Residents are warned of poor visibility in some areas this morning
Abdullah Mattar of Emirates Auction Company, which organised the auction, said: 'The value of the distinguished number plate ‘5’ had left numbers sold in London (Dh2.2m) and Dubai (Dh3.15m for number 15) far behind. He added that 700 bidders from 13 nationalities vied for numbers of their choice and UAE bidders accounted for 87 per cent.
Bidders from Ukraine, China and Italy came escorted by their translators.
The Ukrainian bidder purchased the number plate 1001 for Dh550,000. Chinese struggled in vain to win the lucky number 88 as its value shot up to Dh4.2 million.
The auction of 41 number plates generated Dh76.2m. The auction saw stiff competition on the number 5 but the Al Awail Holding, an engineering and contracting investment company, emerged as the highest bidder offering Dh25.2 million. The same company won four numbers with 55 for Dh6.5 million, 45 for Dh5 million, 76 for Dh2.75 million and 55555 for Dh2 million.
Talal Khoury, CEO of Al Awail, stated that the bidding was mainly aimed at raising money for charity works. 'The prime objective is to deliver these funds to the people with special needs and the fund for victims of road accidents,' he affirmed.
Colonel Mohammed Al Ka'abi, Director of Vehicles Licensing Department, Abu Dhabi Police, said: 'The winning bidders will receive certificates of ownership entitling them to dispose of these numbers freely.'
According to Lt-Col. Abdul Rahman Al Kamali, the second auction of 90-100 numbers will be held on June 5.
Residents are warned of poor visibility in some areas this morning
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