More than £150,000 has been bid for Essex County Council's 100-year-old vehicle number plate bearing the desirable and unique registration, F1.
The deadline for offers is today which coincides with the opening of practice for the British Grand Prix.
A council spokesman said: "We haven't got exact numbers of people who have expressed an interest, but we are talking double figures as opposed to single figures and the interest is above £150,000."
The F1 plate was the first issued by the council when it was the licensing authority for the county in 1904, and has been used by the council's chairmen ever since.
Andrew Johnstone is thought to have been the first chairman to use the plate on his four-seater Panhard Levassor in 1904.
It currently adorns the Volvo S80 of the council's latest chairman, Anthony Peel.
Published Friday July 9, 2004
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article