Stratford-upon-Avon was the location as the DVLA put one of Britain’s most in demand number plates up for sale – ‘250 GT’ went for a whopping £64,880 last week, it has been announced.
Ferrari’s sought after 1950s and 1960s 250 models, which featured a 3-litre engine, mean the plate has grown in desirability for classic car collectors.
A rapidly escalating bidding war developed, with moves being made by attendees on the auction room floor as well as via telephone.
Eventually the enviable registration plate went under the hammer for £64,800, and was bought by the head of a Ferrari dealership based in Ascot.
That price is over 30 times more than the original starting price of £2,200, which was immediately raised to £15,200 with the first bid.
The new owner of the plate, John Collins, is no stranger to valuable number plates, he picked up the world’s most expensive – ’25 O’ – which astonished experts by fetching £518,000 at auction earlier this year.
Mr Collins said: “I am really happy with the result. The price I paid was a bargain and a lot less than I was willing to go up to.
“I am not sure what I am going to do with it at the moment.
“I might keep it for a while or maybe put it on the unique Ferrari 250 GT SWB Speciale by Bertone I recently bought.”
Mr Collins also has ‘250 L’, which he bought for £130,000, in his armoury.
Jon Kirkbright at www.platehunter.com said demand is rising for sought-after number plates.
“Today’s auction ended at £50,000 plus fees,” he said. “This is more than double what ‘250 C’ when for in February and there was obviously a lot of interest in the plate. Though, obviously not as much as the ‘25 O’ plate from last November.
As the public have been made more aware of these auctions held by the DVLA and more bids are being placed, purchasing private number plates can become very expensive due to the amount of people wanting a private plate increasing.”
