THERE’S much more to personalised number plates than it seems. How? Well, asides from the obvious attraction of adding a bit of character to your car and setting it apart from others, there’s some background history and interesting facts behind these head-turning accessories.

• ‘VIP 1’ Was made for Pope John Paul II

The highly desired personalised number plate ‘VIP 1’is now owned by Chelsea Club owner Roman Abramovich, who bought the prestigious plate in 2006 for a staggering £285,000. However, ‘VIP 1’ was originally made for Pope Jean Paul II’s trip to Ireland and was displayed on the pope-mobile.

• ‘1’ Sold for millions

Who would have thought that one digit alone could cost so much money? The number plate ‘1’ sold for a whopping £7.25m to a member of a wealthy Abu Dhabi family, who goes by the name of Saeed Abdul Gaffer Khouri.

This figure topped the previous world record of £5m, which was spent by Talal Ali Mohammed Khoury in 2007 for the ‘5’ number plate. Khoury went on to a pay a further £800,000 for the ‘55’ plate at the same auction; there’s just no limit for some people!

• Harry Tate got there first – ‘T 8’

A successful yet not very well known music hall artist called Harry Tate was the first celebrity to own a personalised number plate. Who would have thought?

He purchased the number plate ‘T 8’, which now belongs to Johnny Tate, one of the owners of the famous Tate & Lyle sugar company.

Robbie Williams was ‘S8RRY’

The English singer and songwriter apologised to fans after he purchased a Ferrari. Why? He realised that his fans were less than impressed with his flashy purchase so, he added a nice touch to his status symbol: a personalised plate that read ‘S8RRY’. That’s certainly a unique way to apologise!

• The DVLA clamp down on personalised plates every year

Twice a year, the DVLA convene ahead of the release of the new registration to remove any potentially offensive registrations from those set to be released. Some do manage to slip through, so keep your eyes out for any amusing registered plates!

• Personalised number plates are top investments

Did you know that personalised number plates are now seen as a genuine form of investment? Well, now you do, and it’s no surprise why. In 1989, the number plate ‘1 A’ fetched £160,000 and experts believe that now, the same plate would fetch more than £300,000.

In fact, private plates have increased in value over the years so much, that now it seems people are choosing to buy them instead of investing their hard earned cash in ISAs, TESSAs and the new Baby Bond.

If you’re interested in investing in a private plate or perhaps you want to convey a message, not to fans, like superstar Robbie Williams, but friends and family, then look no further than Primo Registrations. With a wide range of personalised number plates available, you’re bound to find the perfect plate for you. Be sure to take a look.