Cherished Number Plate Information

Information about cherished number plate SSA 437.

This combination was issued from 1959

This plate would have been issued by Aberdeenshire C.C. (currently Aberdeen).

Private registrations can be a great investment, with high-status low number, dateless plates being the most attractive. 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.

One may choose to display a plate that depicts a name, a favourite hobby or a word that can be associated with one’s job. There are several celebrity examples of this. Sir Alan Sugar owns the highly prestigious registration, AMS 1, which contains his initials, while Linda Lusardi owns LU54 RDY. On the other hand, celebrity chef and TV host, James Martin, chooses to display 6 HEF (chef), which refers to his hobby and profession, while professional boxer, Amir Khan, owns the ideal plate for him: BOX 111G.

The popularity of personalized car numbers has launched a very healthy marketplace. Whereas the majority of owners acquire their numbers for pleasure, there are an increasing number of investment-conscious buyers 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.