The strength of the personal number plate market has been spectacularly demonstrated by the recent auction result at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. JB 1 smashed UK auction records when sold on 11 July for £608,600.
As the gavel fell, JB 1 took its place in UK registration plate history. The sale sets a new benchmark for personalised number plates at public auction and confirms the market as a major investment opportunity.
Previously, the highest publicly disclosed sale price for a UK plate was £518,480, achieved in 2014 by 25 O. The price of 25 O was boosted by its desirability to Ferrari owners and collectors, as it complements models like the 250 GTO. 25 O held the record for over a decade.
Several other registrations have sold for more than half a million pounds, including X 1, which sold for £502,676 in 2012, and G 1 which achieved £500,126 in 2011. There is a clear and growing demand for short, memorable registrations, particularly those featuring popular initials, names, or connections to iconic cars.
By popular request
Part of the potential market appeal of a number plate can be gauged by how common the initials it contains are in the UK. Census records show that there are more than 560,000 people with the initials JB. That's 560,000 potential buyers.
JB number plates would be perfect for celebrities such as singers James Blunt and James Bay, comedian Jo Brand, dancer Jordan Banjo and, of course, “Bond, James Bond.” If Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos should ever buy a car to use when visiting the UK, JB 1 would be the perfect choice!
Competition is a key factor in successful investment in private registrations. High demand powers high prices.
A bit of history
In March 1932, Berkshire County Council issued JB 1 to Jack Barclay Limited - the world’s oldest Bentley dealership and now part of H R Owen. Born in 1900, John Donald "Jack" Barclay had been a highly successful racing driver, recording a number of victories at Brooklands, and eight world records in the International 3 Litre class in 1925.
A shrewd businessman, Barclay displayed JB 1 on a series of his personal cars, making the plate synonymous with British motoring elegance and prestige. His racing prowess brought him to the attention of W.O. Bentley himself and later Woolf Barnato, the millionaire playboy who would go on to be both the chairman of Bentley and one of its team's most successful racers.
Barclay became one of Britain’s most influential luxury car dealers, founding his Mayfair showroom in 1927 and supplying Bentleys and Rolls-Royces to some of the most notable names in society. Following his death in 1970, JB 1 was rarely seen. Its reappearance at Bonhams in 2025 sparked fierce bidding from collectors and investors eager to own such a significant piece of motoring history. The final price exceeded all expectations and set a new UK record.
Make no mistake!
Private registrations are big business, and headline-grabbing sales like this encourage new buyers and boost confidence.
The JB 1 result also highlights how cherished plates have evolved from being simple vanity items to being recognised as collectible assets with long-term investment potential.
Worldwide prices soar even higher!
The spectacular sum paid for JB 1 is just the tip of the global iceberg. The prices paid in a number of countries around the world exceed even the very highest UK prices by a wide margin. Incredible as it may seem, the UK isn't represented at all in the top 50 most expensive private plates ever sold.
Australia and Hong Kong both appear in the rankings but most of the really spectacular sales have taken place in the Middle East. Buyers in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have repeatedly shown their willingness to part with millions of pounds to secure their desired registration numbers. The current world record is held by a Dubai number plate bearing the single digit 7. The price? £12 million.
Read more about the world's most expensive private registrations.
(All prices quoted include estimated fees and taxes.)
