Yes, the rich really are different, even now: UK man buys license plate "1 D" for $513,000
The trade in personalized license plates in the UK can be big business -- the most coveted ones aren't given away, they are auctioned off at country clubs and manor houses. And in spite of a thing called "the recession" the record price paid for a specialty plate in the UK has just been broken, with a Lebanese property developer paying £352,411 ($513,047 USD) to own "1 D." The actual winning bid was £285,000 ($414,893 USD), to which fees and taxes were added.
And this year will see four more auctions hosted, with the most important items on the block the initial run of O-series plates, from "3 O" to "6 O." The first, "1 O," was sold for £210,242 ($306,063 USD) in January. It is said that investors and businessmen are buying the plates now as investments. Oh, and that half-million-dollar plate will be going on a Bentley, and even with the recent price increases, the most expensive Bentley runs £245,000 ($356,865 USD). Let's hope that at these prices, the new owners are buying locking hardware. Check out the press release after the jump.
[Source: DVLA]
PRESS RELEASE
25 March, 2009
PRESTIGIOUS REGISTRATION SMASHES DVLA RECORD
The much sought-after personalised registration 1 D has sold for a record amount at auction.
Lebanese property developer Nabil Bishara paid a staggering £352,411 for the prestigious plate at the DVLA Personalised Registrations auction in Warwickshire this afternoon.
The sum smashed the DVLA's previous record of £254,000 fetched by the registration 51 NGH in 2006.
Mr Bishara will now put the notable number on his wife's Bentley as a surprise present.
The registration was always regarded as one of the most desirable in the land and was expected to be the star lot in this week's auction at Ardencote Manor Hotel.
But DVLA bosses were staggered when furious bidding in the room and on the phone and internet saw the total soar. Mr Bishara finally triumphed though, with his winning bid of £285,000 rising to £352,411 with fees and VAT.
Damian Lawson, DVLA Personalised Registrations' Marketing Manager, said: "We always expected interest in this registration to be among the highest we've ever had and the pre-auction bids certainly backed that up.
"But we were still amazed when the bidding went as high as it did and we are absolutely over the moon with the final result."
A number of other desirable registrations are still to go up for sale at the auction which continues until Friday. This includes 2 0, which is also expected to fetch a high price when it goes under the hammer on Friday morning.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Peter 8:01PM (3/26/2009)
Recession? What Recession?
Reply
Rogue_G 9:08PM (3/26/2009)
Greater divide between rich and poor during Bush years? Naw, can't be right... more rich people means the free market is working!
Oh, and 1D? 1st Dick? I can understand #1 or something, but this is just stupid.
superman211 9:24PM (3/26/2009)
I think the other letters should bee; 10T
That makes his plate say; ID10T
Randy 11:33PM (3/26/2009)
@Rogue_G
I think it means One Developer!
But your definition is more fitting!
I can see if you own a Reventon or something and have plate that says "BADASS" or even "FNCOOL" or "BYE" because in my opinion, if you own the car and worked for it and have a plate like that people will say "Damn right that is FN COOL, BADASS and roast em up! It's a brotherhood! Even us that don't have one or never will we all say HELL YEAH!
But to be a rich dick head that knows dick about cars, buys an expensive one just because they think they're shizat is iceceam and THEN puts a plate on it that makes him feel cool; well it just makes me want to see someone ding his door with a 1976 Lincoln that has a plate that reads "POMOFO" and a bumper sticker that says "This Car Climbed Mount Washington"
That's just my spin on things!
Sektor 6:12AM (3/27/2009)
I think it means "1 douchebag".
JayP 8:03PM (3/26/2009)
I'm a fan of British cars, Top Gear... but WTF?!!!
Reply
chconline 8:02PM (3/26/2009)
What's the point? I don't really understand what's so special about this combo...
Reply
the_MVP_X 8:17PM (3/26/2009)
He maybe thinks at drifting but that's D1, so he must be crazy or something. Or it comes from Donkey 1
Randy 11:36PM (3/26/2009)
I think the owner thought is said "ID" like Identification!
Ain't he gonna be pissed that it's a one (1).
ROFL
The girls: What does 1D mean?
The guy: It's ID... ID.....ID
ROFL
BigBlackBone 10:08AM (3/27/2009)
"Bishara" Every dude I know of Lebanese descent has this last name.
What is the deal with 1D, why is that so special? Anyone know?
Reply
Epyx 10:09AM (3/27/2009)
Read Bloke's comments - He answered the question.
neutralgear 8:19PM (3/26/2009)
1D... 1D... One dude? 1 down? ID?
I don't get it.
On 5th gear they auctioned a "1 HRH" plate for 113k pounds. Why bother with these dumb vanity plates?
Reply
neutralgear 8:21PM (3/26/2009)
HRH stands for "his royal highness" and I think it's pretty lame to have that on your car if you're not actually the queen/king. I mean it's like if I had USPREZ on my car. Dumb.
Mark K. 8:36PM (3/26/2009)
1 Douche-bag
MajorGeek 8:45PM (3/26/2009)
I have a vanity plate on one car which I will be selling shortly, then discarding of the plates. My problem with it is it takes even an ordinary car and makes people remember it. No biggie but I flip people off and tailgate a lot, so its not working for me ;)
Bloke 11:33PM (3/26/2009)
It could be a number of things ... 1 and the initial of his name, 1 and the first initial of his favourite football club, or he may be into coin collecting - in which case 1"D" would be very significant.
In general, the fewer the number of characters on British cherished plates, the more valuable they become. Plates with just two characters can easily run into staggering prices, as this one has done.
Berto 4:52AM (3/27/2009)
He should of gone with 8D
8D should let the world he's all head and no shaft.
jb 8:23PM (3/26/2009)
if that's not a reason to increase taxes on these people who really don't know what to do with their money...
Reply
notYou 9:15PM (3/26/2009)
What part of "their money" don't you understand?
Epyx 10:01AM (3/27/2009)
jb - I don't know you but I loath you.