A TEESDALE resident has paid a staggering £287,792 for a personalised numberplate – the third highest price in the DVLA’s history.
Retired businessman Ian Guest, who lives near Barnard Castle, stunned everyone during the DVLA Personalised Registrations’ auction near Cardiff last week by shelling out the cash for “IG 1” .
Moments after his success, Mr Guest said: “That was incredible. When the price went to £100,000 everything really became a haze. My wife expected me to pay between £240,000 and £260,000 but I never thought it would go so high. That said, I drove down with a limit of £400,000 in mind.”
The actual bidding price was £222,000 but fees took the total sum to £287,792. “IG 1” was the DVLA’s third highest-selling personalised registration behind “25 O” and “1 D” which went for £400,000 in 2014 and £285,000 in 2009 respectively – without the fees added on.
Mr Guest’s determination to buy was purely based on “IG 1” being his “ultimate registration” to represent his initials, he was stunned to learn of its significance after successfully bidding for it.
It is the last available licence plate which uses just two letters and a single number.
The number will be placed on Mr Guest’s prized Bentley Continental GT Speed. He is a former managing director of The Teesdale Stone Company limited.
Jody Davies, from DVLA Personalised Registrations,. said: “DVLA is delighted with the huge interest in ‘IG 1’ and its selling price reflect that. Mr Guest and his wife are a lovely couple and we just hope they enjoy it.”
The last 30 years have seen DVLA sell nearly six million personalised registrations to motorists, generating around £2billion for the Treasury.
