Lucky Day for Hong Kong Plate Buyer

A businessman has just paid the equivalent of £677,970 for the number '16' at a public auction in Hong Kong. Garment equipment supplier, Suen Siu-man's purchase is the fourth most expensive plate ever to be sold in the former British colony.

"It's a good start to the year," said Suen. "I hope it will bring me luck." He was prepared to pay a considerable sum for the plate because 16 is his lucky number and he had recently seen comparable registrations go for even more. Mr Siu-man also wanted to buy '668' for his wife. Unfortunately he was was outbid by Ngan Man-hon, director of the aptly-named Lucky Number Plate Centre, who paid £239,283 for the privilege.

The Lunar New Year auction, held at the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai, raised a total of more than £1,475,583 all of which will go to charity. Elsewhere at the same event, £14,357 was paid for the number '2368' by a Mr Chu Ka-sun, whose father apparently owned the plate some 70 years ago.

The registration '18' remains the most expensive ever sold in Hong Kong at £1,316,061 in 2008. For a run down of the highest sale prices worldwide, please see High Fliers and Big Spenders.

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