DVLA Auction of Personal Number Plates - August 2009

DVLA held its Summer number plates auction last week.

Top Hammer Prices:

1 PNE - £70,000
6 W - £55,000
4 O - £51,000
ST08 ART - £35,000
1 NWS - £17,000
1 RRG - £16,200
PAL 4S - £16,600
11 TCS - £15,100
L1 CKS - £15,000
1 MFR - £14,600
1 RNB - £14,500
1 HRP - £14,000
TSL 1 - £13,100
1 WRJ - £13,000
TUR 80D - £13,000
1 ESB - £12,300

Once again 'number ones' are very well represented in the list of highest sale prices achieved. I ask myself are we underselling 1 JWU which is available at £6,400 plus v.a.t. direct from our own stock?

The £70,000 hammer price paid for 1 PNE shows what can happen when two people are determined to own a particular number plate. The next highest price paid for a 'number one' was £17,000 for 1 NWS. I wonder if the new owner of the personal number plate1 PNE had a limit in mind before the auction began?

Two hundred and three registrations remained unsold after failing to receive an opening bid. That is a big improvement on the large number of unsold lots at the previous auction. Three hundred and ninety one registrations were purchased at the opening bid or reserve price, showing once again there were selected bargains to be had.

There was a very obvious difference at the auction last week. Dealers who have been reluctant to buy number plates for stock during the past twelve months were back in attendance and they weren't just there to make up the numbers. Personal number plate prices are definitely on the up and I am sure a few dealers will be revising their prices upwards in the next few weeks.