1 The World of Personal Number Plates Issue 29 - Regtransfers.co.uk

The Alternative Investment
SM 7
28 JC
23 D
“Cherished numbers
are a great investment
these days.”
Stirling Moss
“If you look back over
the last ten years, the
value of number
plates has gone up
quite a lot.”
James Caan
“It’s the easiest thing
in the world to sell
and buy a number
plate through
Regtransfers.”
Duncan Bannatyne
Some examples of return on investment*
Registration Date 1 Price Date 2 Price Increase
OBR 133N Feb 2011 £650 Sep 2011 £3,500 438%
1 PEY Feb 2004 £5,200 Jan 2010 £20,681 298%
HEN 2Y Jun 2005 £6,300 Jan 2010 £20,000 217%
HLS 6 Mar 2011 £1,900 May 2011 £5,600 195%
7 GAG Dec 2010 £1,900 Jan 2012 £5,250 176%
3 HDA Feb 2011 £1,900 May 2011 £5,100 168%
11 EEE Oct 2009 £2,100 Feb 2012 £4,500 114%
79 PB Sep 2008 £5,600 Jan 2010 £11,830 111%
3 GFS Mar 2011 £1,900 May 2011 £3,800 100%
3 NSJ Jun 2010 £1,900 Feb 2012 £3,750 97%
110 PS Oct 2009 £2,600 Jan 2010 £4,823 86%
4 SSA Mar 2011 £1,900 Sep 2011 £3,500 84%
3 CHS Mar 2011 £1,900 Sep 2011 £3,200 68%
2 LEJ Oct 2007 £2,733 Jan 2010 £4,236 55%
2 RRD Feb 2007 £3,238 Jan 2010 £4,710 45%
*Some prices may have been subject to fees and/or taxes
£82,814 June 2010 Partly inspired by
the growing
number of
spectacular
prices that have
hit the headlines
in recent years,
more and more
purchasers
seem to be
selecting their
car registration purchases with a
speculative eye.
For some buyers future profit is
becoming as important, or more
important, a consideration than
immediate amusement or enjoyment.
Business people and entrepreneurs
have joined the celebrity ranks thanks
to TV programmes such as Dragons’
Den and The Apprentice, and it is
striking how many of these successful
and astute individuals are private plate
owners.
Of course, it takes knowledge of the
marketplace to get the most out of
buying and selling number plates.
There are many factors that can
influence the value of a registration
number, including:
Popularity of names and initials
The potential demand for registrations
suitable for John Smith is significantly
larger than the potential demand for
numbers suitable for Winston
Aardvark. Prices reflect the difference
in scale of the potential market.
Scarcity, exclusivity and quality
The large sums paid for ‘number 1’
plates such as F 1, G 1, 1 RH, 1 HRH
and 1 O reflect the relative scarcity of
such registrations. Not only is the
number of these plates limited, but
owners are often reluctant to part with
them.
Visual effectiveness
The more closely a registration
number resembles a name or word,
the more desirable it is and,
consequently, the more valuable.
For many words and names there are
several possible ways to represent
them on a car registration. The best
approximation will be the
most valuable.
There are many more aspects to
consider. It can take a lot of time and
study to get a good grasp of how
number plates are valued.
While some people enjoy the exercise,
in the same way as some study the
stock markets and others follow racing
form, for most the guidance of a
specialist, professional company
is preferable.
No number plates company can
predict or guarantee the future
performance of a car registration’s
value, but Regtransfers can provide
information that may help the buyer to
make an informed decision.
To find out more, please call:
Donna Allen on 01582 969395 or
email: donna@regtransfers.co.uk