History

The Victorian Parliament enacts the Motor Car Act, introducing mandatory driver licensing and vehicle registration. This moment marks the beginning of formal motoring in Victoria and paves the way for the introduction of number plates.

Victoria commences vehicle registration. The earliest plates are basic: white numbers on a black background, with no “VIC” prefix or design embellishment.

• Plate 1 is never publicly issued — its fate remains part of early motoring folklore.
• Plates 2 to 6 are allocated to senior government officials.
• The first plates issued to private citizens — VIC 7, 8, and 9 — go to residents of Toorak, highlighting the prestige of early plate ownership even then.

With vehicle ownership growing rapidly, Victoria surpasses 200,000 registered vehicles by the early 1930s.

To distinguish Victorian plates from those of other states, the abbreviation “VIC” is formally introduced on the left side of the plate — a move that enhances clarity during increasing interstate travel.

By 1939, Victoria reaches plate number 285,000. To accommodate growing registrations, the system shifts to an alphanumeric format (e.g. ABC-123).

Crucially, the original numeric plates from 1 to 285,000 are frozen. These plates are never reissued, withdrawn, or replaced — instantly becoming a fixed and finite set, and later known as Heritage Plates.

Their rarity begins here.

Interest in early numeric plates grows among motoring enthusiasts and collectors. No longer just registration markers, these plates are recognised as cultural artefacts from Victoria’s motoring past.

The Transport Regulation Board (TRB) and later the Road Traffic Authority (RTA) take notice. Discussions begin around releasing dormant numbers back into the market — not as new registrations, but as collectible investments.

The RTA holds Victoria’s inaugural Heritage Plate Auction, offering dormant plates from the original numeric series, styled in enamel to resemble their historic predecessors.

• VIC 1 headlines the auction, selling for $165,000 — more than double the median house price in Melbourne at the time.
• VIC 9 sells for $31,000.
• The auction raises over $1 million, with proceeds supporting road safety initiatives.

This watershed event sparks a new collector culture and legitimises plates as both historic treasures and financial investments.

With the market now open, Heritage Plates begin passing into the hands of prominent collectors, families, and institutions:

• VIC 1 changes hands multiple times: from mechanic Garry Price, to car dealer Izzy Herzog, to businessman John Avram, and ultimately to Carlton & United Breweries.

Each transfer adds to the story and mystique of these plates, which are increasingly seen as generational symbols of success and distinction.

The plate VIC 47 sells for $322,000, establishing a new high watermark for numeric Heritage Plates at the time and reflecting their accelerating investment potential.

The sale of VIC 21 for $530,000 marks the growing recognition of two-digit plates as blue-chip collectibles, consistently outperforming traditional asset classes.

In a major milestone for the collector community, VicRoads formally appoints Heritage Only as an approved auction panel member to conduct the sale of Heritage number plates.

This recognition affirms Heritage Only’s commitment to preserving Victoria’s motoring legacy and offering a trusted platform for buyers and sellers of rare Heritage plates.

In 2024, VIC 24 sells at auction for $1.82 million.

This sale underscores the depth of market demand and the enduring appeal of low-digit Heritage plates among elite buyers and collectors.

Seven-figure sales have become a benchmark in this tightly held market.

Now recognised as one of Australia’s rarest and most prestigious collectibles, Heritage plates represent history you can own.

They are sought after not only for their rarity and beauty, but for the stories they carry and the status they command.

With only 285,000 ever issued, these plates remain a fixed and finite series.

At Heritage Only, we are proud to help preserve their legacy and pass them on to the next generation of custodians.