Cherished Number Plate Information

Information about cherished number plate C1 UES.

This plate was sold at auction on 20/04/2005

This plate would be perfect for anybody wishing to spell the following: CLUES, CLUE, LUES

Given that the law compels every driver on the UK's roads to display an identifying number plate, it is not surprising that people have found ways to turn that restriction into a bit of fun. A compulsory vehicle registration may have been introduced for tedious bureaucratic reasons, but people have come to realise that, by selecting the characters displayed on their plates, they are often able to contrive combinations that look very much like names and words. These personal touches help an otherwise mundane car to stand out from any number of identical vehicles.

Private registrations can be a great investment, with high-status low number, dateless plates being the most popular. The most expensive plate bought so far in the UK is F 1, which was purchased in February 2008 from Essex County Council by businessman, Afzal Kahn, for £440, 625. This may seem like an large amount of money, but it should be noted that Mr Kahn’s F 1 could actually hold its value better than the Ferrari that carries it. In September, the plate S 1 was bought for &opund;404,062.50, which shows that the popularity for number plates continues.

BBC TV’s Dragons’ Den star and businessman, Theo Paphitis, is the proud holder of several personalised number plates, including LA53 NZA and T1 HEO. These registrations, which are used for promotional purposes and to add that personal touch, are exclusive and look really elegant. Theo’s keenness for private number plates is evident, as he said, “A decent plate on a good car…adds to its beauty and its look." Many owners of personalised plates buy for these very reason – to enhance their cars and promote their companies.