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Over 6m number plates have been sold since 1989 and between 2018/19 there were over 400,000 sales! See how we can help you join this growing market.
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Selling DVLA Plates at Auction

Lewis Findley
Lewis Findley

DVLA private plate sales hit 6m

Did you know that the first sale of a private plate occurred in 1989? Since then, over 6m have been sold to motorists!

What's remarkable is that during the 2018/19 financial year alone, over 400,000 plates were sold.

As you know, the appeal of a personal plate is alive today more than ever and, as a seller, you can take advantage of this.

Selling at auction can be a fantastic way to reach new buyers and we want to take you there.

To give you an idea of how big the market can be, here are some of the plates that stole headlines.

Most expensive number plates UK

Here's a list of some of some of the most expensive plates sold in the UK.

1) 25 O

25 O number plate sells for £518,000

Image Via - Sohu.com

What better way is there to announce to the world that you have a Ferrari 250?

Well, John Collins, a Ferrari enthusiast, bought this license plate for his highly-prized Ferrari 250 SWB back in November 2014 and hasn't looked back since.

Costing a cool £518,000, it's the most expensive plates ever sold in the UK (as of September 2019). 

2) F1

F1 number plate sold for £440,000

Image Via - Metro.co.uk

Quite an interesting plate because it went on an SLR! but, how much is this number plate worth?

It was bought by Afzal Khan in 2008 for £440,000! It's been on the market since then with prices as high as £15m! 

If that does sell, it will obliterate the current record. Until then, he'll have to settle for second place on the podium.

3) S1

S1 license plate sells for £404,000

Image via - Majalah Perdana

S1 can mean so many things but for this driver, they had a specific wish after splashing out £404,000.

They wanted it to crown their beloved Skoda!

Don't get them wrong, it will certainly make the car stand out. You don't need a Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bugatti with this one, just a Skoda. #WeLoveSkoda.

S1 is believed to be Scotland’s first ever number plate and was formerly owned by Lord Kingsburgh in 1903.

4) X1

X1 license plate sells for £502,000

Image Via - Nice-reg

X1 was one of the first number plates registered in the UK back in 1903.

It was said to be owned by the chairman of a Tynemouth committee who campaigned for a change to the way cars were driven at the time.

As cars became more and more prevalent, it forced the UK government to create number plates. The system they used was a letter code for where the plate was registered and a unique number.

Northumberland County Council issued this plate and was sold in auction for £502,500.

5) G1

G1 License plate sold for £500,000

Image Via - A1ShowPlates

Another sale that broke the £500,000 barrier was G1.

It previously held the record of being the most expensive plate sold in auction but it was eclipsed by 25 0.

A phenomenal sale, it helps to put into perspective how coveted these plates are.

Final Words

As number plates continue to create new records and more motorists decide to buy their own personal plate, they are creating new opportunities for sellers like you to join this growing market.

The connection that motorists have with their cars is unique and a personalised plate makes that even stronger.

Head over to the journal for more stories and auction guides.