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Any license plate geeks?

Sherlock77

Sherlock77

Well-Known Member
V.I.P Member
I've always had an interest in license plates.

Here in Canada (and I think the United States) the license plate always stays with the owner of the vehicle, unlike Great Britain and Europe where it stays with the car, if anyone even followed that and there is a reason for that pre-amble.

Even as I'm driving, or scanning the parking lot at work, etc... I can identify which license plates are the most recent just by the letter/number pattern, possibly indicating a new driver or possibly just a brand new purchase. And it is something I almost always tend to glance at wherever I go.

At classic car shows which I frequent, if I see a car I've never seen before I will look at the license plate, it might indicate if a collector just purchased a new or perhaps just finished a restoration, etc...

And on a different note. Many years ago my province issued plates that had three letters and three numbers, the license plate design hasn't changed, but they now issue plates with four letters and three numbers, I'm sure I'm boring some of you by now. I used to have one of the old six digit license plates about six years ago, but when my car was stolen I had to get a new license plate with the replacement plate, the new ones with seven digits. I still wish I had the old license plate, I have this perception that the older license plate tells other people that I'm a longtime resident of my province and longtime driver, something I lack now.

I tell this to my friend, and he thinks I'm worrying about nothing, that no one else even pays attention to that, and he probably is right. Likewise, a friend recently replaced an older car he owned, due to logistics he ended up getting a new seven digit plate to replace his six digit one, just shrugging his shoulders. If that was me, I would have done anything to keep the older one.

I guess you might call it a special interest that I can sometimes obsess about a little.
 
I'm fascinated by Nevada's license plates. Simple point. They have so many variations that I gave up counting them long ago...lol.Geez, in comparison California once had just a handful of "special" plates.

Nevada License Plates

But for Nevada it's just really about revenue enhancement.

Ironically my favorite plate was the most common one issued to everyone who doesn't pick a special plate. And they're changing it. Boo-hoo. :eek:

Yeah I love them. Out-of-state plates always catch my eye. I'm just thrilled that as time goes on, plates seem to become more artistic and colorful. Something that lacked with many of them for most of the years of my life. :cool:
 
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I mostly memorize them, depending on where I am. So I guess you could call it an interest or an obsession. Memorize the series of numbers and letters until I can't anymore.
 
Being an automotive enthusiast and a former service business owner,I have many plates I kept over the years. One of my favorites is my 1914 Pennsylvania porcelain plate,followed by my 1934 Pa. plate and my 1960 West Virginia tag. I have a 1976 Pa. Bicentennial plate that is pretty cool plus many from all over the USA.
 
When I was little I made funny sentences with the letters.

Now I use license plates to identify the
cars belonging to a couple people I know.

Car blind: It's kind of like face blind. :)
 
Nitro said:
Being an automotive enthusiast and a former service business owner,I have many plates I kept over the years. One of my favorites is my 1914 Pennsylvania porcelain plate,followed by my 1934 Pa. plate and my 1960 West Virginia tag. I have a 1976 Pa. Bicentennial plate that is pretty cool plus many from all over the USA.
Click to expand...

I have a small collection myself, the ultimate one? The iconic polar bear license plate from northern Canada, I do have one
 
I'm supposed to get a replacement plate as mandated by law every eight years. Just wondering if they'll issue the old one or the new one. I liked the one I have, but over the years the elements did a real number on my plates.

Old Plate:
sunset_small.jpg


New Plate:
hmn_small.png
 
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I've always been one to remember number plates and the letter/ number patterns too. My dad's the same. I take after him lol.
 
@VenomousAlbino and I always look at number plates everywhere we go, looking for any that spell a word inadvertently or spell something that sounds funny when you say it. Personalised number plates don't count though. I'm also terrible for pointing out any that are illegal too (usually lettering that isn't the legal one, and occasionally when driving at night ones that have an illegal spray on them you can buy to make them unreadable by speed cameras).
 
Judge said:
I'm fascinated by Nevada's license plates. Simple point. They have so many variations that I gave up counting them long ago...lol.Geez, in comparison California once had just a handful of "special" plates.

Nevada License Plates

But for Nevada it's just really about revenue enhancement.

Ironically my favorite plate was the most common one issued to everyone who doesn't pick a special plate. And they're changing it. Boo-hoo. :eek:

Yeah I love them. Out-of-state plates always catch my eye. I'm just thrilled that as time goes on, plates seem to become more artistic and colorful. Something that lacked with many of them for most of the years of my life. :cool:
Click to expand...
Haha, the "Smog" err... I mean "Sunset" plate! Lol! I have the Redrock Canyon plate, personalized with CRUSR on my Mustang.
 
Judge said:
I'm supposed to get a replacement plate as mandated by law every eight years. Just wondering if they'll issue the old one or the new one. I liked the one I have, but over the years the elements did a real number on my plates.

Old Plate:
sunset_small.jpg


New Plate:
hmn_small.png
Click to expand...
I hope I can keep my plates too, I like the flat letters, easier to read.
 
Years ago when I lived in Delaware,the plates generally stayed with the car. Original plates were screen printed with no embossment.
Replacement plates were made with single raised numbers and letters that were riveted on.
Delaware has an option to place an older plate on a car if the first car it was registered is scrapped.
A sign of status in Delaware is an original black and white plate with the lowest numbered plates being of the highest value.
The governer's car has the #1 on it with the rest having values placed on them by the buyers and sellers. Double digit plates command a king's ransom to own.

In the early 80s,a safety inspection was done at one of two facilities which was a drive thru event that actually checked very little on the vehicle besides actual braking function and poor wheel alignment. none of the car was disassembled during the inspection.
Upon receiving a passing status,your registration sticker was renewed which proved that the vehicle passed for the authorities.
 
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Manuheleku said:
I hope I can keep my plates too, I like the flat letters, easier to read.
Click to expand...

Well, TBH I've been noticing less-than-new cars with the brand new plates. I suspect the supply of old ones cranked out by our convicts has been exhausted. Bummer. But the newer plates aren't bad...just not quite as good as the old ones. Oh well...

And for anyone who thinks convicts making license plates is a myth....

Nevada inmates making more than just license plates
 
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Judge said:
Well, TBH I've been noticing less-than-new cars with the brand new plates. I suspect the supply of old ones cranked out by our convicts has been exhausted. Bummer. But the newer plates aren't bad...just not quite as good as the old ones. Oh well...

And for anyone who thinks convicts making license plates is a myth....

Nevada inmates making more than just license plates
Click to expand...
The plate displayed on the front of my old Chevrolet was made by convicts in a Pa.prison. The guys that were ultimately found guilty for selling these custom ordered Pa. license plates got busted for having them made in the prison and had to take up residency making the legit ones for Penndot :p

1966 Caprice
 
Here's the Northwest Territories license plate from northern Canada, these command high dollars in the used market. I own one, but this is a photo of one that I grabbed off the web. They still use the polar bear even now but with modified text.

215a502df7199b73db4308aa9456b96a.jpg
 
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xudo said:
@VenomousAlbino and I always look at number plates everywhere we go, looking for any that spell a word inadvertently or spell something that sounds funny when you say it. Personalised number plates don't count though. I'm also terrible for pointing out any that are illegal too (usually lettering that isn't the legal one, and occasionally when driving at night ones that have an illegal spray on them you can buy to make them unreadable by speed cameras).
Click to expand...

My life's dream is to see one that says "CUM".
 
Great, now this thread has me rolling on an information spree...I don't collect them myself, but I bet some of the more dedicated geeks here have interesting piles of them spanning generations :D

I can't stand custom ones for some reason, never used them as they seem more like a fashion statement to me. Maybe that's it, I'm just function over form :)

Everytime I look at one, I try to decipher a format (if any) and if it relates to anything in particular...not sure about Texas, the format here is currently xxx-nnnn, with x and n being a restricted combination of letters and numbers. I don't think it represents anything in particular, so I might just be wasting time there.
 
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Manuheleku said:
My old plate on my truck had the letters KUM! The guy at the DMV thought it was funny!
Click to expand...

Reminds me of California. For several decades this little old lady's only job was to monitor and censor personalized license plate requests to filter out anything objectionable. :p

Clearly computerization and evolved free speech put that job to rest.
 
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