License Plate Collecting

[Old CWO]

Anyone else dabble in license plate collecting?  I finally got all 50 U.S. States + D.C. hung up in my garage.  Started with a few of my own from different states I lived in and then did some swap meets, trades and eBay to get the rest.  I don't really have any of the super desirable ones serious collectors want but that's okay, I think it's cool to just have all of them.  My favorite is a Washington DC personalized plate that says "Hades."  No better description of the place if you ask me!

 

Currently working on Canadian Provinces but some of those are hard to get on the cheap.  

 

What do you have that's interesting?

 

 

[cheesy]

I never got into plate collecting much although I did have my grandfathers set of Wisconsin plates from the teens to the fifties. They were on a wall in an open are shed and pretty well deteriorated by the time I got them. Sold those to a collector decades ago. All I have now is a South African Kwazulu-Natal plate I found in ditch while working there. That’s mounted to an inside garage door.

[Dodgeed]

I have every plate for every car I've owned in every state I've lived, beginning with 1966. I also collected plates in countries when I was on business, especially Western Europe. When I was on business in Puerto Rico, trying to explain to the plant manager that I wanted a car license plate was amusing, since I don't speak Spanish, and he was having a hard time understanding this strange request. But, we finally communicated, and he got me a plate. There is a problem in Puerto Rico, and in Europe, smuggling a plate out, since the 'authorities' want them back, for some reason. But, I wasn't ever stopped and had one confiscated. They all line my garage now.   Interestingly, to me, no one cares; not the grand kids, nor any relative, nor neighbors. But, to me, each is special, and I could tell you the history of every one that I got, where, when, how, etc. ?

[Dodgeed]

Here are some of the plates I'd mentioned in the earlier post. 

[Dan Hiebert]

I pondered collecting license plates when I started monkeying around with these old cars, but decided I needed to draw a line on collecting everything I had a fancy for.  But, I still keep the plates for States our cars have been registered in over the years (except NY, they demanded the plates back...not just requested at the time we registered the cars, but sent us demands after we moved...or else).  I'll pick up unique ones on occasion that have pertinence to us, or try to find YOMs for what cars we have (although 1948 Maine plates are out of my price range).  My favorites are NJ Firefighter plates from my father-in-law's cars.  

[Plymouthy Adams]

1 hour ago, Dodgeed said:

I have every plate for every car I've owned in every state I've lived, beginning with 1966. I also collected plates in countries when I was on business, especially Western Europe. When I was on business in Puerto Rico, trying to explain to the plant manager that I wanted a car license plate was amusing, since I don't speak Spanish, and he was having a hard time understanding this strange request. But, we finally communicated, and he got me a plate. There is a problem in Puerto Rico, and in Europe, smuggling a plate out, since the 'authorities' want them back, for some reason. But, I wasn't ever stopped and had one confiscated. They all line my garage now.   Interestingly, to me, no one cares; not the grand kids, nor any relative, nor neighbors. But, to me, each is special, and I could tell you the history of every one that I got, where, when, how, etc. ?

 

 

I had the same experience snagging a couple plates out of Bahrain when there....they did not understand the wall art aspect at first...I don't collect tags, have a few  hanging here and there in the barn however...

 

I see a few parking violations ongoing in your garage/shop

Edited September 12, 2019 by Plymouthy Adams

[ggdad1951]

Don't really collect, but I DID find a 1924 plate in the parent's grove as a kid I still have...rusty and crusty.

[Merle Coggins]

7 minutes ago, ggdad1951 said:

Don't really collect, but I DID find a 1924 plate in the parent's grove as a kid I still have...rusty and crusty.

 

License plates are too small for Mark... He collects tailgates. ?

[Old CWO]

2 hours ago, Merle Coggins said:

 

License plates are too small for Mark... He collects tailgates. ?

 

Dang, I have one of those hanging up also.  In danger of having too much junk I guess..

 

I never thought of trying to get plates from foreign countries back when I was travelling for work.  In hindsight, that would have been a great idea as I had the opportunity to visit some interesting places and didn't really keep any souvenirs.

 

Cool stories guys, thanks for sharing.

 

 

 

[Old CWO]

4 hours ago, Dodgeed said:

Here are some of the plates I'd mentioned in the earlier post. 

 

Nice shop and cool ride.

 

We lived at the OBX for a few years and my family loved our time in NC.  The NC plate in my collection was on my wife's car when we lived there.

 

  Thanks for sharing.

[wldavis3]

I didn't start collecting license plates until i got my Plymouth in 2002.  Right now, i am trying to collect one Mississippi plate from every county (82).

I grew up there and my car is from there.  As mentioned earlier, the older plates are hard to find, and when you find them, they are pricey.  And, I have

a few plates from other states.  It is a fun hobby.  

[Dodgeed]

21 hours ago, ggdad1951 said:

Don't really collect, but I DID find a 1924 plate in the parent's grove as a kid I still have...rusty and crusty.

My brother in law collects, and resells, antique (100 y/o, or older) plates. As a gift, he gave me a 104 y/o plate, in perfect condition, which is also hanging on the garage wall, w/the others. I know what those kind of plates are worth; truly a work of art. ?

[Dodgeed]

23 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

 

 

I had the same experience snagging a couple plates out of Bahrain when there....they did not understand the wall art aspect at first...I don't collect tags, have a few  hanging here and there in the barn however...

 

I see a few parking violations ongoing in your garage/shop

Only a few??! You should look closer ?

[lonejacklarry]

I decided I needed a '37 Missouri plate for my '37 Chevrolet project when I bought the car.  Missouri, like most other states, has a year of manufacture license plate program.  I found one and got it assigned to the car.  I was happy!

 

Then I decided that I needed to collect more US and Canada '37 plates for some reason.  At this point I have 40 US plates, 7 Canadian plates, and the District of Columbia.

 

It never ends, I guess.

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

1 hour ago, Dodgeed said:

Only a few??! You should look closer ?

 

I was mainly looking at the two NO PARKING signs and the vehicle in front of each one.....

[Brent B3B]

I have a few license plates, I don’t really collect them, But I do enjoy leaving Oregon license plate at forum members houses when I visit them ?

[busycoupe]

Not really a collection .. Some are from my vehicles, the NC plate I used when we lived there, the motorcycle plates are all from my bikes, regretfully not a full set. The old Massachuetts plates in center are some my father in law found at a yard sale.

[Dan Hiebert]

The oldest plate I have is a 1924 New Mexico.  The State of NM was only 12 years old when it was new.

[iowa51]

I have a pair of Iowa YOM plates for every one of my old cars. Plus pairs for most years from the late 50s to the mid 80s as I never know what I might acquire next. However, the newer old cars have the same 3 letters/3 numbers combination as the current state of Iowa plates so I cannot use them on those cars