Number Plate Auction Results: NSW '136' Sells for $411,000 — The Plate Ledger, Week of 10 July 2026

Every price in this report is the all-in figure — hammer price plus buyer's premium — because that's what the plate actually cost. Hammer-only numbers understate the market.

The week belonged to New South Wales. Three heritage numerics crossed the block at Trading Garage on 10 July, headlined by the three-digit '136' at $411,000 all-in — the strongest single result we've tracked since the QLD 'Q57' sale a fortnight ago. Victoria's contribution was quieter but instructive: two heritage-adjacent lots at Trading Garage and one six-digit numeric at Plater, all landing in the accessible end of the market.

Week total across both houses: $811,752 all-in from six sold lots.

Trading Garage — 7 & 10 July

Trading Garage charges an 8.8% buyer's premium, capped at $16,000 (a $1,000 minimum premium applies to signature plates; none featured this week). Both three-digit NSW results cleared the cap ceiling — the premium was capped at $16,000 flat on each.

The spread inside the NSW trio tells the story of digit-count pricing better than any theory: '136' (three digits) at $411,000, '478' (three digits) at $271,000, '13331' (five digits) at $93,024. Same state, same format family, same auction day — and a 4.4× gap between the dearest three-digit and the five-digit. Within the three-digit pair, the sub-200 combination commanded a ~52% premium over the 400-series plate. Lower and earlier still rules.

The Victorian results sit at the other end of the ladder. '168.101' — a six-digit heritage combination — landed at $17,408 all-in, and the repeating numeric '981.981' at just $2,013. For anyone watching the VIC market as an entry point, six-digit combinations remain the accessible tier, with repeaters and patterns the usual value plays.

Plater — Week Ending 10 July

Plater runs a 7.5% buyer's premium inclusive of GST, capped at $15,000.

'254.444' — a triple-four tail — made $17,308 all-in, sitting almost exactly on top of Trading Garage's '168.101' heritage result. Two different houses, two different lot styles, one price point: the mid-teens (all-in) is currently where quality six-digit VIC combinations are clearing.

The Week's Read

Three takeaways from the ledger:

1. The BP cap matters at the top. Both six-figure NSW results paid the same $16,000 premium as a hypothetical $181,818 hammer would — above that hammer level, Trading Garage's cap makes each marginal dollar premium-free. Buyers hunting big plates should price this in; hammer-to-hammer comparisons across houses with different caps mislead.
2. NSW three-digit heat is real. Two results at $271,000+ in a single session is not a quiet market. If this tier keeps clearing at these levels, the five-digit and four-digit tiers historically follow.
3. VIC six-digit value zone: $2,000–$17,500 all-in. Three independent results this week bracketed the range — from a $2,013 repeater to matching ~$17,300–$17,400 results across two houses. That's the current cost of getting on the ladder.

Displaying a Plate Like It Cost What It Cost

A five- or six-figure plate deserves better than the hardware it shipped with. FLX brackets, frames and surrounds are CNC-lasered from aluminium and sized to the plate — heritage combinations organised by digit count, so the mount matches the metal:

• VIC Heritage Brackets & Number Plate Frames ›
• VIC Signature Conversion Kits ›
• VIC Slimline ›
• Screws & Spacers to Finish the Job ›

The Plate Ledger runs every Saturday, tracking verified Australian number plate auction results with buyer's premium included. All prices in AUD.

Prices are all-in: hammer plus buyer's premium as published by each house at the time of sale. Trading Garage: 8.8% capped at $16,000 ($1,000 minimum on signature plates). Plater: 7.5% inclusive of GST, capped at $15,000. Passed-in lots are excluded from sale totals and listed separately when reported.