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Number Plate Investment

Personalised car registrations are more popular than ever and, as with most things, the best private registrations command the highest prices - which is why so many people now see them as an investment. Some numbers (eg, number-ones, and good quality name plates) have built-in, persistent value, while others suddenly acquire desirability through twists of fashion and current affairs.

Duncan Bannatyne

23 D

"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."

James Caan

28 JC

"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. "

John Collins

25 0

"It is the ultimate plate for the ultimate car. I could have bought a really good Ferrari for the money but I decided I really wanted the plate and I wasn't going to stop bidding on it."

The UK's Most Expensive Number Plate?

25 O, bought at auction in 2014 by Ferrari dealer John Collins for his Ferrari 250, holds the record as the most expensive number sold at a UK public auction. John has stated in interviews that he would have paid £1 million for 25 O if it had been necessary. The Ferrari itself is worth many times that.

Recent Number Plate Sales

Sales of number plates in recent years have seen a new milestone with some plates reaching over the £200,000 mark in auction. These plates can make great investments as the demand for personalised number plates increases.

Price: £518,480 - Date Sold: November 2014

Price: £233,360 - Date Sold: May 2015

Price: £90,800 - Date Sold: May 2015

Plates may also contain numbers and letters which are related to or even match the exact car make and model. For example the registration 250 L would be perfect for a lucky Ferrari enthusiast who owns a 250 GTO or even a Mercedes-Benz 250 owner. There are endless possibilities.

Number plates which contain names, surnames or nicknames are valuable. They are unique and very personal which means they can fetch thousands of pounds depending upon the buyer. A recent plate which spelt the name Krishna (KRI5 HNA) sold for £233,360 in auction.

Price: £233,360 - Date Sold: May 2015

Price: £98.576 - Date Sold: May 2015

Price: £45,440 - Date Sold: February 2015

Examples

Here are a few more examples of people who have recognised the value of their personal plates.

3 S sold for £94,000

"While I have no immediate plans to sell it, I am confident 3 S will give me a healthy return on my investment."

1 HRH sold for £113,815

"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,"

Better than money in the bank?

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

1 D Sells for £352,000

With fees and taxes, 1 D's total cost will be £352,411, a sum that puts it at number 3 in the table of the UK's most expensive private number plates ever.

Investing in Business Plates

“Celebrity customers that use us, in the paper, everybody seems to mention the vans, everybody mentions the number plates.”

S 5 sold for £270,300

"The registration S 5 was the fifth registration issued in Edinburgh and was sold on 20th March 2016 at the Goodwood Members Meeting in Chichester for an £270,300."

What Dictates Price?

The main factors affecting the price of cherished registration numbers are:

Competition (popularity/demand)

Let's use initials as our example. There is a larger potential market, and thus more demand, for registrations containing the initials JS than for those containing UY. There are many John and Jane Smiths competing for each JS number, but very few Ulysses Youngs looking for UY plates

Exclusivity

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 impact

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

Plates such as the one pictured on the classic Jaguar above can fetch considerable amounts in auction. These plates are much sought after and can make an attractive portfolio for keen investors.

Return On Investments

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.

3 EFS