The first Queensland Heritage Plate ‘Q1’ – which hasn’t been seen for auction for almost 40 years – will go under the hammer alongside ‘NSW 1’ this month.
The Q1 plates were the very first plates issued in Queensland, which have been owned by the current custodian for nearly 40 years.
“This is an extremely rare occurrence for 1, let alone 2, heritage plates with such history and rarity to be offered at auction ever in a single auction, it is unheard of in Australian history ever,” said Chief Operations Officer for Lloyds Auctions, Lee Hames.
“The amount of enquiry from right around the country of people wanting to sell their heritage plates after the ‘NSW 1’ was listed is phenomenal and out of that came this ‘Q1’ heritage plate, who knows what else might be brought forward to auction between now and the end of January.”
According to an article published by Personalised Plates Queensland, the Q1 plates were first purchased by James Thomas McGuire, founder of the McGuire hotel empire.
At present, McGuires’ group is the largest family owned and operated chain of hotels in Queensland with four generations contributing to its ongoing success.
After his passing in 1949, his son Richard Kelly McGuire inherited the plate, where 64 years later it was purchased at the Great Queensland Plate Auction of 1985. It has been held tightly by the current custodian since that time.
“The history and provenance of these heritage plates speak for themselves regarding Australia’s evolution of history and the great value the current custodian has treasured for the last 38 years, and the great importance of the forthcoming custodian to preserve and ultimately pass down history to generations of the future,” said Mr Hames.
This rare heritage plate among many others listed online, will feature as a part of a massive Grand Carmada Classic Car Auction.
View the auction here.
