- Haryana sold VIP plate HR88B8888 for Rs 1.17 crore, a national record price
- The auction attracted 45 bidders, starting at Rs 50,000 and ending at Rs 1.17 crore
- HR88B8888 features eight numerals and letter B, making it visually unique and special
Haryana made headlines on Wednesday when a coveted VIP registration number was sold for Rs 1.17 crore in an online auction.
The plate HR88B8888 set a national record as India's costliest registration number after spirited bidding ended at 5 p.m. on the government's Fancy Number portal. As many as 45 bidders took part in the digital auction, NDTV reported.
Starting at just Rs 50,000, the bidding war escalated sharply throughout the day. As the clock struck noon, bidders had already pushed the amount to Rs 88 lakh, before the final hammer fell at Rs 1.17 crore at 5 p.m. This follows the auction of the registration number HR22W2222 for Rs 37.91 lakh last week, according to the NDTV report.
Why HR88B8888 Is Special
The registration HR88B8888 stands out as a VIP number bought through a premium bidding process. The plate's uniqueness comes from the fact that the 'B' looks like an eight, making the combination visually dominated by eight.
HR: Haryana's state code.
88: Code for Regional Transport Office.
B: It indicates the vehicle series.
8888: It is a unique four-digit registration number.
Haryana holds weekly auctions for VIP and fancy vehicle registration numbers. The application window opens every Friday at 5 p.m. and closes on Monday at 9 a.m., with bidding continuing until Wednesday, when the results are declared at 5 p.m.
Earlier this year, Kerala-based tech entrepreneur Venu Gopalakrishnan acquired the exclusive registration plate “KL 07 DG 0007” for his high-end Lamborghini Urus Performante. The number plate fetched Rs 45.99 lakh in a fiercely contested auction that started from a modest Rs 25,000.
With its nod to the iconic James Bond identity, the '0007' registration elevates Gopalakrishnan's status in Kerala's high-end car scene, symbolising exclusivity and luxury.
The Times of India highlighted a surprising trend this September, showing that from January 2020 through July 2025, Chandigarh saw 12 single-digit VIP number plates sold at auctions with final prices dramatically surpassing the worth of the cars and scooters they adorned.
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