BRIGHTON, Colo. (KDVR) – Members of the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association were excited to be at their show Friday at the Adams County Fairgrounds, especially considering COVID-19 prevented other similar events from happening.  

License plate collector Mike Wiener from Albuquerque New Mexico lives for days like this. An opportunity to show off some of the license plates in his “modest” collection of  over 200,000 plates.

Wiener’s passion for plates is shared by a lot of people. That’s why the ALPCA exists.

“This is one I just picked up and it’s going into my collection. It’s over 100 years old, original plate from Nebraska,” Wiener said.

More than 100 members of the ALPCA gathered at the Adams County Fairgrounds, just happy to be here, pursuing their passion in spite of the pandemic. 

“I hosted the last meet that didn’t get canceled, and that was in Albuquerque March 13 and this is one of the few now that are open so I am grateful,” said Wiener.

Donning masks, keeping social distance and limiting the number of people in the building allowed the business of buying collectible license plates to continue.

But these days one needs more than desire, you need the digs.

“We have some local members that are here in the area that contacted (the Adams County Fairgrounds) and they said, ‘Yeah, you are welcome to come and use the facilities.’ And it’s a beautiful facility,” said Wiener.

Maybe someday many years from now there will be a collectors show on all the masks people are wearing now.

Or maybe not.