At an online license plate auction held this morning (December 1), motorbike plate 99AA-999.99 from Bac Ninh province officially closed at a staggering 2.66 billion VND (approximately 109,000 USD) - one of the highest prices ever recorded for a motorbike plate in Vietnam.

The auction, hosted at 11:00 a.m. by the Vietnam Auction Partnership Company, featured the ultra-VIP “five nines” plate, which drew intense competition from collectors. After 25 minutes of official bidding and 10 rounds of extensions, the plate was sold for exactly 2,660,500,000 VND.

Belonging to the rare "ngũ quý 9" group - five repeating nines - this plate is viewed by enthusiasts as a symbol of eternal luck, prosperity, and status. The fact that it begins with "99," the provincial code for Bac Ninh, makes it especially rare, essentially forming a full sequence of nines.

This rarity sparked an aggressive bidding war, with the price jumping from several hundred million VND to over 1 billion in just minutes. In the final moments, two bidders exchanged offers in rapid succession before one sealed the win with a 2.66 billion VND bid.

Collectors say that combinations like “999.99” are highly sought-after not just for their symbolism, but also for their long-term value. A plate like this - especially when paired with a high-end motorbike - can be considered a high-value asset.

The result quickly stirred conversation in Vietnam’s license plate collector community. Many were surprised by the final price, calling it a bold move and evidence that the luxury license plate market is heating up. Still, some questioned whether the price had been driven too high, raising concerns about possible bid withdrawal.

Notably, earlier this year on April 9, another “five nines” plate - 50AA-999.99 from Ho Chi Minh City - also fetched a record bid of 2.68 billion VND. However, the winning bidder later backed out, and the plate remains unsold, awaiting a new auction round.

Hoang Hiep