A brawl kicked off at a Chinese auction house last month over a car number plate, leading to multiple arrests.

The licence plate in question, ED999, is considered particularly desirable as the number nine symbolises eternity.

Things turn nasty over 'ED999'

Bidding reached as high as $150,000 before the rival bidders (two local families, the Jins and the Dongs) went at each other with chairs, reports France 24. The auction house refused to part with the item following the fight.

The world's most expensive number plate is registered in Dubai and cost a reported £7m ($10.5m). It reads simply "1".

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