Qatar residents who are willing to shell out thousands of riyals to own a unique vehicle license plate have until tonight to submit a bid for one of 19 “fancy” numbers up for sale.
The online auction run by the Ministry of Interior (MOI) follows previous sales of special mobile phone numbers for considerable amounts of money.
There are 19 plate numbers up for grabs, all of which start with the number 3 and include repetitive numbers or sequences.
So far, QR200.4 million ($55 million) has been bid for number 333355.
Bid prices are expected to increase over the course of the day, with the auction coming to a close at 10pm tonight.
Culture craze
Paying a premium for an easy-to-remember phone or vehicle number is common practice in the Gulf.
The most sought-after figures tend to be those that include repeated numerals or something of personal significance, such as a date of birth.
Qatar’s largest telecom provider, Ooredoo, set what was then a Guinness World Record in 2006 for the sale of the world’s most expensive phone number. The number 666-6666 was bought for QR10 million ($3.65 million).
Separately, a Qatari businessman reportedly purchased an easy-to-remember, unlisted number for QR1.4 million ($384,473) at an auction held in 2012 by Ooredoo, then known as Qtel. All together, the auction collected a sum of QR13.15 million ($3.61 million) for charity.
The Peninsula previously reported an official at the Ministry of Business and Trade as saying:
“The craze is mostly among the younger and unmarried people … they have no family responsibility so they tend to splurge their earnings on such things.”
Elsewhere, a mobile phone number auction in the UAE earlier this year raised Dh20 million (QR19.83 million) for charity, according to The National. The most sought-after number at the sale was 777-7777, which was purchased for Dh7.88 million (QR7.81 million).
Auction details
The auction in Qatar for the 19 license plate numbers began at 1am on Nov. 11, with minimum bids of QR100,000 ($27,462).
The MOI is running the offering through its Metrash2 application, which requires users to enter their ID number and expiration date before clicking on “Significant Plates Auction” under the traffic services tab.
Successful bidders who fail to claim their purchase within two days of the auction’s closing will be hit with a QR20,000 ($5,492) fine and lose the rights to their special license plate.
Thoughts?
Fools, money, soon parted.
Meanwhile…..in the real world…..
Seriously, this is hurting my brain. I will offer the winner of this auction a special number maker, for only 1,000,000 QR, the number maker will be hand delivered, in a special box made entirely of premium waxed cardboard. The special number maker is capable of making numbers in black on nearly any surface. It is quality constructed in exotic China, and made of only the finest of felt, plastic, and indelible ink. It comes with only one warning, do not use on white board. It is also recommended that one not sniff the fumes, but given the willingness to part with 200,000,000 QR for an automobile registration plate, I think that the owner might have other designs.
Beep beep… Correction … The MoI came out yesterday and reported they called the person responsible for the online bid to verify his biding numbers. The person admitted he had mistakenly add two additional zeros at the end of his bid price. Bids are done the tough a metrash App. MoI said they were unable to reverse the error in bid and it is likely the individual will lose his 20,000 riyal deposit.
looks like two things have really lost out here, the analytical brain, specifically thinking before writing, just read and believe, and two, actually reading; because you posted a correction 4 hours ago and it seems like that’s been ignored by the ever insightful DN commentators and the ever punctual DN editors!
Two more things:
1. You can’t believe everything you read on the internet, especially in comments sections.
2. What was the general population of Qatar (and the world) thinking? …. A couple zeros does make it reasonable, because 2 million QAR actually IS a good price for a metal license plate that’s not made out of solid gold.
BBC reported it, marking another milestone in the death of critical thinking and “journalism”
I didnt report that….
Lol
He was probably driving while he was bidding, hence the mistake!
🙂
True
Where did MOI say that?
I believe on their twitter feed… It’s was quoted on qatarshares.com
I looked yesterday but didn’t see it.
http://www.raya.com/Mob/GetPage/f6451603-4dff-4ca1-9c10-122741d17432/f147d21a-86b3-4758-948b-a5b337ca83d2
55 Million Dollars for a number plate……saying that out aloud in my office as I type. Repeatedly. More shocking that the Kim Khardashian pics today……………………
I’m trying to come up with a comment about this story that won’t be offensive to anyone or get me deported….. but I can’t. Ideas range from the contrast of pinching pennies with home based workers all the way to how low one’s self esteem and how high one’s need for validation must be to spend that kind of money on a stamped metal plate. So many things to say…..
So your basically judging the people of a whole country by the actions of very few… Btw it’s official the high bidders didn’t turn up to collect and lost their deposits…some claiming their was a glitch with the app others admitted entering the wrong bid
No longer living there I can say what I like wthout fear of a oppressive regime. So..Typical greedy Qatari fool. When I was there and some clown in a bed sheet with a tea towel on his head drove past me at warp factor nine in his LC (Hey Khalid I bought a new car…What is it ? A land cruiser and white. Like get some individualism you brain dead inbreds) with his baby on his knee with a special number plate I used to laugh and call him a F wit as I knew he was so stupid or maybe smart enough to know he was a pathetic arrogant welfare recipient that he had to waste good money on a number plate. I did not look on with awe and say ohh wow he must be rich, no not at all, just oh what a d head he paid big money for his special number plate.
And on the topic of oppressive regime, what sort of country thinks its ok to burn children to death and walk away , but if you write a poem about the emir then you get imprisoned…pathetic.
I wish I had a fancy number, so everyone could look at me and admire my wealth and status, as I drive by everyone will stare and cry out, look, there goes a VVVIP
Or you could just make a sticker and put it on your car. That’s how I know for sure who’s important.
I never want to hear a Qatari complain the world does nothing for Palestine. Oh what this amount would do for them. They should be ashamed but I think there’s little here.
Dude you really are that dumb. Should Americans never complain about expensive health care plans because some wealthy Americans can afford expensive useless crap?
Seeing how you made such a retarded comment in the first place I highly doubt you will even get the point…
No I’m tired of the hypocritical attitude. One person could make such a difference. I could say OK if he’s buying a new high end sports car but seriously, $55 million for a license plate? Really? The vast majority of the locals claim such conservatism and piousness then p!ss away $55 mill on a number.
Brilliant and oh so close to God. I’m so dumb?
” The vast majority of the locals claim such conservatism and piousness then p!ss away $55 mill on a number”
the vast majority do not P!ss away 55 mill on a number (obviously)
why spend insane amount of money on a rolex when other watches work just as well?
why spend huge amounts of money on jewellery that are completely useless other for the fact that they’re shiny?
why buy a buy a 10 thousand dollars suit?
people who are obscenely wealthy will spend huge amounts of money on useless crap. the other 95% of the country is not hypocritical because there actions
Well respectable Wealthy people in the world like Warren Buffet dont have to buy all these flashy things to show the rest of the world that they are rich. They dress modestly and give their money away to charity organizations that they do research on and approve.
…I’m just say’in!
Middle east is new money
new money? Oh… well in that case
—>Respectable Wealthy people in the world like MARK ZUKERBERG (CEO Facebook) don’t have to buy all these flashy things to show the rest of the world that they are rich. They dress modestly and give their money away to charity organizations that they do research on and approve.
Good for them, no compare that to every player in the NFL or NBA or Russians u see in dubai. Most wealthy ppl are flashy. Some are not
I only pay respect to those that are not flashy. The rest deserve to loose all their wealth and live the life of a poor man to learn some respect. Make a long story short… I lost it all once and actually had to live the life of a poor man until I got back on my feet. With modesty I’ve gotten it back 3 fold. Modesty and charity is the way to go my friend. My daily commuter is a Nissan Tiida. sure it has all the option that Nissan has to offer on that model and I actually enjoy driving it. Most people would never know what the BBCA has in his wallet by his clothes and car. Sure i have a nice villa. Sure I have a very nice car parked inside but there is a limit to frivolity my friend. You cant tell me that you don’t see the ridiculousness in paying so much for a License plate?
of course its ridiculous, just no more ridiculous than super wealthy in other parts of the world. modesty is the way to go
Or Donald trump
All you hatters can say what ever you want but the dude that finally wins the bid has got one up on you. LOL! He is paying that much on a plate —> “Just because he can!” And that is definitely a snub to all you pitiful people out there that can not afford to pay a ridiculous amount of money for a simple License plate. That includes all you low level 3rd world poor workers out there dying while building a stupid stadium for a stupid game while not getting paid and sending money back home to your poor silly worthless families. LOL! the jokes on all of you guys!
Don’t hate the playa… Don’t even hate the game…. Don’t get mad… Get glad…. Want some git some… bad enough… Take some! Hahahahah!
***Why did is almost start crying after typing that?***
Does no one get it ? The bid was a mistake in entering the right figure… He did the same mistake on more than a number and will lose his deposit … He isn’t required to make the purchase and he won’t be held against it… Just loses his 20,000 deposit
We get it but the fact still remains that some idiot that does not deserve to be rich will still pay a ridiculous amount of money for a freaking license plate.
Pathetic
http://www.raya.com/Mob/GetPage/f6451603-4dff-4ca1-9c10-122741d17432/f147d21a-86b3-4758-948b-a5b337ca83d2
Here is your source shabina… Told you they were bids placed by mistake