Heritage plates to be auctioned in Queensland

Dubbed "The Great Plate Auction", the event will be hosted by plate dealing powerhouse Plates.com.au, with over 30 of the most sought after 'Q' Plates and Prestige Plates in the country.

For the first time ever, Personalised Plates Queensland (PPQ) has come on board releasing never before available Q Plates and Prestige Plates to go under the hammer.

Chief amongst the personalised number plates on the market is one that's attracting special interest from Chinese investors and is expected to fetch the highest price ever paid for a Queensland number plate.


Q'8' - the magic plate.

Second only in value to Stefan's Q'1', Queensland Heritage Plate Q'8' is tipped to become the most expensive Queensland number plate in history.

Plates.com.au proprietor Stewart Kay said the headline act commands extreme value as both a low single digit Heritage Q Plate and for the wealth and good fortune represented by number 8 in the lucrative Asian market.

"We expect to see aggressive bidding from astute buyers in Queensland, interstate Australia, Hong Kong and potentially, mainland China. It's an extremely rare opportunity to secure a blue chip investment and a piece of Queensland history," Kay said.

"This would be the perfect long-term investment for a local business or corporation dealing with the Asian market and picking up international guests. We see particular value for our casinos with high rollers who believe the number eight symbolises great prosperity and luck."

Tightly held for decades by a NSW investor, Q'8' is the first Australian single digit number plate up for auction since NSW '6' was reportedly sold for over a million dollars after auction in 2007.

Heritage number plates, first offered by the Queensland Government at a live auction in 1985, have proved to be an astute buy.

And it seems Queensland will once again provide an exceptional hunting ground for interstate investors, particularly from New South Wales and Victoria where similar plates are exponentially more expensive.

"The Queensland market has massively undervalued its plates in the past allowing interstate investors to swoop in for the kill," Kay said. "Successful bidders at this upcoming auction will be looking back in delight at what we simply describe as a smart buy."

Platesales.com.au are the only specialist dealer and auctioneer of valuable, collector and rare number plates in Australia.

Kay's auctions & web site has sold over $1.6 million in plates in the last 12 months including the sale of SA'3' and SA'6' to one investor at a record Australian price for a number plate lot.

"You could buy a decent inner city cottage for much less than an exclusive, single-digit Heritage Plate in New South Wales and Victoria," Kay added.

"Even then, it's unlikely you'll convince one of the owners of Australia's forty single digit numbers to sell. Some of these plates would realise several million dollars if auctioned today."

Owners are an elite group of business people, wealthy families and entrepreneurs including Aussie John Symonds; ex-CEO of Coles Myer, Peter Bartels and the direct descendants of Lady Stewart who still holds NSW '1'.

In 1985 Alan Bond famously eschewed a single digit plate at auction opting for a less than subtle WA'69' for his Rolls Corniche instead.

So just who will get their hands on the Sunshine State's Golden Plate?

"We hope to see Queenslanders fight for their plates and take advantage of the investment potential and comparative affordability this time round," Kay said.

The live auction is sending the white-collar world into overdrive and is a must-do event for all savvy investors, plate collectors and motoring enthusiasts.

PPQ will be auctioning Q2013 and Q2014…great investments to commemorate these years; and the Prestige Plates '4SERIES' and 'FORTUNE'.

The full line-up will also include several series of consecutive and matched Q plate sets and forty rare three and four Character Heritage Plates in the $5,000 to $20,000 range.

"These are perfect for fleet owners or car collectors with a series of cars and in our experience, the opportunity to acquire such sets are extremely rare", Kay said.

Don't miss Queensland's third Great Plate Auction for the rare chance to tap into the power and prosperity of that lucky number 8.

The Great Plate Auction - Queensland

Date: Thursday November 14, 2013
Time: From 7:00pm
Location: Lamborghini Brisbane - 358 Wickham Street, Fortitude Valley
Further Details: www.plates.com.au