A closer look
German authorities issued the very first modern vehicular license plates in the world in the late nineteenth century, but the absolute best flex in automotive history belongs to the first British registration issued in 1903. The plate simply bore the alphanumeric designation A1, and it was quickly secured by the second Earl Russell, a wildly eccentric aristocrat who commanded his butler to camp outside the London county council offices all night just to guarantee he received the highly coveted registration. The Earl proudly attached this ultra-rare designation to his brand new Napier car, entirely establishing the deeply annoying modern tradition of wealthy individuals spending exorbitant amounts of money on vanity plates to visually assert their dominance over poorer motorists. Today, billionaires will literally spend millions of dollars at exclusive international auctions just to bolt a single digit to their supercar. It is truly remarkable how much time we waste trying to be first in line
