Personalised Number Plates

BUT 70N number plate for Formula One Champion

2009-10-23T10:58:00.005+01:00

Newly crowned Formula One World Champion returned home from Brazil this week to a special rendition of Queen’s We are the Champions. The song was played as Button entered the Brawn's Brackley headquarters in Northamptonshire. Brawn decided on the song after hearing the champion perform it as he drove round Brazil's Sao Paulo circuit on Sunday. He joked that it was the reason he lost his voice for two days afterwards. Brawn, a phenomenal success in it’s first year, was created after Honda decided to quit the sport last year and Button thanked the 450 staff and paid tribute to the people who were made redundant by Honda. He said: "We've worked so hard for these achievements for so many years.”

There are articles reporting that the number plate F 1 might catch the eye of the racer. It’s a great registration but if Button wants to reward his success this year he could also consider BUT 70N. It would be both personal to him and prove to a good investment with over 4500 people named Button in the country. There isn’t a better representation of his name available!

Beatles' Abbey Road Number Plate

2009-08-21T15:21:00.002+01:00

The Beatles' Abbey Road album cover is one of the most iconic covers in the music industry. August 8th 2009 saw the 40th anniversary of when the picture for the album cover was taken. But has anyone ever noticed the Volkswagen Beetle in the background.

There's a little unknown story about the number plate on this Beetle.

Read more about the anniversary and about the plate.

New Number Plate Magazine Time!

2009-07-02T16:37:00.002+01:00

One reason the blog has been a bit on the quiet side is because we have been working very hard on our new magazine. And all the hard work has paid off because it is now here! Can you believe, this will actually be the 21st edition of Regtransfers.co.uk: The World of Personal Number Plates.

This issue features an interview with Chairman and co-owner of Birmingham City Football Club. David Gold is also Chairman of Gold Group International which incorporates Ann Summers, Gold Aviation, Knickerbox, Broglia Press, Greenwich House Properties and York Place.

There is also a feature on The British Forces Foundation's Lap of Honour campaign - a fund-raising event and a celebration for the British link between companies, eminent icons and serving personnel. The Mini with the registration GB08 BFF has been displayed in various locations before being auctioned off on the 3rd July at The Goodwood Festival of Speed. The car and number plate was sold for a fantastic £29,000 - £17,000 more than the estimated price.

The British Forces Foundation Mini with GB08 BFF plate.

As well as many other articles and news, there is also the chance to win bed and breakfast for two at the prestigious Ramside Hall Hotel and Golf Club.

Win Bed and Breakfast for two at Ramside Hall Hotel and Golf Club.

So why not get your FREE magazine now!

Has it been that long?!

2009-07-02T12:12:00.004+01:00

I can't believe my last post was in May! How time flies. Well I'll be doing my best to get back on this so keep a look out for updates!

Another Number Plate for Ronaldo?

2009-05-14T14:57:00.004+01:00

Another win last night for Manchester United means they are just one point away from winning the Premier League title. But even if they do, will their star winger still be with them next year? There are rumours that he is set to move in the summer to the Spanish giants, Real Madrid.

Some people have gone as far as to track down the owner of the number plate, CR 9. Why you may ask. Well, currently Ronaldo wears the number 7 at United but this is already taken by Spanish star Raul at Real Madrid. It has been suggested that Ronaldo has been promised the the number 9 shirt. It has been reported that Ronaldo's agent has already registered CR9 as a trademark in Portugal. Some time ago, it was reported that Ronaldo had purchased the registration CR 7 but this was in fact incorrect. Now it seems people think he may be interested in the registration CR 9 instead.

Clive Roberts, of Plas Vyrnwy, Llansanffraid however has different ideas. He says, "With the goals he is scoring for Manchester United I doubt he is going leave to go anywhere. Besides, I have had my number plate for more than 20 years and it is not for sale."

Thanks for fixing the blog James.

2009-05-07T10:43:00.002+01:00

Just a shout out to our techie, James for fixing our blog! I was gobsmacked to see him on Tuesday before 9am but well done to him for sorting out the blog problem.

And for all those who don't know James, here he is! He wanted a 'sexier' picture but he's happy with this. As he puts it, "I look a bit sales'ish, kinda cool but still sales'ish."

Well at least he thinks he looks cool!

Now we can get back to blogging about all things number plates again.

Test Test

2009-05-05T11:32:00.003+01:00

Hi,

I'm James and I am the technical guy that helps keep everything running nicely! And what a day so far...came in 25 minutes early by horribly misjudging the traffic and since then everything has been breaking on me! Including this blog. So If you're reading this, then I've finally fixed it! Yay, well done to me. Thanks!

Flags on number plates now legal

2009-04-30T14:29:00.004+01:00

At last, having a national flag on your number plate will no longer be illegal.
It has taken eight years but at last drivers can choose to display either the English, Scottish, Welsh or Union Jack flag on their plate. The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 has been amended so that as from Monday 27th April, the use of these symbols on number plates is permitted as well as the use of the European Union circle of stars and the letters 'GB' which was originally the only legal flag allowed.

In 2001, then Transport Minister John Spellar, assured drivers that such flags would be allowed and DVLA officials indicated it would made legislation within a month. They also said during this time, police would take a 'relaxed view' to alleged offenders. However, in 2005, lifeguard Neil Prendergast was fined £30 by Greater Manchester Police for having a Cross of St George sticker on the front number plate of his Opel Corsa. There have been many other reports of such fines and probably many more that have not been reported.

Well eight years later, they have done what they have said they would and we can all happily drive without being stopped and fined for having flags on our number plates. Hooray!

Islamabad's War On Number Plates

2009-04-24T16:49:00.024+01:00

A little while ago we had reports of problems with people in the UK displaying the Welsh flag on their number plate and there are always reports of people mis-spacing registrations. Then of course there are criminals with fake number plates. However, if this happened in Islamabad, you could face charges for terrorism. It was decided during a meeting chaired by Inspector General of Police that motorists with no number plates or displaying fake number plates will be booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Record Breaking Price for the Number Plate 1 D

2009-03-27T14:35:00.002Z

As was expected, the number plate with the highest ever reserve set an a DVLA auction sold had the auction room packed on Wednesday 25th March at Ardencote Manor Hotel and Country Club in Warwick. For some reason, the DVLA had organised the auction to be in a room that was too small for such an event and therefore many people were standing at the back of the room. With bids coming from the hall, the phones and online, the bidding soon reached £100,000 and increased just as quickly to the £200k mark. The excitement grew as the amount increased steadily and eventually the hammer came down at an incredible £285,000. The total cost of the plate which had a reserve of £20,000 (the highest ever set for such an auction), was £352,411 (including fees and taxes).

The successful bidder was Nabil Bishara, a Lebanese property developer who bought it as a birthday present for his wife. Well, it's certainly a unique present for a someone who may already have everything else. '1 D' is expected to go on her Bentley.

Video of '1 D' auction - Wed 25th Mar 2009

Number Plate Auction

2009-03-19T13:09:00.003Z

The second DVLA number plates auction of the 2009 will start next week on Wednesday 25th March at Ardencote Manor Hotel and Country Club in Claverdon, Warwick.

There will be 1600 registrations on offer. If you are a rugby fan you could try for RUG 13Y or if you're brave enough you could get B4 LLS. It's a bit late for Mother's Day but you could also surprise your mum with a belated present and buy B357 MUM.

However, the ultimate registration of the auction will be on day one when the number plate '1 D' is auctioned. This has already broken records by having the highest reserve ever for a DVLA auction. '1 O' was sold in January 2009 for the sum of £210,242 and '1 D' is expected to surpass this amount.

The plate '2 O' will also be auctioned in the second of the series of 'O' that will be auctioned throughout 2009.

The New Edition of The World of Personal Number Plates

2009-03-11T14:46:00.003Z

The first issue of 2009 of The World of Personal Number Plates is now available. This will in fact be the 20th issue of the Regtransfers magazine.

In these financially uncertain times, it is good to see that the number plates market is still healthy. This is reported in the magazine and in earlier blog posts.

This issue's exclusive interview is with Dragons' Den entrepreneur James Caan. In the article, James shares with us how he became one of Britain's most well-known and successful businessman and what he thinks about personalised registrations. If you want to find out more about James Caan, his autobiography, The Real Deal: My Story From Brick Lane To Dragons' Den is now available.

There is also a feature with Theo Paphitis's Maybach. Michael Brown, Theo's chauffeur, decided it would be a good idea to pull the Maybach a mile along the Mercedes-Benz World test track in Weybridge, Surrey. This wasn't just for the exercise - it was all in aid of Comic Relief's Red Nose Day.

There is also the usual mix of articles, news, letters, photos and listings - so why not get your copy now from Regtransfers. As always, the magazine is free to all!

Hong Kong Number Plate News

2009-03-03T09:11:00.002Z

It certainly has been a busy couple of weeks here at Regtransfers so apologies that I've not updated this for a while.

I didn't get a chance to blog that a number plate in Hong Kong sold for £150,000 just after the Chinese New Year. OK so that was a while ago but still worth noting.

It was at a Hong Kong auction on February 7th February 2009 that the number plate "2318" with a reserve of $52,000 HKD (approximately £4670) soared to $1.7 million HKD (£152,000). Why so much? Any self-respecting Chinese person knows the significance of numbers. The numbers "2318" when spoken sound like "yee sam yat baat" meaning "easy life and prosperity" in Cantonese. The bidding was between an unknown woman and Mr Liang Qiwei. The woman was the eventual winner of the registration.

Mr Liang, a former race horsing king, was not to be outdone and bought '3218' for $750,000 HKD (£67,000) and also 'MY8' at $440,000 HKD (£39,000). The number plates are gifts for his sons and even after spending the equivalent of £106,000, considers the purchase to be a bargain. He says, "I can easily pay $2 million HKD to $3 million HKD for a horse. So what I paid for the licence plate numbers is nothing in comparison.”

Isle of Man Car Number Plate Sells For £100,000

2009-02-16T10:58:00.002Z

On Friday 6th February, MN 1, a rare Manx number plate sold for £100,000 at an auction held at the Mount Murray Hotel and Country Club.

Isle of Man registrations started on 1st January 1906, following the introduction of the Highways Act Amendment Act 1905. At the time, they started with the letters 'MN' followed by up to four digits. In 1935, they started using the prefix MAN with up to four digits. It was in 1971 that unissued numbers from the original MN 1 to MN 9999 were issued. MN 1 was part of a collection which belonged to the late John Moore.

The price for MN 1 shocked everyone at the auction. The successful bidder has remained anonymous. This just goes to show how number plates are so resilient at a time of financial uncertainty.

Another successful number plate auction

2009-02-04T15:30:00.003Z

Last week saw another successful DVLA auction. It was one of the most publicised auctions and saw many camera crews and journalists covering the event. It seems at times when the financial world is in tatters, the investment interest in number plates just keeps growing.

The top 3 selling registrations were:

1 O - £210,242
1 HRH - £113,815
3 S - £94,035

Both 1 O and 1 HRH went to anonymous phone bidders. Apparently, 1 O attracted both national and international millionaires, one of whom arrived by helicopter. The new owner of 1 O wishes their identity to remain a secret.

The Berkshire-based businessman who bought 1 HRH said he had been "determined to keep it in British hands". He added, “In my mind, there aren’t many registrations that can better 1 HRH. While bought as an investment, it will be placed on one of my cars.”

Venture capitalist Spencer Day was the successful bidder of 3 S. Mr Day said, “There’s no better time than at present to invest money in personalised registrations. While I have no immediate plans to sell it, I am confident 3 S will give me a healthy return on my investment.”

Number plate 1 HRH sells for £113,815

2009-01-29T15:58:00.002Z

The star of today's DVLA auction held in Whittlebury Hall, Northamptonshire, 1 HRH sold for £113,815 to a telephone bidder.

The registration had extensive media coverage in the days leading up to the auction and the auction hall had almost as many media people as people attending the auction. Journalists and several TV crews, including one from the BBC and Channel Five's Fifth Gear, were there to document the event - as was I. The tension in the room was high as the bidding increased quickly. Jonny Smith from Fifth Gear even offered £500 at one point if one of the bidders increased his bid. However, the bidder in the room declined. A partership from Scotland had travelled down to bid for the number and had to return empty handy.

Now what I want to know, is who purchased the registration? Was it really someone from the Royal Family as was speculated in the papers? I don't think so but let me know if anyone has any leads.

1 O and 3 S will be sold tomorrow at the same auction. I'll keep you posted as to how much they go for.

Caught On Camera

2009-01-28T10:17:00.002Z

For quite a number of years David Tennant has been in the spotlight as a result of his well known acting role in the hit show Doctor Who. Mr. Tennant was photographed recently, leaving a Radio Times party in his car. Mr. Tennant had failed to realise that the tax on his vehicle expired on the 31st of December 2008, which left him driving illegally without road tax.

Thanks to a photographer, Mr. Tennant could now be facing a fine of up to £1000 if the photograph should stand up as evidence in court. I’m sure Mr. Tennant will be rushing to the tax office as soon as he can.

Mr. Tennant who is yet to comment on the photograph which has put him between a rock and a hard place told his replacement about how he is going to be in the media’s eye and he will be under the scrutiny of the public 24/7. He said, "everything that's about to unfold and the way that his life is going to change in so many ways...it's exciting."

Maybe if the number plate D12 WHO was on the car, it may have been a bigger photo opportunity and the photographer may not have noticed the tax disc at all.

DVLA Auctions 2009

2009-01-22T14:43:00.002Z

Following the amazing success of the DVLA's Personalised Registration auctions, there will be another six number plate auctions this year.

The dates are as follows :

January 28th, 29th, and 30th 2009 - Whittlebury Hall, Northamptonshire
March 25th, 26th, and 27th 2009 - Ardencourt Manor Hotel, Claverdon, Warwick
June 3rd, 4th, and 5th 2009 - Wychwood Park, Cheshire
August 5th, 6th, and 7th 2009 - RBS Williams F1 Centre, Wantage, Oxfordshire
October 7th, 8th, and 9th 2009 - Dormy House Hotel, Worcestershire
December 2nd, 3rd, and 4th 2009 - Tankersley Manor, Barnsley

It was at Barnsley in November 2008, that businessman Robert Harverson bid £247,653 for the registration 1 RH. The star of the first auction of the year at Whittlebury Hall will no doubt be the rare 1 O plate, which goes under the hammer on Friday 30th January. Many personalised registration experts consider 1 O as one of rarest plates available. The reserve for this has been set at £10,000. Previous plates that have had a £10,000 reserve include 1 OO and 51 NGH, which sold for £197,000 and £254,000 respectively. We'll let you know the outcome of this auction as soon as we have the details.

Incompetent Tax Heads Aggravate Grandmother

2009-01-16T11:42:00.001Z

A grandmother trying to take her ill grandson to hospital was stopped in her tracks by DVLA inspectors who had her car clamped over a taxation technicality.

Deborah Jones, aged 52 found her car clamped outside her daughters house while she was collecting her grandson Alfie for an important hospital appointment.

Her second hand BMW was bought in October and had a valid tax disk marked the January 31 2009. However, the previous owner’s cheque had bounced even though a tax disk had been issued. This therefore rendered the disk invalid, a fact that was unknown to Mrs Jones. "I bought it second-hand in October and, as far as I was concerned, it was taxed until the end of January. Mrs. Jones feels that this should have been pointed out to her when she sent the vehicle exchange forms to the DVLA.

However, the DVLA are standing their ground and claiming that Mrs. Jones is in the wrong. As far as they are concerned the car was untaxed and therefore not legally on the road. Although the matter has not been resolved in her favour of Mrs. Jones she remains adamant that she has done nothing wrong.

Does seem a little harsh, doesn't it?

Private Number Plates Still Selling Well!

2008-11-21T12:38:00.002Z

Credit crunches may come and go, but number plates remain as popular as ever.

Seriously, we don't want to make light of a situation that really does have people concerned, but the sale of 1 RH for £247,652 including tax and commission at an auction a few minutes ago really does cheer us up. The private number plates market remains healthy, which we would like to see as a sign that things may not be as bad as they're painted.

This significant sale continues the trend established by the sales of, among others, S 1 (£404,062), F 1 (£440,625) and 6 B (£130,000), all of which demonstrate the resilience of the private number plates market in the face of widespread financial uncertainty.

The sale of 1 RH eclipsed the performance of other lots which achieved prices that would otherwise have raised eyebrows in their own right. Amongst the respectable sales which, nevertheless, pale by comparison were CHR 151S (£13,974) and AYM 44N (£10,564).

1 RH was purchased by businessman Robert Harverson, formerly in the demolition industry, who now operates in the recruitment sector.

Number Plates For Halloween

2008-10-31T15:45:00.003Z

Before I head off for a spot of Trick or Treating (I've become so fond of free Haribo sweets and being handed the odd couple of quid that I've been unable to outgrow the Halloween tradition), I thought I'd better say hello to everyone and provide you with another riveting dose of number plates thoughts before you all head off to your weekend of apple-bobbing and watching of horror films. (Yes, I assume that I am not alone in my love for All Hallows' Eve.)

Anyway, with this in mind, I thought I'd see what kinds of 'scary' car registrations are out there. Well, I had a look and I'm sure you're dying to know what I found. Well, if you're into that sort of thing, how about displaying S34 NCE or T4 ROT on your car? Then, there's Roger Hayes who appeared in our very own magazine (new edition now available!) who displays LU51 FER on his car.

Surely somebody out there owns W17 CCH, W13 KED or SP08 KYS? Wouldn't it be mean to follow kids around while they're Trick or Treating with a plate like that? Or maybe it'd just be funny...

Right, I can see that darkness is creeping up on us outside, so I'm gona throw on my Monster mask and get out of here!

Will The National Flags Issue Ever Be Resolved?

2008-10-30T15:03:00.004Z

On Monday, the subject of my number plates discussion was the extremely topical issue of national flags on car registration plates. The gist of the blog was that, although the DVLA announced its intention to include the Scottish, English and Welsh flags in its official rules, this change still hasn't happened, 7 whole years later! As a result, motorists are continuing to get fined, even though the DVLA expressed that the flags were permitted. Oh, it's all so confusing!

Like many other frustrated souls out there, I am left flummoxed by this baffling issue. Why, if the intention was there, has this alteration remained unchanged? How can the Government justify 'turning a blind eye' to flags? It's ludicrous!

Well, it seems that the Government may finally be hearing our cries of frustration. With mounting pressure from the media and MPs in parliament, it seems the proposed plan to finally alter the regulations is in the pipeline. But for how long will it remain there? And, after being misled for so long with ambiguous rules by the DVLA and the Government, what course of action, if any, is available to motorists who've been fined?

Blimey, if the DVLA had just got its rules right the first time, it would have saved us all a whole lot of bother and grief. But there's no telling some people, is there?

Arizona Announces Fines For Illegal Plates

2008-10-29T16:22:00.003Z

Here in the UK, the rules regarding the display of number plates often get abused. I regularly see logos on number plates and crazy fonts that look like they've been designed by a drunkard who's just got off a roundabout. (Not a bad analogy there, I think. I've often found myself in the most unlikely of destinations while influenced by a few too many hits of the old vodka!)

Anyway, to get to my point. While some of us moan about possible fines and how strict the UK regulations are, it seems that other countries are beginning to tighten up on their rules too. Well, they are in the state of Arizona anyway. Over there, number plates frames are often put on to car registrations. Why? Well, drivers use them to display a certain message, or slogan. In some cases, it may show support for a particular sports team or charity.

Well, some citizens of Arizona are currently outraged at the announcement by the state's Department of Motor Vehicles that licence plate frames are more often than not obscuring registration numbers, as well as the 'Arizona' mark. As a result, come January '09, fines of around $130 will be issued to offending drivers. That's about 79 quid.

Well, I have to say that it's only sensible really. Drivers are being given a fair bit of time to make sure their registration numbers are clear, so I don't get what the fuss is about really. Safety on the roads is more important than showing that you support your local hockey team.

At least we don't need to worry about that sort of thing here in Britain. We know that it's far better to hunt down the perfect cherished number plate to display any messages we might have.

Americans Tell A Story With Number Plates

2008-10-28T14:28:00.003Z

Welcome to a particularly nippy Tuesday afternoon. I was most annoyed this morning when I had to rummage around all the random clutter in my utilility room, desperately trying to locate an old scraper to get rid of the ice on my windscreen. That's right, ice. Most unexpected, I must say. It wasn't a good start.

However, I'm pleased to bring some uplifting number plates news to you all today. That's right - the sun is always shining in my heart. I was reading about a woman in North Carolina today. She hit the headlines as she currently owns two private registrations (or 'vanity plates, I should say). Firstly, there's 'INMYLMNT', which is on her Honda Element. I like it! Her second plate is 'ZPADDODA' ('Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah') which, she says, reflects her car, a VW Bug. I think I prefer the first one. The second one takes a wee bit too much working out, I think. If I see a good plate on my travels, I want it to be striking, making me smile immediately. I don't want to spend the rest of my journey sporting a scrunched up, confused face as I try to fathom the meaning! That wouldn't do at all.

Anyway, the news story went on to say that personalised number plates are increasing in popularity, big time, in the USA. Over a million drivers in Virginia own private plates, with other states not being too far behind. Stefan Lonce, an American author who's written a book on the subject, said: "Behind every one of those plates is someone's story." What a charming way of putting it. I Like it. Similarly to the UK, there are some great plates out there. A Jewish grandmother was recently spotted with 'IMABUBBE', while a trained trapeze artist with a Ph.D owns 'DR FLYER'.

So, the number plates bug is continuing to spread world-wide. I'd love to find out the percentage of private plates owners in the UK. Right, that's going on my 'To Do' list! (I'm not going to carry out a survey myself, I hasten to add. I'm hoping someone else has already done the hard work...)

Anger Over Number Plates Fines

2008-10-27T12:35:00.004Z

On Friday, there was a bit of an anger-fuelled frenzy from motorists who read in the Daily Telegraph that, apart from the European Union flag, it is not legal to display national flag logos on car registration plates. The article went on to say that those who do display them face hefty fines, as well as a possible failed MOT.

Well, here at Regtransfers, we were confused. We've always been told by the DVLA that, although the rules have not yet been changed, other national flags are permitted. The Red Dragon, Scottish Saltire and Cross of St George may be displayed, even though they are currently not recognised in the DVLA's rules governing the display of number plates.

I'm sure you will not be surprised to hear that we felt it was our duty to look into this. After speaking directly to a spokesman for the DVLA, we were assured that our thoughts on the matter were indeed correct. However, the spokesman did go on to say that, although the DVLA advises police not to take legal action against the display of these number plates, it is, ultimately, up to the police to decide. As the current rules do not recognise the flags, police cannot be stopped from going strictly 'by the book'.

So, why haven't the rules been changed yet? It's been 7 years! I just don't understand why there has to be such a huge delay. The way things are at the moment, some drivers are able to drive around with no problem, while others are getting fined, simply because they happen to cross the path of a particularly miserly old police officer. Where's the justice in that?

Crikey, that's got me so wound up, I think I'm in need of a nice cup of tea to soothe me. And maybe I'll have some toast and jam while I'm at it. Oh, and perhaps a wee slice of cake. It's all go here you know, but I've got to get my energy from somewhere!