Since vehicles have had vehicle registration numbers they have had number plates. Over the years the style of the number plates has altered as to the vehicle registration numbers that are displayed on them. Originally Vehicle registrations were displayed on Black number Plates with white lettering, this is nowadays referred to as ’Classic Number Plates’.
The original vehicle registration numbers, VRN’s, were issued by councils before move to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency years latter. The classic number plates displayed VRN’s that are some of the most valuable private number plates on the market today. The first VRN issued in London in 1903, A 1. This is the regarded as one of the most valuable, if not the most valuable private number plates around.
The Display of Registration Marks regulations stipulates that only vehicles manufactured before 1st January 1973 can display VRN’s on black number plates with silver letters, classic number plates. These say that vehicles originally issued with dateless registration numbers and laterly suffix style number plates up to ‘F’.
