of the financial crisis. After number nine reeled in an incredible Dh10m, plate number 19 fetched Dh3.35m. Number 77 came in at a close third with Dh3.3m, while the cheapest plate, 6444, went for a mere Dh50,000. By the end of the night, every one of the 81 lots were sold off for a total of Dh30m.

In association with Abu Dhabi Police, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and Emirates Palace, these numbers were the latest batch released by the Government, with the proceeds going towards the building of the Middle East's first rehabilitation centre for victims of car accidents. Of course, in the UAE, the wheeling and dealing of licence plates is hardly a new attraction. Since May 2007, Emirates Auction has held 22 sales in Abu Dhabi, whilein Dubai the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has hosted 66 gatherings for its "distinguished number plates". In February 2008, the phenomenon attracted international interest when Saeed Kouri famously bought number one for a record US$14m (Dh51.4m), commenting that he purchased the plate "because I want to be the best in the world".

Indeed, more than anywhere else in the world, the number on the back of your car matters, indicating hierarchy, status and wealth. But the strange and high-flying world of UAE licence plates has evolved in recent years. Mr Ahli has no intention of installing this recent acquisition on the back of a Lamborghini. Instead, he and a team of three other investors are serious players in one of the more unusual commodity markets in the world.

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