One of the most sought-after UK registrations “M1” was sold today for £331,500 by Bonhams at its annual Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale in Chichester.
The number plate was expected to fetch £80,000-120,000, but with fierce bidding in the marquee and on the phones a new world record price was achieved. Previous top price of £285,000 was paid recently by the Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich for the VIP 1 plate of Pope John Paul 11’s Popemobile.
The M1 number plate went to a private UK bidder who will be taking the plate back to the North West of England where it came from. The buyer who wishes to remain anonymous said that he had bought it for his son’s sixth birthday. There was stiff competition for the number both in the room and on the bank of Bonhams phones.
Proceeds from the sale of “M1” will be put towards the preservation and conservation of Tatton Park, near Knutsford in Cheshire, owned by the National Trust and leased to Cheshire County Council. Its General Manager, Brendan Flanagan said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the figure achieved for the M1. This will allow the new Tatton Park Charitable Trust to do so much in support of our conservation, education and access projects for years to come. It is particularly nice to know that the M1 registration will return to the North West of England.”
“M1” was the first registration to be issued in Cheshire, when, in 1902, motoring enthusiast and then owner of Tatton Park acquired the registration for his 1903 12/16hp 2 cylinder Darracq – the same car that was driven by Henri Farman and came second in the 1901 Grand Prix de Pau.
In 1904, the registration number transferred to a 60hp, 20 cwt dark green Panhard. The same year, Maurice entered the vehicle in the Gordon Bennett Run, held at Homberg, and then the Irish A.C. 200 Guineas Challenge Cup for racers at Portmarnock, near Dublin, where he lost by just 20 yards to A E MacDonald, who was racing S F Edge’s Napier.
In 1920, Maurice, Lord Egerton, inherited Tatton Park and his father’s motor cars, including a 1900 Benz, which he asked his mechanic Charlie Blake to restore. It was in 1924 that he transferred the registration “M1” to the Benz.
Although the National Trust and Cheshire County Council have decided to sell the right to use the registration “M1” this year, the 1900 Benz with its original registration plate will remain in their ownership at Tatton Park.
Bonhams’ Group Director of Collectables, Jon Baddeley, says: “The registration ‘M1’ has huge appeal, not only as one of the earliest registrations issued, but also one with a fabulous history This price goes to prove that.”
Councillor Bert Grange of Cheshire County Council, Chairman of the Tatton Park Select Committee and a Trustee of the charity, said:
‘This is a unique opportunity for Cheshire County Council and the National Trust to work together through the new Charitable Trust to provide additional benefit for of Tatton Park and its many visitors, both today and in the future. Sale of the right to use the registration mark on the public highway has a value that will be of enormous benefit in funding charitable projects that may not otherwise happen.’
For more details visit the Bonhams
web site.
