In 1627, the growing community of Plymouth Colony was challenged in paying off its heavy debt burdens. Governor Bradford and other leaders undertook financial responsibility in a partnership agreement with heads of families and adult single men. Cattle brought over three years earlier for milk and meat were out to everyone by shares, and a new agreement alloted twenty acres of land to every person or shareholder, prompting many families to establish new farmsteads outside of Plymouth and triggered the creation of new communities and townships. Governor William Bradford, who deeply valued the cohesion of the early Plymouth congregation, sadly observed this measure of the colony’s success. Dutch visitors to Plymouth in 1627 established trading ties and described the Pilgrims processing to their fortified meetinghouse for worship, an iconic historical image for later generations.

In order to purchase a Plymouth 400 specialty license plate, the bidder must meet the following criteria: The license plate must be placed on a Massachusetts registered private passenger vehicle. Leased vehicles are also acceptable; commercial vehicles and motorcycles are not acceptable. The bidder must be the registered owner of the vehicle to which the license plate will be assigned. If the bidder plans to gift the plate to another individual, they must make note of this to J. James Auctioneers and Appraisers and the individual receiving the plate must meet all of these outlined criteria. The vehicle registration to which the license plate will be assigned must be in active and in good standing. The bidder will be required to provide the following information about the person receiving the plate upon checkout: first name, last name, street address, phone number, e-mail address, driver’s license number, and the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (MA RMV) full-service branch to which the license plate will be delivered. Payment must be received in full in order for the license plate to be delivered to the identified MA RMV branch and picked up by the winner bidder. Winning bid amounts are tax-deductible to the winning bidder, less a small amount reflecting the cost for the Commonwealth to produce the license plate ($12). Winning bidder will pay a $40 special license plate fee, plus $20 license plate swap fee, plus any applicable registration fees at time of pickup at the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. The license plates will be available for pickup at the bidder’s requested MA RMV branch approximately 60-days after the auction closes. The auction closes on June 3, 2017. All proceeds benefit Plymouth 400, Inc. a 501 (c)3 registered nonprofit. Checks should be made payable to: Plymouth 400, Inc., 134 Court Street, Plymouth, MA 02360