Cherished Number Plate Information

Information about cherished number plate SOW 506H.

This combination was issued from 1969

This plate would have been issued by Southampton County Borough Council (currently Portsmouth).

BBC TV’s Dragons’ Den star and businessman, Theo Paphitis, is the proud possessor 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 smart. Theo’s enthusiasm 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.

The popularity of private car registrations is increasing in many ways. The number of people buying personal number plates is higher than ever before, and the prices they are paying for top examples are reaching record levels. There is simply no question that we are seeing a real boom in the appeal of cherished numbers, both as an investment and as a fun aspect to car customisation.

The popularity of personalized car numbers has created a very healthy marketplace. Whereas the majority of owners buy their numbers for pleasure, there are an increasing number of investment-conscious purchasers who acquire their plates with a view to selling them later at a profit. A former BBC Top Gear presenter is widely quoted as having said that a well chosen private number can be better than money in the bank. Certainly some of Britain's most astute business people are converted to the personal registrations cause. Sir Alan Sugar, Duncan Bannatyne, Theo Paphitis - they all own carefully chosen cherished numbers.