The historic NSW black and white number plate ‘29’ out-performed a number of rare and sought-after classic vehicles to sell for an Australian auction record $745,000 at Shannons Autumn Classic Auction in Sydney last night.
The result – nearly $200,000 above the plate’s pre-auction high estimate – eclipsed the previous auction record of $689,000 paid for the NSW plate ‘2’ achieved 14 years ago in 2003 and smashed the Australian record price of $530,000 for a double-digit numerical plate achieved by the Victorian plate ‘21’ at Shannons Melbourne Winter auction in July last year.
Low number, double digit plates seldom come onto the market, as they are usually passed down through families and generations and rarely sold privately.
The earliest known record of NSW ‘29’ – the Holderness Motorist Guide of 1915 – records that the plate at that stage belonged to a Mr. MacCormick of Macquarie Street, Sydney and adorned a 26HP Minerva.
As well as acquiring a wonderful piece of NSW automotive history, its new owner has achieved instant membership of a very exclusive, low-digit numberplate club of just 90, whose ‘joining’ fee has risen steadily and reliably over the years.
It was also nearly four times the $180,000 paid at last night’s auction for the best-selling Classic car – a superb, restored 1970 XY Falcon GT – and took total black and white Heritage plate sales on the night to nearly $1 million ($956,000) and an overall clearance rate of 94 per cent over all lots.
View all May 22 Shannons Sydney Autumn Classic Auction Results
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