Legendary number plates ready to make history again

South Australians will soon have the chance to get their hands on some of the most exclusive pieces of local automotive history.

Following the record-breaking online auction of the iconic 8 plate, which sold for more than $2 million last year, the rare two-digit numeric plates 10 and 98 will go under the hammer this month, taking with them more than a century of heritage.

First released in 1906, genuine numeric plates – simple white numbers on a black background – now link modern drivers with local early automotive pioneers.

Number 10 is considered to be a one-zero gem that represents a new beginning. It is often seen as an invitation to embrace change, perfect for collectors seeking meaning and rarity.

Meanwhile, the number 98 is frequently linked to attracting wealth and success – locally, an ideal reflection of the year that marked the Adelaide Crows’ second straight premiership win as the club gears up for their first finals series in eight years!

In last year’s blockbuster auction, number 55 became the first two-digit plate to sell since the Great Plate Auction in 1985 when it went for a whopping $625,100.
The ‘10’ and ‘98’ will go to auction alongside a series of other genuine numeric plates including numbers 6666, 4477, 333555 and 292.

All plates will be auctioned with ‘Class Specific Rights’, which entitles the owners to long-term rights to their plate. This means the plate can be transferred to vehicles registered in the same name and sold to a third party, extending the buyer market to include investment opportunities.

Anyone can purchase the rights to a numeric plate, however the plates can only be affixed to a vehicle that is registered in South Australia.

Registrations for the online auction are now open until Wednesday, 10 September when the auction will go live. The auction will close 7pm Monday, 22 September.

Revenue raised from the auction will be returned to the Department for Infrastructure and Transport to fund services for South Australians.

The online auction will be run by third-party auctioneer Slattery Auctions and Valuations.

Visit https://ezyplates.sa.gov.au/plate-styles/numeric-number-plates to register.

Quotes

Attributable to Tom Koutsantonis

Last year’s auction was nothing short of extraordinary with plate 8 shattering our local auction record and plate 55 marking its own milestone as the first two-digit number sold since 1985.

From early horse-carriage era to today’s collectors’ circles, numeric plates link modern drivers with the prestige of South Australia’s automotive pioneers.

Experts say lower-digit plates like ‘10’ are rare relics that indicate new beginnings, while there is a unique energy around the 98 plate. Not only is it linked to success, but for Crows supporters it’s a timely memento of the year they went back-to-back.

Whether you’re drawn by heritage, numerology or the sheer exclusivity of owning a piece of automotive history, now is the chance to take home plates that are much more than just a collector’s item.