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Investing in number plates

by Alexandra Middleton | 16 Oct 2013

To successfully invest in number plates you need to be keen for the hunt and willing to bide your time.

Number plates hold value for a number of reasons, but by far the biggest return on investment comes from heritage plates with a single low number.

The state in which the plate was issued will also impact its value, with NSW and Victorian plates attracting higher prices than the other states.

Shannons Auctions Operations Leader, Greg Hardy says the value of number plates in Australia has continued to rise since the early 80s, with a considerable surge six years ago. “The value of plates has backed off a little since then,” he says. “In the current market NSW plates are particularly strong, while personalised plates hold no substantial value.”

Display or preserve?

Rather than being based on the physical condition of the plate itself, the real value lies in the right to display the registration number on your car. While Hardy says original plates are a bonus for the buyer, more often than not they will store the originals and mount reproductions on what are usually quite fancy cars. This also means that if someone steals your physical plates you will not lose ownership of them and can simply contact the transport authority in your state to have them re-printed.

Most valuable

Along with low numbers, heritage plates that have three of the same number or consecutive numbers are highly sought after. “Anything with an eight in it is also desirable for the Asian community,” says Hardy.

In 2003, a record $680,000 was paid for the NSW2 plate and it is expected that NSW1 and VIC1 would fetch one to two million dollars each. Other high value sales include NSW51, which was listed for auction at between $200,000 and $240,000, and VIC97, which sold for $180,000.

Collection plates

While they don’t bring the same monetary return, limited edition plates and a series of plates with a common theme, are sought after by collectors. For example, limited edition plates produced for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics are valued at $2000 to $3000 each. These plates cannot be mounted on a vehicle but hold sentimental value.

Other collectors are in it for the challenge and the chase, attempting to secure a plate from every country in the world. This can become quite a costly habit as rare plates, such as the Vatican City or Egyptian plates, will cost around $2000 each.

Starting up

The Australian Number Plates Collectors Club (NPCC) says that like any hobby, collecting plates can be as affordable or expensive as you want it to be. The club’s website explains that beginners will usually start with plates in the lower monetary values, but as your collection and knowledge grows, so will your taste for the more expensive plates. The club advises trading among other collectors to get new acquisitions, without having to delve into your hip pocket. 

Each year the NPCC holds a convention over the June long-weekend, at various locations across Australia. These conventions are a great opportunity for members to trade and sell plates. The convention offers a great atmosphere with members putting great effort into colourful displays, which range from state or graphic themes, to individual plate rarities. Members are awarded for their display efforts at the annual dinner and award night.

Visit the NPCC website for more information about membership and the convention.