Historic NSW number plate '4' sells for auction record $2.45 million
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Historic NSW number plate '4' sells for auction record $2.45 million

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By Shannons - 29 August 2017

• ‘321’ makes auction record $192,000 for 3-digit NSW plate

• Plate sales of $2.8 million contribute to record $4.7 million Shannons auction record

The ultra-exclusive single digit black and white numerical New South Wales number plate ‘4’ sold for an amazing $2.45 million at Shannons Winter Classic Auction on Monday night - more than twice the current median price of an average Sydney home.

The New South Wales number plate ‘4’ sold for an amazing $2.45 million at Shannons Sydney Winter Classic Auction on Monday, August 28 – more than twice the current median price of an average Sydney home.

The result, which shattered the pre-sale guiding range of $1.2 million-$1.5 million, was 10 times more than the $215,000 paid last night for very collectible 1970 XW GT-HO Phase II sedan – regarded by many enthusiasts as one of the most desirable ‘Bathurst ‘Higher Option’ Fords of the late 1960s and early ‘70s.

The top-selling vehicle at Shannons Sydney Winter Classic Auction on Monday, August 28 was this cosmetically-restored and very collectible 1970 Falcon XW GT HO, which sold for $215,000.

It also smashed the previous auction high water price of $689,000 paid for the NSW plate ‘2’ back in 2003.

According to available records, the earliest application of the plate was when it adorned a 1909 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost then owned by Michelin tyres importer Noris Duval in New South Wales in the early 1920s.

More recently it was worn by another Rolls-Royce – that of gregarious Aussie Home Loans founder, John Symond.

The number plate was sold to a Sydney collector, who was amongst the large crowd of bidders in Shannons St. Leonards Sydney showroom last night.

Shannons National Auction Manager Christophe Boribon said the sale was an outstanding result for a single-digit heritage number plate.

“Just nine of these New South Wales number plates were ever issued, making them ultra-collectible and irreplaceable,” he said. “Their unique status and desirability is never going to change.

“The opportunity to acquire such a plate is exceptionally rare, as most single-digit plates remain in family hands, are usually passed down through generations and rarely, if ever, come onto the open market.

“Shannons have been setting auction records with number plate sales for the past 20 years and this confirms our status as the heritage number plate market leaders.”

The number ‘4’ was one of seven black and white heritage NSW plates in the Shannons Sydney Winter Auction.

The four-digit NSW heritage number plate ‘1968’ sold for $94,000

Amongst the other plates, ‘321’ sold for a three-digit auction record of $192,000, while ‘1968’ brought $94,000 and the NSW motorcycle plate ‘999’ made $45,000.

A motorcycle enthusiast paid $45,000 for the iconic Ducati model number plate ‘999’ 

The total price achieved for all seven number plates was more than $2.8 million, taking total vehicle and memorabilia sales at last night’s auction to a Shannons auction record $4.7 million.

View all August 28 Shannons Sydney Winter Classic Auction Results

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