Rare and low numbered licence plates will be on auction at Emirates Palace Hotel this weekend to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of Abu Dhabi Police. All plates are series 1. The lower the series, the higher the value and prestige of the plate.
Bidding for licence plate No 2 will start at Dh5million.
Other numbers to go under the hammer will include No 10, starting at Dh230,000 and No 11, starting at Dh240,000.
No 22, 101, 110, 333, 600, 999, 1111, 6666, 1000 and 55555 will also go on the block.
For spend thrifts, plate number 1957, which starts at an affordable Dh1,000.
The high price of number plates has caused confusion and consternation to some but bidders consider plates a status symbol, a secure financial investment and even an investment in road safety. Vehicles low plates tend to be shown greater respect by other drivers.
Part of the money raised is donated to charity.
The value of each plates varies according to series number and emirate, with low-series Abu Dhabi and Dubai plates being the most coveted.
Abu Dhabi plates are associated with high salaries and a federal government that takes care of its citizens with housing grants, infrastructure and healthcare.
Dubai licence plates are associated with entrepreneurialism, glamour and ambition.
For youth, licence plates play an important part in local cruising, or 'rounding', culture.
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Last November, a series-50 No 1 plate, issued for the Gold Jubilee of UAE Founding Father Sheikh Zayed’s accession as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, sold for Dh31m to Abdullah Al Mahri.
Mr Al Mahri, who was 32, told The National he bought it to honour the Rulers' efforts to make the country "number one" in the world.
Just a few weeks earlier, the Indian billionaire Balvinder Sahni paid Dh33million for a 'D5' Dubai plate during an auction by the Roads and Transport Authority for "one of his Rolls Royces".
"Why D5?" he told The National in August. "D is number four in the alphabet and four plus five is nine – my lucky number."
A few weeks after the purchase, he came under the spotlight when a video circulated on social media of his D5 plated Rolls Royce parked in a disabled space.
Abu Dhabi still holds the record for the most expensive plate, a No 1 plate that sold in 2008 for Dh52.5million to a 25 year old businessman.
The event is run by Emirates Auction, which also specialised in VIP mobile numbers and has broken seven Guinness World Records since its establishment in 2004.
The auction will be held this Saturday, November 18 at 4pm at Emirates Palace Hotel.
For further information, visit: emiratesauction.com or call 600 54 54 54.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
