Vanity Plate '1' Goes for $14M in Abu Dhabi
02-17-2008, 12:47 AM
#1
Vanity Plate '1' Goes for $14M in Abu Dhabi
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Vanity Plate Reading '1' Goes for $14M in Abu Dhabi
Saturday, February 16, 2008
A license plate with nothing but the number "1" on it went for a record $14 million at a charity auction Saturday.
Saeed Khouri, a member of a wealthy Abu Dhabi family, wouldn't say how many automobiles he owned or which of them might carry the record-breaking single-digit plate.
"I bought it because it's the best number," said Khouri, whose family made its fortune in real estate. "I bought it because I want to be the best in the world."
The oil-rich UAE began auctioning off vanity license plates last May.
Ordinary automobile license plates issued to drivers here — and even most other vanity series plates — carry both Arabic and Western numerals and script, defining the issuing city and country.
Khouri's plate, however, has only the Western numeral and no letters.
The record sale surpassed the $6.8 million that was paid for an Emirati license plate at an earlier auction with the Western number 5 on it — also without Arabic numerals or letters.
Proceeds from the auctions, which are held in a lavish hotel here, go to a rehabilitation center for victims of traffic accidents.
On Saturday, 90 license plates were auctioned off in all, raising a total of $24 million. The previous five such events raised more than $50 million.
Vanity Plate Reading '1' Goes for $14M in Abu Dhabi
Saturday, February 16, 2008
A license plate with nothing but the number "1" on it went for a record $14 million at a charity auction Saturday.
Saeed Khouri, a member of a wealthy Abu Dhabi family, wouldn't say how many automobiles he owned or which of them might carry the record-breaking single-digit plate.
"I bought it because it's the best number," said Khouri, whose family made its fortune in real estate. "I bought it because I want to be the best in the world."
The oil-rich UAE began auctioning off vanity license plates last May.
Ordinary automobile license plates issued to drivers here — and even most other vanity series plates — carry both Arabic and Western numerals and script, defining the issuing city and country.
Khouri's plate, however, has only the Western numeral and no letters.
The record sale surpassed the $6.8 million that was paid for an Emirati license plate at an earlier auction with the Western number 5 on it — also without Arabic numerals or letters.
Proceeds from the auctions, which are held in a lavish hotel here, go to a rehabilitation center for victims of traffic accidents.
On Saturday, 90 license plates were auctioned off in all, raising a total of $24 million. The previous five such events raised more than $50 million.
02-17-2008, 08:43 AM
#5
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When I lived in LA I kept my NY plates for 3 years.....at $80 for 2 years. That was for a mercedes, porsche, an land rover. NY does not issue plates based on dollar value....one of the few good deals left in NY.
02-17-2008, 11:32 AM
#7
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Arabic numerals, known formally as Hindu-Arabic numerals, and also as Indian numerals, Hindu numerals, Western Arabic numerals, European numerals, or Western numerals, are the most common symbolic representation of numbers around the world. They are considered an important milestone in the development of mathematics.
One may distinguish between the decimal system involved, also known as the Hindu-Arabic numeral system, and the precise glyphs used. The glyphs most commonly used in conjunction with the Latin alphabet since Early Modern times are 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9.
The numerals arose in India between 400 BC and 400 AD.[1][2] They were transmitted first to West Asia, where they find mention in the 9th century, and eventually to Europe in the 10th century.[1] Since knowledge of the numerals reached Europe through the work of Arab mathematicians and astronomers, the numerals came to be called "Arabic numerals."[2] In Arabic language itself, the Eastern Arabic numerals are called "Indian numerals," أرقام هندية, (arqam hindiyyah) and a different set of symbols are used as numerals.
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02-17-2008, 03:59 PM
#8
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Leave it to Fox News to get this wrong...Arabic Numerals are also known as Western Numerals but they're the same thing!
Arabic numerals, known formally as Hindu-Arabic numerals, and also as Indian numerals, Hindu numerals, Western Arabic numerals, European numerals, or Western numerals, are the most common symbolic representation of numbers around the world. They are considered an important milestone in the development of mathematics.
One may distinguish between the decimal system involved, also known as the Hindu-Arabic numeral system, and the precise glyphs used. The glyphs most commonly used in conjunction with the Latin alphabet since Early Modern times are 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9.
The numerals arose in India between 400 BC and 400 AD.[1][2] They were transmitted first to West Asia, where they find mention in the 9th century, and eventually to Europe in the 10th century.[1] Since knowledge of the numerals reached Europe through the work of Arab mathematicians and astronomers, the numerals came to be called "Arabic numerals."[2] In Arabic language itself, the Eastern Arabic numerals are called "Indian numerals," أرقام هندية, (arqam hindiyyah) and a different set of symbols are used as numerals.
Arabic numerals, known formally as Hindu-Arabic numerals, and also as Indian numerals, Hindu numerals, Western Arabic numerals, European numerals, or Western numerals, are the most common symbolic representation of numbers around the world. They are considered an important milestone in the development of mathematics.
One may distinguish between the decimal system involved, also known as the Hindu-Arabic numeral system, and the precise glyphs used. The glyphs most commonly used in conjunction with the Latin alphabet since Early Modern times are 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9.
The numerals arose in India between 400 BC and 400 AD.[1][2] They were transmitted first to West Asia, where they find mention in the 9th century, and eventually to Europe in the 10th century.[1] Since knowledge of the numerals reached Europe through the work of Arab mathematicians and astronomers, the numerals came to be called "Arabic numerals."[2] In Arabic language itself, the Eastern Arabic numerals are called "Indian numerals," أرقام هندية, (arqam hindiyyah) and a different set of symbols are used as numerals.
On this one I am with Fox news until someone shows me a more easily understandable way to distinguish between "arabic" numerals and whatever they use in the UAE.
02-17-2008, 04:34 PM
#9
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I assume Fox meant the numerals that you see in the middle east than look like something Aladin used to write and the western numerals we are used to seeing.
02-17-2008, 04:38 PM
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02-17-2008, 11:14 PM
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So how to you call the numerals they use in the Arab countries, then? Because they sure as hell don't look like the "arabic" numerals I am used to.
On this one I am with Fox news until someone shows me a more easily understandable way to distinguish between "arabic" numerals and whatever they use in the UAE.
On this one I am with Fox news until someone shows me a more easily understandable way to distinguish between "arabic" numerals and whatever they use in the UAE.
The guy who previously bought "5" and "7" could not get the "1". It's one of his relatives who did...
02-18-2008, 12:28 AM
#12
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Bah, ok I didn't read it well. Yes, in UAE they use Eastern Arabic numerals. But I don't think Fox News audience is going to bother figuring that out. Western vs. Arab is much easier to grasp.
Saying Hindu-Arabic numerals vs. Eastern Arabic numerals will confuse the crap out of almost anyone. And until 5 minutes ago I would have been just as confused. But I am nerd armed with Wikipedia.
Back to the topic
Spending huge sums of money to be meaninglessly unique. That's the UAE way.
I got a 911 on my plate and it cost me nothing. The guy at the DMV office was nice to me and looked through the pile of available plates and found one. I didn't even ask him and he thought it would be neat and he liked my car. Even if there are no vanity plates in Quebec you can still often pick the digits. The Porsche dealers always have good access to 911, 996, 997, 986 plates. Nobody pays anything for that.
Saying Hindu-Arabic numerals vs. Eastern Arabic numerals will confuse the crap out of almost anyone. And until 5 minutes ago I would have been just as confused. But I am nerd armed with Wikipedia.
Back to the topic
Originally Posted by Arab dude with more money than brains
"I bought it because it's the best number," said Khouri, whose family made its fortune in real estate. "I bought it because I want to be the best in the world."
I got a 911 on my plate and it cost me nothing. The guy at the DMV office was nice to me and looked through the pile of available plates and found one. I didn't even ask him and he thought it would be neat and he liked my car. Even if there are no vanity plates in Quebec you can still often pick the digits. The Porsche dealers always have good access to 911, 996, 997, 986 plates. Nobody pays anything for that.
