Man bought EE1 license plate for $0.71 73 years ago and it's now worth a ridiculous amount more if he sold it
Published on Jul 23, 2026 at 2:27 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Jul 23, 2026 at 2:27 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
This guy in the UK bought a very specific license plate in the 1950s for less than a cup of coffee.
In fact, considering how expensive coffee can be these days, that’s not even a good analogy.
But the point is, this plate cost him less than $1.
Well, it’s worth a lot more than that now.
The license plate was so cheap for a very simple reason
According to NumberPlates.org, somebody in the UK bought the ‘EE 1’ license plate for a little over 10 shillings in 1953, equivalent to £0.53 – or $0.71 – today.
Accounting for inflation, that’s £13.53 in today’s money, which is still very cheap.
But the thing is, back then, vanity plates were not a thing.
A plate was just a plate.
It was something that people needed – not something that people wanted and bragged about at car meets.
In 2026, this license plate is apparently being used on a VW Polo.
The irony is that if the owner sold the plate, he could buy about 100 of those.
This plate is now worth the same as a new supercar
The UK isn’t exactly the vanity plate capital of the world – that title probably belongs to Dubai or maybe certain states in the US – but personalized plates are still a thing, and they can still be worth a fortune.
This particular plate – EE 1 – is valued at £250,000-£300,000, equivalent to around $330,000-$400,000.
If the owner decided to sell the license plate – assuming he could find a buyer – he could buy a brand-new supercar with the money.
The list of cars that would easily be within his budget in that case is quite long and it includes supercars like the Ferrari 296 GTS or the McLaren 750S Spider, and even luxury cruisers and sedans like the Bentley Continental GTC Speed and the Rolls-Royce Ghost.
Even the Lamborghini Temerario would be within reach.
And if he opted for a second-hand model, the list would be even longer.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
