A martini. Shaken, not stirred, One of the most famous quote’s from the man himself James Bond and probably the ultimate number plate for him JB 1, selling for a record breaking £608,000 making it the UK’s most expensive number plate to date sold at a public auction.
On July 11th 2025 the ‘Ultimate number plate’ JB 1 just made history, smashing records at the Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed auction, where it sold for an astonishing £608,000 – the highest price ever paid for a UK number plate at a public auction.
The sale of this iconic number plate sets a new precedence on the cherished number plate industry and proves just what an investment opportunity these have on the market.
The iconic UK registration number JB 1 has just made history, smashing records at the recent auction held by Bonhams at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 11th 2025 where it sold for a staggering £608,000, and breaking the UK’s record to become the most expensive number plate sold at a public auction to date.
The number plate JB 1 was originally issued back in March 1932 by Berkshire County Council and was first registered to Jack Barclay Limited, the worlds oldest Bentley dealership. It’s namesake, John Donald “Jack” Barclay was not only a successful racing driver but also a luxury car dealer. He founded the prestigious Mayfair showroom in 1927 where he supplied Rolls-Royces and Bentleys to British Society’s elite.
The number plate become synonymous with British motoring elegance and was often seen displayed on Jack Barclay’s Bentleys and Rolls-Royces. Following his death in 1970 JB 1 number plate, largely disappeared from public view.
Resurfacing at the auction sparked fierce bidding not only because of its rarity and historical significance but also because of the appeal of short memorable number plates and maybe even a fan of 007 himself “James Bond” and with over 560,000 people in the UK sharing the ‘JB’ initials demand was sky high.
The original estimate of £200,000 – £300,000 was more than doubled on the final sale price of the eye watering £608,00.
JB 1 is more than just a number plate, it is a symbol of prestige, heritage and the enduring allure of automotive excellence.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and DfT have launched a call for evidence around the existing policies and registration processes for historic, classic and rebuilt vehicles.
The aim is to seek knowledge and expertise about whether these policies need updating to reflect evolving technologies that support the restoration and rebuilding of these vehicles.
DVLA and DfT are very keen to tap into a range of experience, views and research to help identify areas of potential change whilst ensuring that road safety and accurate vehicle records on the national register remain a key priority.
The call for evidence asks for evidence on a number of topics including:
This call for evidence runs until 4th July and you can respond by visiting the link here
The Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FHBVC) have posted some draft responses to the consultation on there website if you wish to look into this topic in more detail.
If you require any cherished number plates or bargain registration numbers for your vehicles please take a look on our database, I am sure we will have something suitable for you at an equally affordable price.
Alternatively call now 0116 235 0116 and speak to one of our Sales Staff
Don’t forget to make a difference, respond by 4th July
Let us all celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III
Not a Number Plate related post this time, we at Motor Marks would just like to wish King Charles III the very best for his Coronation tomorrow Saturday 6th May 2023.
The Coronation Ceremony will take place at Westminster Abbey in London and will be conducted by The Archbishop of Canterbury. The ceremony will see His Majesty King Charles III crowned alongside The Queen Consort Camilla. Lets all celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III
The first Coronation for 70 years.
Lets hope that the weather is good and everything goes to plan. Get the bunting out and wave your flags and if you are having a street party in celebration, ENJOY !
Whether you are a Royal Fan or not this is going to be a day to remember and one that most people will only ever see once in their lifetime.
So Hip Hip Hooray for King Charles III and God Save The King.
This Mother’s Day why not give them a unique present and give them a gift of a Cherished Number Plate
Why we celebrate Mother’s Day
Sunday 19th March 2023 this year will once again be Mothering Sunday. A day that we celebrate our ‘Mothers’
Whether it is your Mother, Grandmother, Sister, Auntie or whoever you choose to call your MUM, this Sunday this will be a time when we all celebrate and show our appreciation and thanks.
This year why not give them the gift of a Cherished Number Plate instead of the usual flowers, chocolates or jewellery. They no longer cost a small fortune, you can buy one all inclusive for £110 choosing one of our Cheap Number Plates.
If you would like to speak to one of our Sales Staff please call us on 0116 235 0116, we are always happy to help.
As well as the bargain number plates we have names, initials, suffix, prefix and dateless registrations all with varying price ranges, we are sure you will find something suitable.
Browse through millions of number plates using our online search facility
Happy Mother’s Day
Cherished Number Plates for Business Advertising and not only for your name or your initials or to take the age off your vehicle. They are also a good way to market your Business or Company. A sure way to get you noticed. How often have you been driving and you see a number plate on a vehicle that is advertising their company name or what business it is they are in. They look good and make you take notice.
They can be a great marketing tool and also some companies have a fleet of number plates that reflect their business.
We at Motor Marks have millions of personalised number plates and have selected some below. We think some of these would look great for Businesses and Companies for advertising purposes as well as being a sound investment.
Cherished Number Plates just keep on getting more popular and judging by recent prices they have achieved in current auctions they are also a very wise investment.
We have a searchable database that has over 40 million private, dateless, prefix, suffix, bargain,cheap and current style number plates. We are sure you will find something that is suitable to you. Why not give one of our Sales Staff a call on 0116 235 0116 now.
Cherished Car Number Plates suitable for Sports persons or Bookies and Betting Shops
Cherished Number Plates suitable for Emergency Services
Car Number Plates suitable for Veterinary Surgeon and RSPCA and Animal Workers
Personal Number Plates suitable for Glass Glazier and Window Fitter
Private Number Plates suitable for Takeaway Food and Fish and Chips
Cherished Registration Plates suitable for a Golfer
Car Number Plates suitable for a Gardener and Landscaper
Vehicle Number Plates suitable for MOT garage
Cherished Number Plates suitable for Recovery Driver and Vehicle operator
Personalised Number Plates suitable for Waste Disposal and Plumber and Toilet Facilities
Number Plates suitable for Clothes / Shoes / Bag shops
These are just a very small selection that we have. All are in stock and are genuine issued car number plates. The prices can be found on the website database.
Give us a call now and see if we have the perfect number plate for your Business or Company. What a great way to advertise your Business with a personalised number plate.
We are now on the 10th day of Euro 2020 and England play their 3rd Match tomorrow Tuesday 22nd June where hopefully with the scores as they stand will entitle them to a place in the round of 16.
To mark this football extravaganza we have compiled a small selection of cherished number plates that are suitable for this event. The number plates are all genuine issued vehicle numbers and are all in stock ready for immediate transfer. The prices can all be found on our searchable database which contains over 47 million number plates.
We hope you like our small selection of EURO 2020 themed number plates and if you would like to see if we have anything you might like then give our sales staff a call on 0116 235 0116.
The prices of our registration numbers start from as little as £25 plus vat and transfer fee of £80 for the cheap bargain number plates so wont break the bank.
Lets hope England can get down to the finals and make 2021 a year to remember.
Good Luck ENGLAND