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Eight-year-old Takes on Big Boys in Numbers Game

The 14th number plate auction fetched Dh 44 million — 25 per cent more than the previous auction in January which raked in Dh35 million.

An eight-year-old boy became the youngest successful bidder after intense competition for the plate number 43, which he bought for Dh2.05 million.

The class four primary Emirati student, who requested not to be named, alsobought thenumber 230 after paying Dh280,000.

“My aim of participation in the auction is to contribute to increase the revenues of the auction, whose funds will be allocated to the building of first national centre for support and rehabilitation of road accident victims in the UAE,a majorhumanitarian scheme, which all adults and young should take part in,” the boy said.

The sale of the single digit number 8 entered it in the Diamond List of the 10 most expensive number plates in the world, according to Colonel Salem Ali Al Shamsi, director of the Privatization and Resources Development Department in the Abu Dhabi Police.

“The auction attracted a large number of bidders from all walks of life,” said Abdullah Mattar Al Mannai, executive manager of the Emirates Auctions.

Col Shamsi said that the 14th auctionsaw tough competition among the bidders, withnumber 77 fetching Dh4 million, number 34 generating Dh2.65 million, 43 raking in Dh2.05 million and 58 going for Dh 2.05 million. Number 888 was sold for Dh1.3 million, 88888 for Dh1.25 million and 9999 for Dh1.95 million.

So far, the highest amount fetched by a number plate was Dh52.2 milion for Number 1 in February 2008 in Abu Dhabi. It was bought by Emarati businessman Saeed Abdul Ghaffar Khouri.

adel@khaleejtimes.com

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