Discussing the unpredictable nature of the sport, motor racing pundit Murray Walker once famously commented, “‘If’ is a very long word in Formula 1; in fact, ‘if’ is F1 spelt backwards.” And, to be fair, on a number plate, it is:
The recent sale of 1 F, which was issued by Essex County Council in 1957, has just achieved what could be a game-changer for the registrations industry.
At the Sotheby’s London Motor Week auction on 1st November 2025, an anonymous bid secured the registration for £926,000 (including estimated fees and taxes).
This makes 1 F easily the UK’s most expensive auction sale. The previous record - set in July this year - was held by JB 1, which was sold at auction by Bonhams at the Goodwood Festival of Speed for a staggering £608,600 July 2025.
The 1 F sale also makes it the first UK registration to come tantalisingly close to that magic £1m price tag.
It is worth noting that 1 F was previously sold (at a Bonhams auction in 2005) for a comparatively modest £144,500. So, there could hardly be better evidence to illustrate its appreciation in value, and the wider investment opportunities afforded by personal number plates. UK prices are now edging onto the international stage, where the Dubai plate P7 has held prime position since 2023 with a price of £12m.
There has, clearly, never been a better time to buy a personal number plate. Apart from the prestige and sheer enjoyment of the purchase, it could also be one of the wisest financial moves you have ever made.
