Personalised number plates raked in £111MILLION last year – but which was the most expensive reg?
BRITS splashed the cash on private plates last year to the tune of £111million.
Personalised registrations spelling out names, initials, comedy phrases and car models all proved popular.
And the top five priciest plates netted almost £250,000 between them for the DVLA at auction.
The lucrative sales have generated over £2billion in the last 25 years for the agency.
The most expensive ever was recorded in November 2014 when "25 O" sold to a Ferrari dealer for £518,000.
And the popular "O" series featured twice in 2017's top list with "45 O" and "96 O" both going under the hammer for over £50,000 - one now residing on a white Audi.
Most expensive number plates sold in 2017
- JSK 1 - £56,200 (Cheltenham Chase Hotel in May)
- 96 O - £52,500 (Cambridge Belfry Hotel in September)
- 45 O - £51,000 (Mercedes Benz World in July)
- 812 S - £45,500 (Cheltenham Chase Hotel in May)
- 1 HSV £41,500 (Cheltenham Chase Hotel in May)
But top of the tree in 2017 was "JSK 1", sold for £56,200 at the Cheltenham Chase Hotel auction back in May, and now living on a black Mercedes.
The "812 S" plate sold for £45,500 - most likely to a Ferrari collector or dealer looking to twin it up with the 812 Superfast model launched last year.
Licence plate essentials
"1 HSV" was the fifth priciest plate of 2017 with DVLA records showing it's yet to be registered with a motor.
Plates are sold at auction to buyers looking to add a personal touch to their beloved motors or to plate dealers and investors who stock up on popular registrations.
You can visit one of these sites - like - and search for your desired plate to see if it's available or visit the to see if it's coming up for auction.