One of Australia's first license plates was put up for auction (3 photos)
Lloyds Auctions is accepting bids for one of the first number plates issued in Australia. This is a New South Wales state registration number with the number 1. The plate was made at the beginning of the last century, when the state introduced a car registration system. They are already offering 10,010,000 Australian dollars (6.7 million US dollars) for a piece of metal, but the auction will last until January 27, and the rate will still have time to rise. 
License plates, which began to be issued in Australia in 1910, were numbered sequentially for each state from 1 to 274-000. Accordingly, only nine single-digit original series plates exist in each state, and they are constantly sought after by collectors. However, this is the first time NSW No. 1 has been put up for auction.
They issued it for the car of the first state police commissioner. In the 1930s, the number passed to a certain Frederick Stewart, who first worked in the railways, later became the head of a bus company, and eventually founded the Australian National Airways airline. Stewart used the number until his death in 1961, after which the rarity went to his widow.
In 1988, they tried to buy the sign for 200 thousand dollars, but the woman refused. Majorie Stewart died in 2000, and where the room has been located for the last two decades is not specified.
Most likely, the buyer of a rare license plate will make it a collection item. On the other hand, it is possible that the plate is used for its intended purpose - for a car of comparable rarity. At the same time, given the hype, NSW 1 may turn out to be more expensive than any Australian retro car. 
