Question 1

What is a heritage number plate?

Accepted Answer

A heritage number plate is a Victorian license plate that has been in continuous registration since its original issue. Unlike custom plates that can be newly created, heritage plates are finite in number—making them highly collectible. Their value comes from historical significance, low digit counts, and recognizable patterns like palindromes or sequential numbers.

Question 2

What is PlateIndex?

Accepted Answer

PlateIndex is a market intelligence platform for Victorian heritage license plates. We aggregate historical sale data from auctions and verified brokers to help collectors make informed buying and selling decisions.

Question 3

Is PlateIndex affiliated with VicRoads?

Accepted Answer

No, PlateIndex is an independent platform. We are not affiliated with VicRoads or any government agency. We aggregate publicly available auction data to provide market insights.

Question 4

How accurate is your data?

Accepted Answer

Our data primarily comes from verified auction results, which are the most reliable source of market prices. We show confidence levels (High/Medium/Low) on every result so you can assess data quality. Private sale data is underrepresented as these transactions are not publicly reported.

Question 5

Can I buy or sell plates through PlateIndex?

Accepted Answer

No, we are a data and analytics platform only. We do not facilitate transactions. For buying or selling, we recommend verified auction houses or licensed plate brokers.

Question 6

What makes a number plate valuable?

Accepted Answer

A number plate's value is determined by four key factors: digit count (fewer digits means rarer), pattern type (palindromes, sequentials, repdigits), cultural significance (8s symbolize prosperity in Chinese culture), and market demand. Single-digit plates are the rarest category, with plate "1" being the most valuable heritage plate in Australia.

Question 7

What is a palindrome plate?

Accepted Answer

A palindrome plate is a heritage plate with a number that reads the same forwards and backwards, such as 121, 12321, or 456654. Collectors prize palindromes for their perfect mathematical symmetry and visual harmony. They consistently rank among the most sought-after patterns in the Australian heritage plate market.

Question 8

What is a lucky 8 plate?

Accepted Answer

A lucky 8 plate contains one or more 8s, which are considered extremely auspicious in Chinese culture. The number 8 sounds like the Cantonese word for "prosperity" or "wealth." Plates like 888 and 8888 command significant premiums—often 2-3 times their non-8 equivalents—due to strong demand from Asian collectors.

Question 9

What is a low number plate?

Accepted Answer

A low number plate has only one or two digits (1-99). These are the rarest heritage plates because they were among the first ever issued in Victoria over a century ago. Single-digit plates (1-9) can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction, making them highly prized collector items.

Question 10

Where does your price data come from?

Accepted Answer

We aggregate data from major Australian auction houses (Shannons, Pickles, LLSM, Collecting Cars), verified plate brokers, and some private sale reports. Auction data is prioritized as it represents transparent, market-tested prices.

Question 11

Why do you use median price instead of average?

Accepted Answer

Median price better represents the "typical" sale because it is resistant to outliers. If 5 plates sell for $10k, $12k, $15k, $18k, and $200k, the median is $15k (the middle value), while the average would be $51k - skewed by the one high sale.

Question 12

What do the confidence levels mean?

Accepted Answer

High Confidence: 20+ sales with 80%+ from verified auctions. Medium Confidence: 10+ sales with 50%+ from auctions. Low Confidence: Fewer than 10 sales or limited auction data. We recommend treating low-confidence data as indicative only.

Question 13

How often is data updated?

Accepted Answer

New sales are typically added within 24-48 hours of auction completion. Price recalculations run nightly, and market trends are updated weekly. The freshness indicator shows exactly when each data point was last updated.

Question 14

Why can't I find data for some plates?

Accepted Answer

If a plate has never sold at public auction or through a verified broker, we won't have data for it. Very rare plates (especially single digits) may have no recorded sales. We can only show what has actually transacted.

Question 15

Do prices include buyer's premium?

Accepted Answer

Where possible, we normalize prices to include buyer's premium (typically 15-25% at auctions). However, not all sources report this consistently. When viewing individual sales, check the source for details.

Question 16

How is the rarity score calculated?

Accepted Answer

The rarity score (0-100) considers: pattern types (35%), digit count (25%), number value (20%), and market activity (20%). Higher scores indicate rarer, more collectible plates. The algorithm is continuously refined based on market data.

Question 17

What's the difference between patterns and letter-form?

Accepted Answer

Patterns describe what makes a plate collectible (palindrome, lucky 8s, etc.). Letter-form notation abstracts the structure: 121 becomes ABA, showing the symmetry pattern regardless of specific digits. This helps identify pattern families.

Question 18

How do I search for a plate?

Accepted Answer

Enter any plate number in the search bar on the homepage. You can search exact numbers (888), use wildcards (*88* to find any plate containing 88), or browse by pattern type.

Question 19

What are wildcard searches?

Accepted Answer

Use * to match any digits. For example: *888* finds plates containing 888, 1*1 finds palindromes starting and ending with 1, and 123* finds all plates starting with 123.

Question 20

Can I save plates to track later?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Pro subscribers can save plates to a watchlist and receive alerts when new sales data becomes available for those plates.

Question 21

How do comparable plates work?

Accepted Answer

Comparables are plates with similar characteristics selected by our algorithm. It considers pattern type, digit count, price range, and sale recency. Minimum 5 comparables are needed for reliable analysis.

Question 22

Can I export data?

Accepted Answer

Pro subscribers can export search results and plate reports as PDF documents for offline reference or sharing.

Question 23

What do the market trend percentages mean?

Accepted Answer

Market trends show the percentage change in median prices over different periods. +12% (6m) means median prices are 12% higher than 6 months ago. Negative values indicate price declines.

Question 24

What's included in the free tier?

Accepted Answer

Free users get 5 searches per day with access to basic plate information, historical prices, pattern identification, and market trends. Advanced features like unlimited searches, PDF exports, and watchlists require Pro.

Question 25

What's included in Pro?

Accepted Answer

Pro subscription includes: unlimited searches, advanced analytics, PDF exports, pattern alerts, watchlist functionality, priority support, and early access to new features. See our pricing page for current rates.

Question 26

How do I upgrade to Pro?

Accepted Answer

Click "Upgrade" in the navigation or visit the pricing page. We use Stripe for secure payment processing. You can subscribe monthly or annually (with a discount).

Question 27

Can I cancel my subscription?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can cancel anytime from your account settings. Your Pro access continues until the end of your billing period. No refunds are provided for partial periods.

Question 28

Do you offer refunds?

Accepted Answer

Refunds are not provided for subscription payments. You can cancel anytime and your Pro access will continue until the end of your current billing period.

Question 29

What browsers do you support?

Accepted Answer

PlateIndex works on all modern browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. We recommend keeping your browser updated for the best experience.

Question 30

Is there a mobile app?

Accepted Answer

Our website is fully responsive and works great on mobile devices. You can search plates, view analytics, and manage your account from any phone or tablet.

Question 31

How is my data protected?

Accepted Answer

We use industry-standard security: HTTPS everywhere, encrypted databases, and Stripe for payment processing (we never see your card number). See our Privacy Policy for full details.

Question 32

I found an error in your data. How do I report it?

Accepted Answer

We appreciate corrections! Email contact@plateindex.com with the plate number, the error you found, and the correct information if known. We investigate all reports.

Question 33

Do you have an API?

Accepted Answer

Not at this time. If you're interested in data integrations or API access, contact us at contact@plateindex.com and we'll let you know when it becomes available.

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