“EL0NMUSK” sold for the equivalent of $1,405 at a Hong Kong government auction.
The namesake of the headline-grabbing tech titan is one of a number of selected vehicle license plates, including “BAD G1RL,” “LATTE,” and “SHADYB1Z,” that went under the hammer at the end of January. The highest bidder in the auction was “1 HH,” who paid 115,000 Hong Kong dollars ($14,684).
It’s a competitive market. Residents of Hong Kong have been known to pay millions of dollars for a coveted plate. In 2008, the number “18,” which is considered a lucky number in Cantonese, sold for $16.5 million Hong Kong dollars ($2.1 million). “28” sold for $18.1 million Hong Kong dollars ($2.3 million) eight years later.
However, in March 2021, a bidder paid 26 million Hong Kong dollars ($3.3 million) for a plate with a single letter: “W.”
According to a Transportation Department spokesperson, all revenue from the regular auctions of personalized vehicle plates goes directly to the Hong Kong government’s Treasury.