Cherished number plates

Just another name?

The product we provide goes by a surprisingly large number of names and descriptions. Some owners and enthusiasts, however, very deliberately refer to private plates as cherished number plates. This is notably the preferred term amongst owners of vintage or veteran cars and, to a lesser extent, owners of particularly rare or exclusive luxury cars. To these owners, the cherished registration number is a vital part of the vehicle's character and identity, and it shares the love and pride that the lucky owner lavishes upon the car.

Cherished number plates mean a lot

To some owners, a cherished number plate may be a family heirloom, a memento of a departed loved one, a financial investment, a badge of success earned through hard work, the perfect finishing touch to a beloved classic car… These registrations truly are cherished.

For many people, cherished number plates are objects of fascination. There are cherished registration spotters, collectors and scholars. There are cherished number plates clubs and societies. There are online photo galleries. There are meet-ups and rallies. There are newsletters, books and magazines devoted to the subject - many of them published by Regtransfers.co.uk, but just as many produced by amateur enthusiasts.

The cherished number plates community has been fortunate in counting amongst its number, several knowledgeable experts who have contributed to the accurate recording of the history of British car number plates. The late "father of autonumerology", Noel Woodall, published a series of books that have become essential reference works for enthusiasts and professional dealers alike. Other important figures are John Harrison, whose newsletter, 1903 and All That (often abbreviated to 1903 AAT), has been circulated to subscribers for many years, and Rod Lomax, publicity officer for the Registration Numbers Club. Rod is a longstanding correspondent contributing to our magazine, The World of Personal Number Plates. These people, and others, have fostered the development of cherished number plates into a genuine interest for many thousands of people.

Although the term cherished number plates is less commonly used than it was 20 or 30 years ago (except amongst the vintage and veteran car owners mentioned above) it is immortalised in the name of the trade organisation that oversees the personal registrations industry - The Cherished Number Dealers Association. Read more about the CNDA here.