Plates and Bikes rival cars at Shannons Sydney Autumn Auction

SYDNEY – Feb 24, 2014: The 23 black and white numeric number plates and 23 classic motorcycles spanning nearly 50 years are likely to attract as much spirited bidding from an even larger International audience as the 26 classic cars in Shannons Sydney Autumn Classic Auction on Monday (March 3).

The number plates alone are likely to generate up to $1.5 million in sales, while the British, Italian, American and Japanese motorcycles from three separate private Sydney collections are expected to see the telephones ringing hot from collectors around the world.

Twenty of the 23 number plates have been released for Shannons to auction by the NSW Roads and Maritime Services.

It’s the second time that the RMS has trusted Shannons exclusively to auction numerical plates, with its initial release of 19 special black and white plates at Shannons Sydney Classic Auction in February last year delivering a $1 million-plus result.

This success further confirmed Shannons position as Australia’s leading market place for specialised and collectable numerical number plates.

Underscoring their appeal to collectors, the March 3 auction at Shannons St.Leonards’ showrooms will kick off with the plates all crossing the block from 7pm, followed by the cars, memorabilia and bikes.

The plates on offer include 11 three-digit plates commencing with number ‘227’, six four-digit plates commencing at ‘1099’ and six, five-digit starting at ‘10020’.

The guiding range for the three-digit plates is $70,000-$100,000, the four digit plates $35,000-$45,000 and the five digit plates $25,000-$35,000.

Five of the plates – numbers ‘26363’, ‘10020’, ‘30001’, ‘55553’ and ‘33330’ are being offered with no reserve.

And as a further plus, all 23 plates are being offered with the transfer fees waived.

Meanwhile Shannons has already established itself as Australia’s premier classic motorcycle auction house, with some 80 rare and collectable classic machines offered in the past 12 months – 90 per cent of them finding new homes in Australia and overseas.

Further examples from each of two major private Sydney collections of important Harley Davidsons and predominantly British bikes are being rolled out for the March 3 auction and a further six bikes have been added from a third Sydney collection of all-Italian motorcycles, predominantly small capacity singles and twins from the early 1950s to mid-1960s.

The bikes from the Italian collection include Ducati, Gilera, Moto Morini, Lambretta, Laverda and MV Agusta models ¬ – all restored to varying degrees and in running order. Five are being offered with no reserve.

Amongst the Harley Davidsons in the auction, the standout is a 1947 Knucklehead, which although fully restored, hasn’t been used since and will need some recommissioning. Shannons expect this very desirable Harley to command International attention in the $44,000-$50,000 range.

Another important Harley from the same collection is a 1956 KHK (the predecessor of the classic Sportster range), which appears original but will also need recomissioning. Elvis Presley owned a similar KHK model and Shannons expect the example being auctioned to bring $15,000-$20,000.

From the predominantly British collection in the March 3 sale come three important Nortons – a circa 1947 350cc Manx ‘Garden Gate’ racer, from an older restoration, but still pristine ($40,000-$50,000), a circa 1951 500cc Manx ‘Featherbed’ that has also been the subject of a full restoration and is being offered with no reserve ($35,000-$45,000) and a circa 1969 Commando 750cc ‘Modified Café Racer’, that also has no reserve and is expected to bring $13,000-$16,000.