage plate “1” in January 2024.

Heritage number plates have become an investment class of their own in recent years, with auction houses regularly offering collectable single or double-digit plates.

Many of Australia’s wealthiest families have rare or collectable plates on cars, often passed from generation to generation.

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NSW number plate no. 69.

The sum paid for this plate, which would stretch beyond $1.3 million once a buyer’s premium is included, is enough to take home just about any new car in Australia.

And it is more than the average house price across Australia.

However, the plate is unlikely to be hidden away in a safe-deposit box.

It’s likely to be worn proudly as a “flex” at car shows, where it may end up affixed to a brightly-coloured Lamborghini or Porsche in the near future.

Originally published as $1m bid for X-rated number plate