North Yorkshire’s historic number plate - AJ1 to go to public auction

AJ1 to feature in Prestige Number Plate Auction on Thursday 27th June at 7pm.

Wilsons Auctions, the UK and Ireland’s largest independent auction company, is giving the public a unique opportunity to own the historical North Yorkshire vehicle registration number AJ1.

The very first vehicle registration number issued in the North Riding of Yorkshire region, AJ1 is going under the hammer during a Prestige Number Plate Auction at Wilsons Auctions on Thursday 27th June at 7pm.

AJ1 was the first registered number plate in the English county and has been owned by North Yorkshire Police for over 100 years, used by every Chief Constable since 1907. The police asset was first registered on 6th December 1907 and placed on Chief Constable Major Sir Robert Bower’s single cylinder Argyll car.

Exactly 100 years later the vehicle registration plate was retired by the then Chief Constable, Grahame Maxwell in 2007, transferring it onto the police force’s mobile station allowing it to be seen at the heart of the force’s Safer Neighbourhoods campaign.

North Yorkshire Police is now selling the right of assignment of the vehicle registration number, through its disposal agent, Wilsons Auctions, giving the public the opportunity to own this unique piece of history.

Speaking of the auction, Wilsons Auctions Asset Recovery Director, Aidan Larkin said “Wilsons Auctions not only do we realise seized items on behalf of police forces across the UK and beyond, but we also have the privilege of realising some very unique police assets and AJ1 is certainly one that we are very excited about.

“Due to the historical value of this number plate we believe this will attract a large range of potential bidders, not just those with the initials A J. This would be highly attractive for someone from North Yorkshire or have links to North Yorkshire Police as well as car lovers who want to enhance their vehicles. This auction will be available to both physical and online bidders so we recommend early registration to avoid disappointment,” he concluded.

AJ1 will feature in the Prestige Number Plate Auction along with a number of unique entries from police forces, government departments and more. The auction will take place in Wilsons Auctions Belfast branch with online bidding available.

For full details on the auction Click Here follow on Facebook @wilsonsauctionsltd or go to @wilsonsauctions on Twitter and Instagram.

To read North Yorkshire Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner's press release Click Here

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