While many Australians consider eating the rich while they struggle to pay for food and rent, one self-basting millionaire has put in a bid of over $10 million for the “NSW 1” number plates.
Frankly, it’s hard to believe this story.
To contextualise these numbers, the most that anyone has ever paid for a painting by one of Australia’s best-known impressionist artists, Arthur Streeton, is just over $3 million in 2021.
You could have three of the best oil paintings completed by a historical great. Or a set of NSW plates with the number 1.
Though I suppose if you’re rich enough you can have the whole bloody lot.
It’s the first time these number plates have been up for sale in living memory. You can see the listing here. According to the auction house, only registered parties are allowed to bid on the lot which still has over a month to run.
These historical plates were first issued to the inaugural New South Wales’ Police Commissioner. They then ended up in the possession of businessman Sir Frederick Stewart in the 1930s until his death in 1961. Rumour says his widow declined to sell the plates in 1988 for $200,000.
But some family member has clearly decided it’s time to bring this cash cow in to slaughter.
If you haven’t got $10 million to sink into the ultimate testament to man’s vanity, you can make your own personalised plates, or purchase someone else’s.
The online broker for these deals “MrPlates” is a surprisingly entertaining website.
The pick of the current crop?
This classy affair in Queensland:
This set which will ensure you get stopped at every RDT in NSW.
And my personal favourite from Victoria
