Guinness Record: it is the most expensive automobile patent in the world

The world of great collectors sometimes delivers amazing stories. Or just unimaginable for the vast majority of people, but when you have enough money to live in peace for a few centuries, the truth is that there is always, always something appearing on the horizon that becomes tempting.

The usual thing is to hear about exorbitantly priced cars, mansions or jewelry, but rarely do you hear news about collectible license plates. Or at least not in a country like ours where this element of identification is neither eligible nor marketable.

But in countries like the United States or the United Arab Emirates, it is possible to move the license plate, because it is associated with a person and not with the vehicle. And thanks to this difference, shocking cases occur, such as the one a few days ago at the Emirates Auction Company, where a patent was awarded for 55 million dirhams, or some 14.9 million dollars (about 12 billion of dollars).

The unusual auction was made with the “P 7” patent and according to what the same auction house published on its twitter account, the transaction was so high that it entered the Guinness Book, leaving behind a record which is already 15 years old.

According to the Guinness Book, the previous peak figure was reached in 2008, when the “1” patent was auctioned off for 52.2 million dirhams ($14.2 million) to businessman Saeed Abdul Ghaffar Khouri. On this occasion, it was also auctioned by Emirates Auction Company.

Now, as to the reason for the astonishing figure that was paid and the owner remains anonymous, it’s because of the simplicity of the patent, because of the aesthetics that translates into the design and, also, apparently the figure 7 has a special symbolism in the Middle East, in fact, according to specialized media, Islamic schools say that 7 is a sacred number for Muslims, since Allah created everything in seven heavens, seven earths and seven days, in addition to creating man in seven steps.

But with the sacred theme, the truth is that acquiring a patent in a colossal figure also indicates the ostentation that is done in some countries.

Without going any further, a few years ago, in 2016, the “D 5” license plate was sold at auction in the United Arab Emirates for 33 million dirhams (8.9 million dollars).

On this occasion, its acquirer, Balvinder Singh Sahni, told Bloomberg that “I always dreamed of having a single-digit patent”, adding that in Dubai, where he worked, it was a city of great personalities. and that “everyone wants to show off their status”.

The positive point of this unique situation is that the money raised will go to “1 Billion Meals Endowment”, a charitable foundation that fights against hunger.

The “P 7” patent adds to a series of striking cases, where exorbitant figures were also paid to wear a special plate.

One of the oldest examples that can be remembered is from 2006, when Mike McCoomb paid 373,000 euros for the “M1” license plate.

According to the buyer, he wanted a license to give to his six-year-old son, despite the fact that he would not be able to drive for many years.

Another example is that of Nabil Bishara, a Lebanese businessman living in London, who paid €398,000 for the “1D” patent. The goal was to give him a Rolls-Royce for his wife.

Another well-known case is that of Afzal Khan, founder of the Kahn Design company, who in 2008 acquired the “F1” license plate for 498,000 euros. He installed it in a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. A decade later, Khan put this license plate up for sale with a base price of 13.7 million euros, but it failed to sell.

In the United Kingdom, another country where patents can be personalized, the Saeed Abdul Ghaffar Khouri (whom we mentioned earlier as the former record holder) paid 9.5 million euros to have the “1” on his Rolls Royce.

Cabals and superstitions also come into play when choosing personalized plates, such as Indian millionaire Balwinder Sahhni, who in 2016 paid AED 33 million, or about 6.6 million euros, for the “5 D” license plate .

Explaining his reasons, Shai said at the time that he bid for the license plate because his lucky number is nine and D is the fourth letter of the alphabet, so five plus four equals nine. . Billionaire stuff.