Revealed: The most expensive number plates ever sold in the UK

The most expensive number plates ever sold in the UK have been revealed.

Personal number plates usually cost no more than a few hundred pounds.

But the more unique designs and sought after combinations can sell at auction for thousands.

There are sales across the country about five times a year where you can bid in person, by phone, in writing or online.

Now car hire experts at StressFreeCarRental.com have ranked the most expensive number plates ever to be sold in the UK.

 

A spokesman said: "It may come as a surprise to some that someone would spend hundreds of thousands on a custom number plate, but it’s actually very common.

 

"There are several reasons why people splash out on them, some do it for pleasure, others for business and many see it as a worthwhile investment.

"Whatever the reason, it’s always fun to spot custom number plates when driving out and about as they tell a story about the person driving that their car often doesn’t."

 

Ten most expensive number plates in the UK:

  • 25 0 (£518,480) - Officially crowned the most expensive number plate ever sold at a public auction in the UK, 25 0 was sold for an eye-watering £518,000 back in 2014.
  • X I (£502 500) - Narrowly missing out on the top spot is, X I. It is only the second plate to be sold for more than half a million in the UK and is currently valued at £1,000,000.
  • G I (£500,000) - In third place and also currently valued at a million pounds is G 1 – which sold at auction for exactly £500,000 in September 2011.
  • RR I (£472,000) - 2018 saw the plate RR I be sold for £472,000 and it was labelled one of the most special plates in the world.
  • F I (£440,625) - Sold for £440,625 but valued at ten million pounds, F I came in fifth place on the list. It is suspected that it has such a high market value due to its connection to Formula 1 racing.
  • S I (£404,063) - The first number plate ever issued in Scotland was S I and was purchased for a fee of £404,063. It is now worth over a million pounds.
  • I D (£352,411) - The next plate, 1 D was purchased for £352,411 in 2009 by a Lebanese property developer as a present for his wife. It is suspected that if the plate were to ever go on sale again that it might be purchased by one of the members of One Direction.
  • I S (£340,000) - At number eight on the list is the plate, I S, which was sold in March 2010 for £340,000 and it is the only plate on the list that isn’t currently registered to a vehicle.
  • M I (£331,500) - M 1 was the ninth most expensive plate sold in the UK. In 2006 it was bought for £331,500 and now belongs on the front of a Bentley Flying Spur.
  • GB I (£325,000) - The patriotic GB 1 is the tenth most expensive plate ever sold in the UK. It was sold for £325,000 to a private buyer and is currently attached to a Rolls-Royce Phantom.