A charitable auction of rare number plates and mobile numbers has raised Dh83.6 million ($22.7 million) – with a DD5 plate alone commanding a staggering fee of Dh35 million.
At the annual auction to raise funds for the Fathers’ Endowment Campaign, philanthropists and business figures battled it out for some prestigious items, and all for a good cause.
The rare DD5 number plate had a starting bid of Dh15 million and soon attracted more than 20 potential buyers.
That narrowed down to a face-off between businessman Muhammad Binghatti – chairman of Binghatti Holdings - and a 13-year-old schoolboy. One of the youngest taking part, he was reported to be bidding on behalf of his father but lost out to Mr Binghatti. He did manage to pick up the number DD24 for a cool Dh6.3 million.
Some of the special plate numbers sold for significant sums.
The DD12 number went for Dh12.8 million, while DD15 fetched Dh9.2 million and DD77 was sold for Dh12.6 million.
The charitable initiative was launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to honour fathers through an endowment fund to provide health care and treatment for those in need.
Held at the Armani Hotel in Burj Khalifa, the auction featured five special number plates, each with unique codes provided by the Roads and Transport Authority. Up for sale were 77, 24, 15, 12, 5 as well as a series of 20 rare mobile phone numbers provided by Etisalat and Du.
A similar auction is being held in Abu Dhabi on Sunday and Monday. The Most Noble Number online charity auction is organised by Abu Dhabi Mobility, as part of the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi.
The auction features 444 special plate numbers, including those with numbers 20 and 2. Bidders can also buy motorcycle plate number 1 and classic car number plates. Bids can be submitted through the Emirates Auction mobile app, or online.
In 2023, the auction house set a Guinness World Record when plate P-7 fetched Dh55 million. Funds contributed to the 1 Billion Meals Endowment, a project set up to provide a food safety net for millions of people worldwide.
