Anyone here collect old license plates? - UPDATED

[jnewkirk77]

Hi, everybody! I was working on my website this evening and thought I would share it with all of you. I've been collecting license plates since I was six years old (that was in 1983) and at one point had nearly 1,000 plates before I started scaling back the collection last year.

As of now, I have an Indiana plate from every year 1913-on ('13 being the first year the state actually issued the plates themselves instead of having motorists make their own) with the exception of 2006 and 2008 (my brother will be providing me with his '08 plate in July when he gets one of the oh-so-bland new ones ...).

I also have Kansas plates (the Mrs. is a Kansas native) from 1960 on and a few Kentucky plates as well. Yeah, I live in the Bluegrass State, but I just haven't gotten "into" Kentucky plates like I did Indiana ... I was born and raised a Hoosier and will always consider myself one, I suppose!

Anyway, if you're interested, here's my website:

http://www.tinyurl.com/b3j9

Check it out and lemme know whatcha think. It's been almost four years since I started the site, and it's been a lot of fun to play with.

Jacob Newkirk - Owensboro, KY

Currently driving an '87 Ford F-150, but I dream of having a Hawk one day. Don't we all?

[8E45E]

quote:Originally posted by jnewkirk77
Check it out and lemme know whatcha think. It's been almost four years since I started the site, and it's been a lot of fun to play with.

Do you have any Indiana 'MFR' plates? The would have been issued to Studebaker, Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg, and probably still to Navistar, and Subaru for use on brand new vehicles.

Craig

[8E45E]

quote:Originally posted by jnewkirk77
Check it out and lemme know whatcha think. It's been almost four years since I started the site, and it's been a lot of fun to play with.

Do you have any Indiana 'MFR' plates? The would have been issued to Studebaker, Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg, and probably still to Navistar, and Subaru for use on brand new vehicles.

Craig

[jnewkirk77]

I wish ... and don't you know I've looked! I've often wondered what Studebaker did with their plates every year; I know they used plates that started with 997M (and sometimes 996M) ... and when they were still in business in SB they used regular dealer plates, based on the pics I've seen through the years, as Indiana evidently didn't issue manufacturer's plates back then. If they did, I've not seen 'em.

I know in some of the old magazines, you'll sometimes see one of the plates on Studebakers, especially if the road tests were conducted at the Proving Ground. I seem to recall seeing #997M80 somewhere in one of my books, on a '56 GH if memory serves. I'm looking at the "Cheap Wheels" Scotsman article in the Oct. '01 Collectible Automobile, and the blue wagon has 1957 plate number 997M25. At the bottom, it clearly reads "DEALER-NEW".

Today, the manufacturers with a presence in Indiana (Toyota, Subaru, and others) are issued MFG DLR (manufacturer's dealer? delivery?) plates formatted like regular dealer plates, but a couple of years ago, Indiana started phasing out the M-format plates and going with six numbers with a letter at the end.

Jacob Newkirk - Owensboro, KY

Currently driving an '87 Ford F-150, but I dream of having a Hawk one day. Don't we all?

[jnewkirk77]

I wish ... and don't you know I've looked! I've often wondered what Studebaker did with their plates every year; I know they used plates that started with 997M (and sometimes 996M) ... and when they were still in business in SB they used regular dealer plates, based on the pics I've seen through the years, as Indiana evidently didn't issue manufacturer's plates back then. If they did, I've not seen 'em.

I know in some of the old magazines, you'll sometimes see one of the plates on Studebakers, especially if the road tests were conducted at the Proving Ground. I seem to recall seeing #997M80 somewhere in one of my books, on a '56 GH if memory serves. I'm looking at the "Cheap Wheels" Scotsman article in the Oct. '01 Collectible Automobile, and the blue wagon has 1957 plate number 997M25. At the bottom, it clearly reads "DEALER-NEW".

Today, the manufacturers with a presence in Indiana (Toyota, Subaru, and others) are issued MFG DLR (manufacturer's dealer? delivery?) plates formatted like regular dealer plates, but a couple of years ago, Indiana started phasing out the M-format plates and going with six numbers with a letter at the end.

Jacob Newkirk - Owensboro, KY

Currently driving an '87 Ford F-150, but I dream of having a Hawk one day. Don't we all?

[Swifster]

Hi Jacob,

While I've always found license plates to be interesting, I didn't start collecting plates until I bought my Michigan YOM plates a few years ago. So far I've just limited my collection to an uncompleted 1964 (my) birth year run, a Michigan run, and a recent florida run. I was able to locate an unused '64 Indiana plate on Ebay a few years ago. I'm also starting to get a strong interest in WWII plates.

I joined the ALPCA last year, and just renewed the membership for '08. It doesn't hurt that the President of the ALPCA lives in St. Petersburg and he hosts a large regional show/meet every January. This year it's on the 19th.


As Jacob mentioned, it looks like Indiana's dealer plates were also the manufacture plate. Jacob is very modest in that the few plates shown for dealer/manufacture plates on the ALPCA website are his. I'd love to find a '63 manufacture's plate for display on the Daytona.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom - Valrico, FL

1964 Studebaker Daytona - 289 4V, 4-Speed (Cost To Date: $1755.45)

[Swifster]

Hi Jacob,

While I've always found license plates to be interesting, I didn't start collecting plates until I bought my Michigan YOM plates a few years ago. So far I've just limited my collection to an uncompleted 1964 (my) birth year run, a Michigan run, and a recent florida run. I was able to locate an unused '64 Indiana plate on Ebay a few years ago. I'm also starting to get a strong interest in WWII plates.

I joined the ALPCA last year, and just renewed the membership for '08. It doesn't hurt that the President of the ALPCA lives in St. Petersburg and he hosts a large regional show/meet every January. This year it's on the 19th.


As Jacob mentioned, it looks like Indiana's dealer plates were also the manufacture plate. Jacob is very modest in that the few plates shown for dealer/manufacture plates on the ALPCA website are his. I'd love to find a '63 manufacture's plate for display on the Daytona.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom - Valrico, FL

1964 Studebaker Daytona - 289 4V, 4-Speed (Cost To Date: $1755.45)

[jnewkirk77]

Thanks, Tom! I don't often "blow my own horn," but yes, I have contributed several images and as much information as I could find to ALPCA over the years. I had to let my membership lapse, as finances have been tight since I can no longer work due to my disability. I'm hopeful that the Social (in)Security folks quit yanking my chain soon and I'll finally get what I paid in all those years for.

Sorry to go off-topic there, but if only I had the $$$, I could park the rusty old Ford and put myself into a halfway-decent Stude ... and start rebuilding my plate collection, too! It's been a lot of fun over the years.

Until last year, I had all 50 states, D.C., Guam and Puerto Rico plates. I sold that run on eBay and did pretty well. I'm still selling some excess plates ... seems like I just keep finding them around here!

I still have one from Germany, one from Victoria (Australia), and a couple of rare Indiana plates from my home county (Spencer County), which everyone I talked to in ALPCA swore only used the SP county code prefix from 1950 to 1962. I dug up all the supporting evidence I could find that "SQ" Spencer County plates existed, but could never find a decent one ... until three years ago. I now have TWO of them, a '61 and a '62, both with the same number!

My collection is actually an extension of my late grandfather's, as he kept all of his old ones when they'd expire. He had the same number, 2400 (first as SP 2400, later as 74A2400), for 53 years. When he was still alive, and Mom (and later my wife, Ginger) would complain that I had too many plates, I'd just laugh, point at Grandpa and say, "He started it!" [)] My stepgrandmother was my biggest contributor, though. When she and Grandpa got married in '90, she gave me plates from 1915 to 1969 that her ex-father-in-law had hung carefully in his barn. I've restored most of those, which probably limits their value, but I don't look at them as an investment.

I do still have some good contacts for decent plates and am always willing to hunt down YOM plates if anyone needs the help. My personal opinion is that Indiana plates always look good on Studes even if you live outside the Hoosier State!

[jnewkirk77]

Thanks, Tom! I don't often "blow my own horn," but yes, I have contributed several images and as much information as I could find to ALPCA over the years. I had to let my membership lapse, as finances have been tight since I can no longer work due to my disability. I'm hopeful that the Social (in)Security folks quit yanking my chain soon and I'll finally get what I paid in all those years for.

Sorry to go off-topic there, but if only I had the $$$, I could park the rusty old Ford and put myself into a halfway-decent Stude ... and start rebuilding my plate collection, too! It's been a lot of fun over the years.

Until last year, I had all 50 states, D.C., Guam and Puerto Rico plates. I sold that run on eBay and did pretty well. I'm still selling some excess plates ... seems like I just keep finding them around here!

I still have one from Germany, one from Victoria (Australia), and a couple of rare Indiana plates from my home county (Spencer County), which everyone I talked to in ALPCA swore only used the SP county code prefix from 1950 to 1962. I dug up all the supporting evidence I could find that "SQ" Spencer County plates existed, but could never find a decent one ... until three years ago. I now have TWO of them, a '61 and a '62, both with the same number!

My collection is actually an extension of my late grandfather's, as he kept all of his old ones when they'd expire. He had the same number, 2400 (first as SP 2400, later as 74A2400), for 53 years. When he was still alive, and Mom (and later my wife, Ginger) would complain that I had too many plates, I'd just laugh, point at Grandpa and say, "He started it!" [)] My stepgrandmother was my biggest contributor, though. When she and Grandpa got married in '90, she gave me plates from 1915 to 1969 that her ex-father-in-law had hung carefully in his barn. I've restored most of those, which probably limits their value, but I don't look at them as an investment.

I do still have some good contacts for decent plates and am always willing to hunt down YOM plates if anyone needs the help. My personal opinion is that Indiana plates always look good on Studes even if you live outside the Hoosier State!

[Swifster]

Because my 1964 collection is only standard passenger cars, I've had a few restored as well. Until I find a matched pair of $$$Northwest Territories$$$ plates, I doubt this collection will ever be considered 'high dollar' . As mentioned, some plates I've bought (CO, IN, KS, VA) were unissued plates, and will be left as is. Others, such as my AL plate, will attempt to be upgraded with plates that better show the reflectoization. Many collectors just get a single plate for a given year, but I usually try to get matched pairs for my runs if they came that way.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom - Valrico, FL

1964 Studebaker Daytona - 289 4V, 4-Speed (Cost To Date: $1755.45)

[Swifster]

Because my 1964 collection is only standard passenger cars, I've had a few restored as well. Until I find a matched pair of $$$Northwest Territories$$$ plates, I doubt this collection will ever be considered 'high dollar' . As mentioned, some plates I've bought (CO, IN, KS, VA) were unissued plates, and will be left as is. Others, such as my AL plate, will attempt to be upgraded with plates that better show the reflectoization. Many collectors just get a single plate for a given year, but I usually try to get matched pairs for my runs if they came that way.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom - Valrico, FL

1964 Studebaker Daytona - 289 4V, 4-Speed (Cost To Date: $1755.45)

[jnewkirk77]

The one unissued plate I'm probably proudest of is my '63 IN truck plate. Should I ever find a '63 Champ, you can be sure it'll grace the front of the truck, even if I do live in Kentucky! If you haven't yet done so, check out the truck plate page and you can see my '85 "goof" truck plate ... some wiseacre at the the plate plant (which used to be at the Ind. State Prison in Michigan City, not sure if it's still there) used an "I" die instead of a "1". When I attended the ALPCA Southern Indiana meet about three years ago, one of the guys had four or five of them with the same problem, so I traded for it.

I think my favorite thing about Indiana plates is how it sometimes seems like the inmates were just slapping things together, especially toward the end of the stamped-plate era (IN is a completely flat-plate state now). The last IN plate I had before I moved here was stamped with dies from at least three different die sets. It looked plenty strange up close!

[jnewkirk77]

The one unissued plate I'm probably proudest of is my '63 IN truck plate. Should I ever find a '63 Champ, you can be sure it'll grace the front of the truck, even if I do live in Kentucky! If you haven't yet done so, check out the truck plate page and you can see my '85 "goof" truck plate ... some wiseacre at the the plate plant (which used to be at the Ind. State Prison in Michigan City, not sure if it's still there) used an "I" die instead of a "1". When I attended the ALPCA Southern Indiana meet about three years ago, one of the guys had four or five of them with the same problem, so I traded for it.

I think my favorite thing about Indiana plates is how it sometimes seems like the inmates were just slapping things together, especially toward the end of the stamped-plate era (IN is a completely flat-plate state now). The last IN plate I had before I moved here was stamped with dies from at least three different die sets. It looked plenty strange up close!

[fpstude]

I've been working on a collection of every year for California, which started in 1914 for state issued plates. Here is part of the collection. In 1944 California only issued a window sticker, which is displayed in a dealer frame. Our '23 Studebaker has an original '44 sticker on the front window along with a gas ration sticker. The '50 plates are a YOM pair that are registered for our business coupe. A photo of the '50 is shown in John's thread on business coupes.





Perry
'23 Special Six,
'50 Business Champ,
'50 Starlight Champ,
'60 Lark droptop,
'63 GT R1

[fpstude]

I've been working on a collection of every year for California, which started in 1914 for state issued plates. Here is part of the collection. In 1944 California only issued a window sticker, which is displayed in a dealer frame. Our '23 Studebaker has an original '44 sticker on the front window along with a gas ration sticker. The '50 plates are a YOM pair that are registered for our business coupe. A photo of the '50 is shown in John's thread on business coupes.





Perry
'23 Special Six,
'50 Business Champ,
'50 Starlight Champ,
'60 Lark droptop,
'63 GT R1