Massachusetts man lands coveted ‘1776’ America 250 license plate in state lottery

Mass. — A Massachusetts man who came to the United States from Moldova is showing off a special piece of American history after winning one of the most coveted license plates offered to mark the nation’s 250th birthday.

MassDOT rolled out commemorative America 250 plates featuring a red, white, and blue design and a 1776 symbol surrounded by stars representing the original 13 colonies.

While the plates are available to Massachusetts drivers, the first 1,000 numbers, along with the special “1776” plate, were awarded through a lottery.

Nearly 50,000 entries were submitted, including one from Carver resident Simion Procopenco.

“I went to the website, and I looked at the winner’s list, and right there was my name and MA 1776,” he said. “So I was like shocked.”

For Procopenco, the plate carries a meaning that goes far beyond winning the lottery.

He came to the United States from Moldova and became a U.S. citizen in 2021.

“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,” he said.

There is another connection to his immigrant story sitting right behind the plate: his Tesla.

Procopenco said the car is a fitting nod to Nikola Tesla, who also came to the United States from Europe in search of opportunity.

“Nikola Tesla arrived in 1884 with nothing but a letter of recommendation, and he came obviously from Europe like myself,” he said.

Now, 250 years after America declared its independence, Procopenco says he is proud to carry a symbol of that history wherever he drives.

“I value this symbol so much and, you know, every day I get into my car, I look at it, and I feel so proud to wear it,” he said. “Basically, it’s like one of those special suits that you put on that you feel good.”

Although the low-number plates have already been awarded, Massachusetts drivers can still request an America 250 plate. Since the rollout, nearly 118,000 people have requested one in the state.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW