Retro-Phone

This wall-mounted phone has long been disconnected but I never got round to taking it down. A few of the music group guys consider it really 'cool' and 'retro' and have begged me not to take it down, or, if I do, to let them know so they can bid for it.

Every time I look at the dial I wonder why the emergency number is 999, since the dial has to be revolved to its full extend for every digit. Would 111 not have been better?