Record Breakers and High Fliers (Constantly Updated)

This article sets out some of the facts and figures for which we are most frequently asked.

On this page:

• First British/UK Registration Numbers Issued
• Most Expensive UK and World Car Number Plates (Table)

First British/UK Registration Numbers Issued

 

The Myth

It is commonly reported that the first vehicle registration issued in Britain was A 1. This, however, is not correct. While A 1 would have been the first registration issued by the London authority, other authorities did, in fact, begin issuing registration numbers before London did.

Many have assumed that chronology should tally with both alphabetical and numerical order. However, the fact is that the letter component of those early registrations identified the issuing authority, not the order of issue. It is ignorance of this that is to blame for the common, and erroneous, belief that A 1 was the first British car registration.*

The real story of A 1 is interesting, even though it wasn't actually the first ever number plate. In 1903, when London began issuing vehicle registrations on a first-come-first-served basis, Earl Russell sat up all night to ensure that he would be first in the queue for this historic number plate. Competition was fierce, and it is reported that Earl Russell beat his nearest rival by a matter of only a few seconds.

Noel Woodall, number plates expert and inventor of the term "autonumerology" to describe the study of the subject, detailed part of the history of A 1 in his "Car Numbers" series of books. In recent years, however, A 1 seems to have slipped "under the radar", and there is uncertainty regarding the registration's current whereabouts and status.

The Reality

Unfortunately, at this time, it is not possible to say with certainty which was the very first issued UK registration, but Regtransfers.co.uk continues to research the issue. This document will be updated as additional reliable information becomes available.

Highest Prices Paid for Car Registrations

The areas where private car registrations seem to command the most spectacular sums are the Middle East, South East Asia and the United Kingdom. The table below is regularly updated to provide as much information as possible at a glance.

The Most Expensive Number Plates

Rank	Registration	Country	Price in local currency	Price in GBP (£)	Sale Date	More Info
1	1	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 52.2 million	£7.25 million	Feb 2008	-
2	5	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 25.2 million	£3.5 million	?	-
3	7	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 11.4 million	£1.58 million	?	-
4	18	Hong Kong	HKD 16 million	£1.56 million	Feb 2008	-
5	12	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 8.95 million	£1.24 million	?	-
6	11	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 8 million	£1.1 million	?	-
7	55	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 6.5 million	£900,277	?	-
8	16	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 6 million	£837.950	?	-
9	9	Hong Kong	HKD 13 million	£832,258	1994	-
10	45	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 5 million	£692,521	?	-
11	10	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 4.5 million	£623,269	?	-
12	2	Hong Kong	HKD 9.5 million	£608,115	?	-
13	88	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 4.2 million	£581,717	?	-
14	66	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 3.35 million	£463.989	?	-
15	33	Hong Kong	HKD 7 million	£448,085	?	-
16	F 1	UK	£440,625	£440,625	Jan 2008	Blog & video
17	24	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 3.15 million	£436,288	?	-
18	E 15	Dubai, UAE	AED 3.12 million	£432,133	?	-
19	50	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 3 million	£415,512	?	-
20	97	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 3 million	£415,512	?	-
21	S 1	UK	£404,063	£404,063	?	-
22	80	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 2.9 million	£401,662	?	-
23	33	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 2.85 million	£394.737	?	-
24	69	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 2.75 million	£380,886	?	-
25	76	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 2.75 million	£380,886	?	-
26	65	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 2.7 million	£373,961	?	-
27	23	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 2.65 million	£367,036	?	-
28	1 D	UK	£352,411	£352,411	March 2009	Info & video
29	M 1	UK	£331,500	£331,500	June 2006	-
30	8	Hong Kong	HKD 5 million	£320,128	?	-
31	38	Abu Dhabi, UAE	AED 2.15 million	£297,784	?	-
32	VIP 1	UK	£285,000	£285,000	Jan 2006	-
33	GS 1	UK	£258,775	£258,775	July 2005	-
34	51 NGH	UK	£254,000	£254,000	April 2006	-
35	1 RH	UK	£247,952	£247,952	Nov 2008	-
36	K1 NGS	UK	£231,000	£231,000	Dec 1993	-
37	1 O	UK	£210,242	£210,242	Jan 2009	Auction video
38	1 OO	UK	£197,000	£197,000	April 2006	-
39	1 A	UK	£160,000	£160,000	Dec 1989	-
40	2 O	UK	£142,249	£142,249	March 2009	-
41	1 HRH	UK	£113,815	£113,815	Jan 2009	Auction video
42	MR51 NGH	UK	£101,050	£101,050	April 2006	-
43	3 S	UK	£94,035	£94,035	Jan 2009	-
44	S1 NGH	UK	£86,000	£86,000	Nov 1998	-
45	RU55 ELL	UK	£79,314	£79,314	April 2006	-

* Some car registration reference books list the year of issue of A1 as 1904, however its acquisition by Earl Russell was reported in a December 23rd 1903 issue of Car Illustrated so the year of issue is established beyond doubt as 1903.

It is widely speculated that, should it become available, A 1 could command a price as high as £1 million.

NB: This information is maintained up-to-date to the best of our knowledge and ability. Nevertheless, errors and omissions may occasionally creep in.