The Alternative Investment

As you may have read in our free magazine, the last few weeks and months have seen some very impressive number plate sales. Visitors to our website may have seen our video coverage of the auctions of 1 HRH and 1 O, which sold for £113,815 and £210,242 respectively. However, even those fine performers were upstaged by 1 RH, which hogged the limelight at £247,952.

Partly inspired by the growing number of spectacular prices that have hit the headlines in recent years, more and more purchasers seem to be selecting their car registration purchases with a speculative eye. For some buyers future profit is becoming as important, or more important, a consideration than immediate amusement or enjoyment.

Business people and entrepreneurs have joined the celebrity ranks thanks to TV programmes such as Dragons’ Den and The Apprentice, and it is striking how many of these successful and astute individuals are private plate owners.

None of these people are well known for wasting money or exercising poor judgment when it comes to investment. Sir Alan Sugar is another famous and successful private registration owner. His AMS 1 plate featured conspicuously in the opening credits of The Apprentice.

Some examples of return on investment *
Registration	Date 1	Price	Date 2	Price	Increase
MAC 4W	Oct-08	£810	Nov-08	£4,250	425%
1 DYK	Aug-98	£2,800	Dec-08	£11,900	325%
BUL 8S	Jun-06	£2,100	Feb-08	£8,340	297%
WAG 574F	Apr-07	£1,100	Nov-08	£3,530	221%
2 ROY	Jul-95	£3,400	Nov-08	£9,000	165%
VIP 1	Jun-04	£62,000	Jan-06	£200,000	135%
GRA 5S	Mar-04	£7,600	Dec-08	£17,380	129%
2 SER	Jun-08	£2,100	Dec-08	£4,020	91%
MDF 1	Aug-06	£10,600	Nov-08	£20,000	89%
*Some prices may have been subject to fees and/or taxes

Better than money in the bank?

The new owner of S 1 obviously thinks so and says “I believe that number plates are a good investment, even at this price.”

This historic registration was sold on 19th September 2008 at Bonhams in Chichester for an auction record price of £404,000.

Although his own interest is casual, and something separate from his business concerns, James does recognise that there is a potential investment angle in personal car registrations.

“If you look back over the last ten years, the value of number plates has gone up quite a lot. You know, there’s only one of each plate, and I also think that’s the fun thing about it. If I wanted JC 1, I’d be the only person in the country who had got it.”

James Caan

It takes knowledge of the marketplace to get the most out of buying and selling number plates. There are many factors that can influence the value of a registration number, including:

Popularity of names and initials

• The potential demand for registrations suitable for John Smith is significantly larger than the potential demand for numbers suitable for Winston Aardvaark. Prices reflect the difference in scale of the potential market.

Scarcity, exclusivity and quality

• The large sums paid for ‘number 1’ plates such as F 1, 1 RH, 1 HRH and 1 O reflect the relative scarcity of such registrations. Not only is the number of these plates limited, but owners are often reluctant to part with them.

Visual effectiveness

• The more closely a registration number resembles a name or word, the more desirable it is and, consequently, the more valuable. For many words and names there are several possible ways to represent them on a car registration. The best approximation will be the most valuable.
• There are many more aspects to consider.
• It can take a lot of time and study to get a good grasp of how number plates are valued.
• While some people enjoy the exercise, in the same way as some study the stock markets and others follow racing form, for most the guidance of a specialist, professional company is preferable.
• No number plates company can predict or guarantee the future performance of a car registration’s value, but Regtransfers.co.uk can provide information that may help the buyer to make an informed decision.

Regtransfers, established 1982, is the UK's leading independent private registrations dealer, employing almost 100 people at its Bedfordshire head office. Regtransfers is also the UK's most comprehensive single source of information on the subject of UK car registrations and number plates, and acts as regular consultant to the media.

The company's long history and the unrivalled experience of its professional staff means that Regtransfers has an understanding of the investment potential of high-quality car registrations that is second to none. Chris Dixon, our Customer Relations Manager, has 12 years experience in the car registrations industry - specifically in assessing the value, and potential future investment performance, of private number plates. Customers wishing to explore the investment possibilities, or who may like to assemble a portfolio of high-potential registrations, should contact Chris who will give their requirements his personal attention.

When it comes to selling registrations, Regtransfers offers an unbeatable shop window with broad media exposure. Numbers are advertised in the country's top newspapers and magazines as well as on our own searchable website which receives over 3 million page views per month.

Venture capitalist Spencer Day was the successful bidder of 3 S in January 2009.

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."
(3 S sold for £94,000)

"I’d consider buying more, but the price would have to be right. I’ve made a bit of money on them."

"It’s the easiest thing in the world to sell and buy a number plate through Regtransfers."

Duncan Bannatyne

"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," says the new owner who purchased the plate at auction in January 2009.
(1 HRH sold for £113,815)