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Who's good at driving in Russia: cool license plates on the black market. The most expensive license plates: ten luxury “accessories” The most expensive car plates in the world

What motivates car enthusiasts who want to buy expensive license plates for their cars? For some, this is an excellent investment, like collectible wine or precious metals; for others, it is support for a certain status, securing a position in society. Wealthy people around the world consider the purchase of “special” license plates for a car as a “reasonable” purchase, the cost of which in a few years can increase several times.

Top 10 unique license plates

The most expensive registration plate, which contains only one number “1”, was purchased at a charity auction in the UAE by Abu Dhabi businessman Saeed Abdul Ghafer al Khoury. Its price was $14 million. The license plate is transferred for lifelong use and can be inherited.

The previous record for the cost of a license plate also belonged to a resident of the United Arab Emirates, who in 2007 paid $6.8 million for a plate with the number “5”, while the price for it was almost 10 times more than the cost of the luxury car it adorns.

The list continues with signs belonging to the inhabitants of Foggy Albion. In the UK, there is an auction for the sale of unique license plates, which brings huge income to the treasury. One of the most expensive license plates purchased at a British auction was the “25 0” plate. It was purchased by Ferrari dealer John Collins in November 2014 and mounted on a collectible Ferrari 250SWB.

The registration number F1 was bought by Afzal Khan, an entrepreneur from Bradford, for £440,000. Now on the bumper of the Bugatti Veyron hypercar there is an “F1” badge - the dream of many racing fans.

Fifth place goes to license plate S1, which was purchased in 2008 for £404,000 by an anonymous buyer.

In March 2009, a die with the inscription “1D” was purchased at an auction in the UK for £352,000. Lebanese Nabil Bishara paid a large sum for it.

License plate "1"

Price: RUB 641,766,113

This license plate was purchased by Abu Dhabi businessman Saeed Abdul Ghaffar Khoury in 2008. This is not only the most expensive license plate sold at auction in the United Arab Emirates, but also the most expensive license plate in the world.

License plate "25 O"

Price: RUB 44,324,646

The record price set by the UK Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency was paid by Ferrari dealership owner John Collins in 2014. This number now takes pride of place on the Ferrari 250 SWB that once belonged to rock star Eric Clapton. The car itself costs 10 million pounds sterling (855,688,150 rubles).

By the way, standard car number plates in Britain usually contain a region code, an age identifier and a random sequence of three characters. The value of this number for the buyer was that the license plate was similar to the name of the Ferrari 250 model that he purchased.

License plate "F1"

Price: RUB 37,703,759

In 2008, Bradford businessman Afzal Kahn (pictured) paid a huge sum of money for an F1 registration plate. At today's exchange rate, this is more than 37 million rubles.

Khan installed the number on his Mercedes SLR McLaren, saying:

“I think it's a good deal because it's probably worth 10 times more.”

He later changed this number to the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport Carbon Edition. Last year, the businessman put the number up for sale for 1.2 billion rubles (£14.4 million). True, there has still not been a person willing to pay an incredible amount for this number.

Here is a link to the UK number plate auction where you will see this number plate at the top. For reference: The F1 number has been used in England for 109 years.

License plate "S1"

Price: RUB 34,569,801

In 2008, at an auction in Scotland, an anonymous bidder purchased the license plate “S1” belonging to one of the first car owners in Scotland, Lord Kingsburgh (the car was purchased in 1903). According to the buyer, this number will be used on the old red Skoda.

License plate "VIP 1"

Price: RUB 24,387,112

This government license plate was purchased by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich in 2006. Two years earlier, the issue was sold for only 62,000 pounds sterling (5,305,266 rubles).

How much do VIP rooms cost in Russia?

Unfortunately, in our country, as always, where big money circulates, it cannot do without the shadow sphere. In Russia, but it is impossible to do this officially and legally. Therefore, in our country, workarounds have been invented for the gray purchase of a criminal license plate. For example, today in the Telegram messenger there are a lot of closed groups where beautiful license plates are put up for sale. Also on the Internet you will find many sites and offices that sell license plates for cars.

But, of course, we don’t have the same prices as in the UAE or the UK. However, for some license plates prices can reach up to 5-10 million rubles. In most cases, beautiful license plates cost 100-300 thousand rubles. And just for some alphanumeric combinations and regions, people are willing to shell out more than 1 million rubles.

However, soon, it is quite possible that the authorities will finally bring this market of license plates out of the shadows. Most likely this will happen soon. Let us remind you that from this date the State Traffic Inspectorate will stop issuing license plates. Instead, the traffic police will only automatically assign an alphanumeric combination of numbers. Car owners will make the blanks themselves in specialized companies accredited by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Beautiful registration plates are traditionally considered a symbol of high status and an elegant addition to luxury cars. Many are willing to pay for a number an amount quite comparable to the cost of the car itself. Let's see how much the most expensive license plates in the world cost.

VIP1, Roman Abramovich

One of the most famous Russian oligarchs, Roman Abramovich, became the owner of an exclusive British license plate - “VIP1” in 2006. The acquisition cost Abramovich approximately half a million dollars (£285,000). The beautiful number has since been adorned by the magnificent Rolls-Royce Corniche IV Convertible. By the way, this registration plate was previously used by Pope John Paul II on his official Popemobile.

The “M1” license plates are notable for the fact that these are generally the first car license plates. They were released at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Until recently, they were assigned to a rare Mercedes-Benz 1900, which could be seen in England's Tatton Park. But in the same 2006, the very first issues were bought at a charity auction by entrepreneur Mike McCumbe for £332,000. It is known that Mike McCumbe gave the M1 plates as a gift to his son on his sixth birthday. He must be fourteen now, but an SL63 AMG with these numbers was recently caught by street photographers.

F1, Afzal Khan

In 2008, the British record was broken. Businessman Afzal Khan bought the F1 plates from Essex County Council at auction for £440,000. Previously, they were assigned to the Volvo S80 of the county chairman. The lucky buyer put the sign on his Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren and has since received many tempting offers. Last year Mr Khan refused to sell F1 plates for £6m.

Facebk, Thai Tran

Australian Thai Tran announced an auction for Facebook numbers in 2012, for which he asked for $1,200,000. During the auction, bids were not raised, but the numbers were nevertheless purchased. The seller shared that he was looking for buyers among businessmen and large investors, and not among ardent fans of the most popular social network. According to him, every year the price of rooms will rise by three hundred thousand dollars. Another auction is coming up, this time Thai Tran is selling Paypal numbers (the popular payment system has the same name). The Australian hopes to earn at least a million dollars for this state registration plate.

Numbers in the UAE

But the most expensive license plates, of course, are sold in the capital of luxury cars - Abu Dhabi. Numbers are of particular value. So, “9” was bought in 2008 for $4,190,000, “seven” - for $4,600,000, “5” went for $6,880,000, and “1” was bought in 2008 for $14,300. “One” went to a certain Said Abdul Gafoor Khuri and now adorns his Pagani Zonda. All proceeds from the sale of beautiful rooms in the United Arab Emirates go to charity.

Numbers in Russia

Despite the fact that beautiful numbers are not officially for sale in Russia yet (although this possibility has recently been increasingly discussed by legislators), you can still buy yourself a “prestigious” number. What is sold is not the license plate itself, but, as a rule, the car with the license plate you like. That's the whole scheme. Thus, the most expensive and most beautiful license plates will cost Russian buyers five million rubles. We are talking about numbers like A777AA77, numbers like O500OOO cost about three and a half million rubles. Moscow numbers with the “AMP” series fall into approximately the same price category.

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When purchasing a new car, many people strive to install so-called “beautiful” license plates on it - with an unusual combination of letters and numbers or from a series of license plates assigned to a certain government agency. In this way, car enthusiasts demonstrate their high status and income level. In the future, the most expensive car license plates in Russia will increase in price, so this is also a good way to invest.

For many car owners, a car is not just a means of transportation, but a favorite toy. They treat her like a friend (or girlfriend), try to keep her in perfect order, and purchase expensive jewelry for the salon. Every little thing is important to such people, including the license plate. An expensive license plate does not give the owner any privileges and does not save him from problems and fines. Its main purpose is to satisfy the owner’s ambitions and emphasize his high position in society.

Car enthusiasts are happy to buy such non-standard license plates and are willing to spend a lot of money on them. Wealthy people have a good tradition: purchasing elite license plates as gifts for friends or their girlfriend.

The sales scheme is quite simple. Some cheap car is bought, registered with numbers that are planned to be sold. Then the old car is sold along with the “nice” license plates, the buyer registers the car, removes them for storage, receives new license plates, and returns the car to the previous owner. Next, the new owner registers his car with “beautiful” license plates.

Prices for elite rooms range from 40 thousand to 11 million rubles. The average cost is 200–300 thousand rubles.

An elite number is an indicator of the high status and wealth of the car owner

Confrontation: deputies do not agree with the traffic police

Representatives of the State Traffic Inspectorate have repeatedly proposed legalizing the sale of “nice” license plates for cars, as this is necessary to combat corruption among employees. In 2010, regulations were developed and submitted for consideration regulating the holding of auctions for the sale of license plates for vehicles. However, they were not accepted: the deputies considered that the same service cannot be valued at different amounts.

In 2011, the head of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate, V. Fedorov, submitted to the State Duma the bill “On the registration of vehicles,” according to which car owners have the right to independently choose the alphanumeric designation of the license plate. Disagreements arose among the deputies: some agreed with the project, others proposed introducing an increased state duty for “beautiful” license plates. The bill was adopted in the first reading, but did not go further.

This law has many supporters, but there are also those who oppose its adoption.

Petr Shkumatov, member of the public council of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, popular blogger: “This system needs to be simplified, motorists need to be given the opportunity to choose the numbers they like. Otherwise, resellers will buy these numbers at auctions. They are the only ones who will say thank you because their task will be easier.”

On August 4, 2019, the Federal Law “On State Registration of Vehicles” comes into force, but it does not contain a clause on the official issuance of “beautiful” license plates. So lovers of elite rooms will still be able to purchase them only secondhand.

A survey among the population “Is there a need for a bill allowing the sale of “beautiful” license plates” showed:

for - 68%;
against - 32%.

The traffic police leadership is confident that the bill is necessary. When will the deputies understand this?

Tricky schemes for selling numbers

There are many intermediary companies on the market that resell criminal numbers.

Dealers have developed several ways to get the signs you need cheaper:

Search the Internet and social networks for those who are ready to sell such numbers.
20–30 cars are registered at once, and those that may be of interest are selected from the issued license plates.
View advertisements for the sale of used cars: you can catch interesting license plates in the photos.

There are many intermediary companies, this is a profitable business: they buy rooms cheaper and sell them at a higher price. For example, there are cases where intermediaries bought a car with coveted license plates for 500 thousand rubles, and then resold it for 3 million rubles. It’s easy to calculate how much money you can make from such a deal.

Dealers have accumulated a wealth of experience in finding and buying “beautiful” license plates

True stories

There are many interesting, sometimes even scandalous, stories associated with the so-called criminal numbers that have caused a stormy public outcry. In 2013, Moscow began issuing license plates with the new region code 777. The combination A001AA 777 went to a young woman, the owner of a modest small car, which was loudly announced by the leadership of the traffic police. However, subsequently photographs of a sophisticated Mercedes GL with this number appeared on the Internet, which naturally caused a wave of indignation among citizens.

Then bloggers began posting photos showing that the most beautiful license plates from the 777 series are installed on expensive cars. Information has emerged that license plate A777AA 777 was sold for 15 million rubles. People were looking forward to seeing a car with this number appear on the streets of Moscow. To hush up the brewing scandal, the traffic police management decided to install this sign on a VAZ-2114 police car.

Would you pay a high price for a “nice room”?

YesNo

Curiosities with unusual numbers are also found abroad. In the United States, the license plate T1H2NO is officially prohibited in many states. It would seem like an ordinary set of letters and numbers, but if you read it backwards, you get: Oh, Shit! ("Oh shit!").

Prices for rooms in different regions of Russia

“Beautiful” license plates for a car are not a cheap pleasure; prices vary in different regions of Russia. The table presented will help you figure out in which regions popular rooms will cost more and in which - cheaper.

Price range for unusual license plates in different regions of Russia

Thus, the spread of prices across regions is small. It is clear that the cost depends on the popularity of the number and the demand for it. The least interesting rooms can be purchased quite cheaply - from 15 thousand rubles. It is not surprising that the highest prices are in St. Petersburg and Moscow; the further from the center, the lower the cost of the coveted license plates.

Rating of the most expensive rooms in Russia

Rich people are ready to shell out almost the cost of the car itself for “beautiful” license plates. Since there are such buyers, it means that there are corresponding offers. Prices for some particularly popular license plates in Russia are simply sky-high.

“Round”, that is, multiples of 100, are found on premium cars (for example, X500RV). Price - 125 thousand rubles.
Mirror numbers in which the first and last digit are repeated (for example, 424, 939). Price - 150 thousand rubles.
The AAA777 combination is often found on cars of the Presidential Administration. Price - 325 thousand rubles.
777 777 is a metropolitan show-off when the digits of the number coincide with the region number. Price - 1.85 million rubles.
Numbers from the top ten from 001 to 009 emphasize that the car owner is first in everything - in life, in business, and financially (for example, B001BB). Price - 4 million rubles. (https://nomerauto.su/pervaja-desjatka/)
Numbers in which three identical numbers and letters also coincide (for example, M888MM). Price - 5.9 million rubles.
License plate of the elite series NNN777 77. Price - 10 million rubles.
AMP, EKH series (members of the government, the State Duma, the Federation Council, the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the prosecutor's office travel with such license plates). Price - 11 million rubles.

Folk decoding of the EKH special number - “I go as I want”

The sale of numbers from the AMP and EKH series is considered illegal in Russia, sellers and buyers get out as best they can. At the same time, many Russian human rights activists openly speak out in favor of officially allowing the sale of such numbers.

Victor Travin, President of the College of Legal Protection of Car Owners: « There is nothing illegal here. We do not have the concept of “special number”. All registration plates are exactly the same, with the exception of those approved by government decree and belonging to a special category of vehicles.”

Survey of Moscow residents on the topic « How do you feel about installing expensive license plates on a car?

strongly negative - 61%;
indifferent - 25%;
positive - 9%;
I want this number - 5%.

Most people consider buying « beautiful" rooms are a waste of money. Nevertheless, a huge number of offers for sale find their buyers, which means that someone still needs it. Having decided to make such a purchase, you need to remember that this pleasure is quite expensive, and besides, such transactions are made unofficially. Therefore, it is advisable to first weigh the pros and cons.

It so happens that beautiful state license plates are a demonstration of the wealth, power or “stardom” of its owner. Demand has generated supply, and now, almost all over the world, there is a “micro-market” for this category of goods.

We offer you to find out which numbers are popular in different countries, as well as what price they cost the owners.

Roman Abramovich is one of the richest people in our country, so spending 285 thousand pounds sterling for a beautiful VIP1 license plate hardly hurt his pocket.

It is worth noting that the previous owner of the “cool” sign was none other than Pope John Paul II. Now VIP1 is decorated with one of Roman’s premium cars - Rolls-Royce Corniche IV Convertible.

Few people know that the first license plates in the history of mankind were signs marked “M1”, issued at the end of the 19th century.

Until 2006, a 1900 Mercedes was assigned this number, but following the results of the auction, the sign passed into the possession of entrepreneur Mike McCumbe for a bid of 332 thousand pounds. It's funny that the purchase was given by the businessman to his son for his sixth birthday.

Another double-digit F1 number broke the previous record 2 years later, in 2008. The buyer was another businessman Afzal Khan, who bought the sign for 440 thousand pounds.

The purchase turned out to be truly profitable, as four years later an offer was made to purchase this room for £6,000,000. Be that as it may, Afzal Khan refused to sell and kept the F1 on the bumpers of his Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.

"Social" number of Facebk

Not long ago, an enterprising Australian, Tai Tran, opened an auction of “Paypal” license plates. He himself states that the beautiful room will be sold for no less than $1 million.

The idea is not as crazy as it might seem at first glance, because just 2 years ago, the “Facebk” numbers of the same name with the popular site were already sold out, and were taken for $1,200,000.

Officially or “in the dark,” but there is a demand for beautiful license plates in all countries. However, among all states there is a clear leader - the UAE. It is in Abu Dhabi that wealthy car enthusiasts pay exorbitant sums for prestigious letters and numbers on license plates.

The most expensive signs officially recorded in this country:

“9” - $4,190,000;
“7” - $4,600,000;
“5” – $6,880,000.

It is noteworthy that the “odd-measurement” in 2008 cost Said Abdul Gafoor Khuri only $14,300. All money received by the state from the sale of beautiful rooms is rightfully donated to charitable needs.

If we talk about countries with “unofficial” sales of beautiful numbers, then Russia is certainly on the list of leaders.

The most common way to sell a beautiful license plate in the Russian Federation is to include it in the price of the car being sold.

Thus, the numbers A777AA77 will cost about 5 million rubles, the less pretentious O500OOO is slightly cheaper - 3.5 million rubles. For the prestigious AMP numbers in Moscow, they will secretly (or publicly) ask for a price with a number of the same order.