Neal Bircher, 61, kicked off his hobby in 1983 when he sold his first plate for ￡100 - it had previously been attached to his 1962 Raleigh Moped which he still rides today.
This sparked an enduring passion, and over the past 42 years, he's traded hundreds of coveted number plates, including ones with personal significance, star-studded ones from TV shows, and celebrity-owned tags.
The father of two is the proud owner of about 350 physical number plates that are kept in the garage of his Uxbridge home, with the rights to 220 more, which he can turn into physical plates whenever he wants.
Following a DVLA change in 1992, retention certificates have made it easier for enthusiasts like Neal to trade in plates. Before this, number plates had to be on a vehicle to be sold.
Some of his cherished private plates pay homage to his loved ones and his life: "NEA 1" nods to his name; "J123 HUG" links to his partner, Jane Huggins; "MGZ 525" represents his daughter Morgan 'Morgz' Bircher; "DA15 YCB" is a tribute to his other daughter Daisy C Bircher, and " D1 NMJ" symbolises the family unit.
He also owns GLO 5, celebrating his Gloucestershire roots, and once owned "SW11 NDN", marking his days as a fervent Swindon Town FC supporter.
Neal, an IT management consultant and part-time plate dealer from Uxbridge, has passionately delved into the history of number plates, with his collection featuring a gem dating back to 1910. He shared his excitement: "It's totally fascinating for me.
"I've been interested in plates as long as I can remember, and used to make a note of interesting ones from a very young age."
From his schooldays, he vividly remembers standout plates like "Some notable local plates from my schooldays included SO 4, 6 DDA, UGO 2, and 1 DFH."
In a nostalgic turn, Neal revealed, "In 1977, when I was 12, my parents bought me an old (1962) Raleigh moped to ride around the garden.
"In 1983 I sold its 823 NFK number, and have been selling plates ever since."
But he still cherishes his beginnings, noting, "I still have the moped, it's on the road and I ride it quite regularly.
"As I both collect interesting numbers and sell them, I have around 200 to 220 at any one time."
Among his collection are family-themed plates and some intriguing ones linked to movies and historical events. He said: "I've got AM 1807 - I like this as it's a very early one from 1910 and the previous owner was celebrity chef, Anton Mossiman."
Other notable mentions include "BAC 362 - A 1936 plate - I bought this when it came up for sale as it reminded me of HAC 362 which was a friend's dad's old Bentley MkVI that we would spend hours looking over and sitting in over the course of many years of my childhood!" and "123 HCK - As a teenage number plate nerd I was very excited when this plate formed part of a Minder plot in 1979.
"It wasn't a real number and a couple of years ago I requested it for DVLA auction and bought it.
"149 PCE - Steven Spielberg's 1971 film 'Duel' is one of my all-time favourite films. I requested 149 PCE for DVLA auction as it was the (California) plate of the film's star Plymouth Valiant.
"It came up last September, and I won it.
"LWW 281F - I bought this from a DVLA auction due to its similarity to the legendary Beatles Beetle number from the Abbey Road sleeve - LMW 281F.
"B357 REG - 'Best Reg.' Great for a number plate dealer or enthusiast - I had to buy it when it came on the market last year!
"NEA 1 - I bought when it came on the market around four years ago.
"It was originally issued as a standard plate in West Bromwich in 1955. I know little of the history other than that it adorned a Ford Consul (quite likely its original vehicle) in the 1960s.
"GLO 5 - I bought this about three years ago - it was originally issued to a Post office vehicle in London in 1941."
Neal, who is currently writing a book on the fascinating world of number plates, attributes the growing interest in collecting them to several factors.
He said: "I think the primary one is the difference that when it started in 1989 that the DVLA weren't that supportive of private plates - the only numbers that were of interest to people were old numbers.
"When they started selling them, DVLA got the idea to sell surplus stock as they have 10s of millions of combinations so the number grows every year.
"I believe it's something like eight million they've sold since then, eight million that didn't exist before.
"The increased supply has increased visibility and increased demand.
"As well as the ￡80 transfer fee that they set in 1983 and that was a lot at the time but they've kept it the same since.
"The retention certificates so that you don't have to have it on the vehicle has made it easier to collect too.
"Finally, I think it's down to Covid.
"A lot of people picked up new things and new investments.
"That increased the general desire for individuality."
Neal advised: "People who are trying to make money have to be very careful.
"It requires a lot of homework if you're looking to invest or make money.
"Two very similar-looking plates might have very different values.
"AJB would be worth far more than XUY for example because of how common the first set is for initials.
"People are very interested in when it was issued, to know what vehicles it was in, who owned it etc."