One Massachusetts driver just landed one of the state’s most coveted license plates after nearly 50,000 entries were submitted for the state’s commemorative plate lottery.
America celebrated its 250th birthday this year.
Massachusetts took its patriotic spirit on the road.
MassDOT rolled out these commemorative license plates
with a lottery for some of the most coveted numbers.
Boston 25 News anchor Scott McDonald tracked down the driver, though,
who hit the patriotic jackpot and discovered why his plate means
so much more than just bragging rights.
It's been one of the most popular license plate lotteries.
America 250, but one plate stands above
all the rest. Check it out.
It just might be the most patriotic license plate in America.
Red, white, and blue,
a 1776 symbol and stars to represent the original 13 colonies.
I think they're very, very cool.
MassDOT rolling out these commemorative plates
to celebrate America's 250th birthday.
But for the first 1,000 numbers and the special 1776 plate,
drivers had to take their chances in a lottery.
Nearly 50,000 entries, all hoping to land one
of the most coveted combinations.
In Simeon Prokopenko, he hit the patriotic jackpot.
I went to the website and I looked at the winners list
and right there was, you know, my name and the MA 1776.
So I was like shocked.
Simeon now calls Carver home.
He came to America from Moldova, becoming a U.S. citizen in 2021.
For him, America is amazing.
Those four numbers are more than just a lucky win.
I came to this country with nothing and I was able to settle down
and I'm so grateful to the United States for.
Being able to embrace me and offer me the opportunity.
And the Tesla he drives?
He tells me that's a fitting nod to another immigrant
who came to the US to find a better future.
So Nikola Tesla arrived in 1884 with nothing
but a letter of recommendation
and he came obviously from Europe like myself.
250 years after America declared its independence,
Simeon says he's proud to carry a little piece
of that history with him everywhere he goes.
I value this symbol so much.
So much. And every day I get into my car, you know,
I look at it and I feel so proud to to wear it.
Basically, it's like one of those special suits
that you put on that you feel good.
Hey, congratulations to him.
And while the low numbers have been given out,
you can still get a 250th plate.
And a lot of people have already done so since that rollout.
Almost 118,000 people have requested them in Massachusetts.
