Heritage plates are handmade, using age-old techniques from last century.
Being genuine replicas of Victoria’s first ever number plates issued in the 1930s, it’s unsurprising heritage plates have been historically popular.
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So popular, in fact, they’ve garnered up a whopping $375,000 on average at auction.
That was for three-digit plate varieties last year. Four-digit and five-digit varieties averaged a little lower at $196,000 and $158,000 respectively, but that was still a hefty jump from the $135,000, $73,000 and $45,000 averages for the three varieties just three years earlier.
VicRoads has now announced that six-digit heritage plates will return this month for a limited release.
Six-digit heritage plates have been available in the past on the VicRoads Custom Plates website; however due to overwhelming demand, VicRoads paused their availability just three days after the July 2023 release.
The plates are handmade with attention to detail, using age-old techniques of the last century, so each plate is distinct.
Heritage plates have fetched hundreds of thousands of dollars at auctions, with average prices more than doubling in three years.
The plates are also issued in the original number series from the 1930s, limiting the total number that can ever be produced.
The growing enthusiasm for heritage plates is obvious, given the increases in auction prices in just a short time.
“The value a heritage number plate has to a customer can be influenced by several factors, including rarity,” VicRoads chief executive Giles Thompson said.
“Low digits, unique character combinations, repeating numbers, mirrored sequences, and alternating patterns are always in high demand.
“Beyond the visual style, there is also the value that lies in the personal significance they hold for the owner, whether it’s a birthday, anniversary, or some other milestone.”
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