The confusing rules regarding the display of national emblems on UK number plates remained fuzzy, misleading and shambolic from the moment that The Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 came into force until April 2009. During the intervening years, motorists were fed a succession of uncertain and contradictory pieces of information.

Almost from the outset, the authorities recognised and acknowledged that the regulations needed to be revised to explicitly allow the display of English, Welsh and Scottish national emblems on plates, and the public was told that amendments would be made ASAP. Furthermore, it was announced that enforcement agencies such as the police and DVLA had been prompted to take no action against people displaying the national flags on their plates, as it was intended that these should become legal.

In the light of this de facto approval, the public, number plate manufacturers and number plate retailers were all led to believe that the display of national flags was completely acceptable, and that their legal prohibition was merely a technicality - an oversight that was shortly to be put right.

But then came the stories of cars being refused MOT certificates and motorists being fined for displaying non-standard number plates. It transpired that the veracity of such tales was variable, but public concern was revived, and national press and politicians responded by increasing the pressure to get the situation sorted out.

Finally, in April 2009, we saw the rules revised to explicitly allow the display of the emblems. Better late than never, of course, but what on earth can justify the years-long wait amidst such confusion?

September 2009 sees the release of the 59 series of number plates.

Although the current format has been in existence since 2001, many people still refer to the two-digit year identifier as "new style" plates! From the personalised number plates point of view, the current format has required a different approach in order to contrive the names and words we all look for. At first there was some apprehension as people struggled to see how they could get the "new style" to say what they wanted. But then we got the hang of it and there were sighs of relief all round. The new style did have plenty of potential. In fact, possibilities arose that had never been available before.

The impending 59 release marks the end of the first 'batch' in the current format. From March 2010 we will see the twice yearly releases incorporating 1x for the March release and 6x for the September release. For example, BR10 CHE ("brioche"), released in March 2010 may appeal to the chefs out there, while BY60 NES ("bygones") may well end up on an antique dealer's car. As you can see, this second generation will offer some terrific possibilities.

There are currently over 800 photographs in the Numberplates.com gallery. We are constantly adding more, and we'd love to see your number plate photographs!

If you have, or can take, pictures of unusual, rare or amusing number plates and the cars that bear them, we would be very grateful if you would send them to us for the gallery.

Please send your photos to pr@numberplates.com.