Record price for number plate

A NUMBER plate has been sold for a new Queensland record price of $110,000 at a Brisbane auction last night.

The seven-letter plate BENTLEY went to an unidentified phone bidder at the Brisbane International Motor Show, surpassing the $100,000 paid by Queensland businessman Steve Akerie in 1985 for the plate Q1.

The Q1 plate is now believed to be worth $1 million-plus.

The auction of collectable plates attracted a crowd of 1000.

Another plate, Q21, sold for $97,500 to another unidentified bidder, while the collectible plate MAROONS sold for $15,000 and CRICKET went for $5000.

All profits went to the Queensland Road Safety Fund.

Transport Minister Paul Lucas last night accepted a cheque for $11.3 million collected from the past year's personalised number plate sales.

The Brisbane International Motor Show is running until Sunday.
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