LONDON -- The first registration number plate to be issued in Edinburgh – ‘S1’ – was sold today (19 September 2008) by Bonhams for a staggering £397,500 – a new world record price at auction. The sale took place at the company’s annual Goodwood Revival Sale in Chichester, West Sussex.
Following a lengthy bidding battle between several people on the telephone, a buyer in the room eventually secured the registration number to a round of applause. The successful buyer from the company Bold Registrations, said: “I believe that number plates in general are a good investment, even at this price. The registration number will remain in the UK and will be going onto an old red Skoda, which will be seen around The Midlands.”
The registration number ‘S1’, which had been expected to fetch £200,000-250,000, originally belonged to Sir John H A MacDonald, Lord Kingsburgh (1836-1919) and Lord Justice Clerk of Scotland (1888-1919) - a leading pioneer of motoring, who foresaw the rapid development of the motor car and the need for a proper road system.
Sir John MacDonald was one of the first owners of a car in Scotland. He was also a founding member of the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland - later to become the R.A.C. - and the first president of the Scottish Automobile Club, founded in 1899.
Motor registration marks were introduced in 1903 and Sir John H A MacDonald became the owner of registration number ‘S1’, the very first number for Edinburgh that same year. This historic number has been in the same family since then.
Bonhams has a strong track record of achieving high prices for registration numbers. ‘S1’ beat the previous world record price of £331,500 for ‘M1’, also sold by Bonhams.
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