The six most expensive number plates ever sold19-May-2015

Although you might not think it, personalised number plates are big business. As they are unique, all it takes is more than one big spender to be interested in the same number plate, and the price can skyrocket from almost nothing into the hundreds of thousands. To prove just how much people are willing to pay for the right number plate, here is a list of the six most expensive number plates in the world.

1. 25 O - £518,000

Bought by Ferrari trader John Collins in 2014 for over half a million pounds, 25 O is now the most expensive number plate in world history. He bought it especially for his £10 million Ferrari 250SWB, which includes Eric Clapton amongst its former owners.

2. F 1 - £440,000

The previous record holder for the most expensive personalised number plate in the world, the F 1 number plate was purchased by businessman Afzal Khan in 2008 and placed on his rather tasty McLaren-Mercedes SLR. It held the most expensive number plate title for six years, until Mr John Collins and 25 O had other ideas...

3. S 1 - £404,000

Unlike the top two, this personalised number plate was not bought for a classic or expensive car, but for a humble Skoda! S 1 is thought by many car historians to be the first official number plate in Scottish history, and was bought by an anonymous bidder at auction for over £400,000.

4. 1 D - £352,000

Although you might think 1 D is a reference to pop band Once Direction, it was actually bought a couple of years before they took the world by storm by Nabil Bishara, a Lebanese businessman from Warwickshire.

5. M 1 - £331,000

Another odd purchase, this one was bought at auction by a millionaire for his ten year old son. Presumably either for his mini electric car or as a present for when he turns 17!

6. VIP 1 - £285,000

VIP 1 is owned by Chelsea chairman Roman Abramovich, and once even graced the front of the Popemobile during the pope's visit to Ireland.

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