Jacob's License Plate Blog

This site will no longer be updated

2012-01-13T11:30:00.000-08:00

Because of my time commitment to my TV and radio website, Jake's DTV Blog, and writing newspaper columns, this site will no longer be updated.

Everything that's here, however, will remain as an archive for your information and enjoyment.

No more generic veteran plates for Indiana: New military branch plates to roll out in '12

2011-11-09T13:28:00.000-08:00

Indiana's new military plates (Indianapolis Star photo)

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels unveiled five new license plates today that will replace the long-running Hoosier Veteran plate.

Veterans of each of the five branches of the armed forces will be able, for an extra $15, to obtain a plate with the seal of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard beginning in 2012. The $15 fee will benefit the state's Military Family Relief Fund.

In addition, veterans can get a "V" on their driver's license on their next renewal.

The Indianapolis Star has the whole story.

Indiana to release 10 new specialty plates

2011-06-14T10:40:00.000-07:00

Indianapolis CBS affiliate WISH-TV reports today that Indiana motorists will have 10 new specialty license plates to choose from in 2012. Photos are not yet available, but the plates and the programs they will fund are:

Ducks Unlimited, Inc. — wetland conservation
Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police Foundation — education and training programs
Indiana Motor Truck Association — safer motoring environment
Indiana Patriot Guard Riders — care packages to deployed troops
Indiana Soccer — soccer outreach programs in the state
Indiana Youth Institute — support for community program
Indiana University Health — Methodist Health Foundation
Indianapolis Zoological Society, Inc. — animal food stock and medicine
Marine Foundation of Indiana, Inc. — scholarships, Toys for Tots and Young Marines
Tony Stewart Foundation — grants to Indiana non-profit groups

The new plates will bring the total of specialty editions available to 99. Is that too many? Not enough? What do you think?

It's coming, Kentucky: A new "I Care About Kids" plate

2011-04-14T20:53:00.000-07:00

Kentucky Attorney General's Office image

Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway unveiled Kentucky's newest license plate today ... well, actually, it's a redesign of a plate that's been around for the last decade or so.

The "I Care About Kids" plate, the proceeds from which benefit Kentucky's Child Victims' Trust Fund (CVTF), now has the CVTF name and crayons on the right side of the plate, replacing the child-like drawing of kids that we're used to. It's not an exciting plate, but it does support a worthy cause.

The Attorney General's press release follows the jump.

Attorney General Jack Conway is pleased to announce a newly designed 'I Care About Kids' license plate in Kentucky. Proceeds from the sale of the license plate will go to the Child Victims' Trust Fund (CVTF) to assist in funding child sexual abuse prevention programs and to help offset the portion of child sexual abuse medical exam expenses not covered by private insurance or Medicaid.

"When it's time to renew your car tags, please consider purchasing our redesigned 'I Care About Kids' license plate," said General Conway, chairman of the Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Prevention Board, which oversees the CVTF. "The proceeds from these license plates help fund programs that are truly making a difference for Kentucky's most vulnerable children. With your assistance, we can help keep Kentucky families safe."

Nationally, rates regarding child victims of rape or sexual assault range from 1.2 to 1.9 children per 1,000. Approximately one-third of all sexual assaults reported to law enforcement involved a victim under the age of 12, and it's estimated that only one in 10 victims of sexual abuse ever discloses the abuse.

"Children who have been sexually abused are more likely to abuse alcohol and are 3.8 times more likely to develop drug addictions," said General Conway. "The consequences of child sexual abuse are significant and can last a lifetime."

The new "I Care About Kids" license plate is expected to be available this summer and can be purchased through local county clerk's offices.

Kentuckians can also support child sexual abuse prevention initiatives through private donations or through the Kentucky Income Tax Refund Check-Off. For more information on the CSAEP Board and Child Victims' Trust Fund, visit http://ag.ky.gov/cvtf.

Kentucky's new "In God We Trust" plate not terribly popular ... yet

2011-03-27T13:24:00.000-07:00

When Kentucky introduced its new "In God We Trust" license plate at the beginning of the year, the barely-changed design (compared to the standard "Unbridled Spirit" issue) led me to wonder if it would be as popular as the prettier design of Indiana's plate.

Evidently it isn't.

I realize it's only late March, but since January, I've seen a grand total of THREE of the new plates, and I live in the fourth-largest city in Kentucky. Meanwhile, I've seen countless newly-issued "Unbridled Spirit" plates.

Cost isn't the problem; the new plates are no more expensive (at $21 plus the usual taxes and fees) than their counterparts, so I have to wonder: Why is this plate not selling better?

I have my suspicions ... but what do YOU think???

Indiana license branches won't have your plates and stickers in the new year

2010-12-30T14:19:00.000-08:00

When the time comes for you to trudge down to your friendly local license branch in Indiana in 2011, don't expect to walk out with your shiny new license plate or your 2012 sticker.

The branches won't have them.

Evansville Fox affiliate WTVW reports today that the BMV will begin mailing all of those items from a central location (presumably in Indianapolis) after the first of the year.

Many motorists already renew online or by mail anyway, the Bureau says, so the move makes sense.

Driver's licenses are already issued this way.

Another new look for Indiana's truck plates?

2010-12-29T17:10:00.000-08:00

Indiana BMV image

I've been looking at pictures of Indiana's new crop of license plates for 2011 (which can be found on the BMV's website), and one caught my eye.

It appears that truck plates are changing to the same numbering format as regular passenger plates. Well, at least it looks that way from the picture.

But maybe it'll be different once the plates actually hit the road. Maybe. And maybe they'll center the numbers and letters.

Or maybe they'll put the letters "TK" in front of the number.

Maybe.

Oh, and speaking of letters in front of the numbers on plates (which I told you about some months ago) here's the list of the ones I know now:

D - Disabled

DF & DH - Disabled Veteran

F - Farm

M - Motorcycle

PH - Purple Heart

R - RV

SP - Semi trailer, permanent

SE - Semi trailer, non-permanent

TR - Trailer

I'll add to this list as I see others, of course.

Kentucky trusts God ... enough to give Him a really lame license plate

2010-12-29T11:42:00.000-08:00

Lexington Herald-Leader image

When it came time to put God on their license plates, Indiana and Oklahoma at least had the decency to put the Lord's name on a good-looking plate.

Kentucky just phoned it in.

The Bluegrass State's new "In God We Trust" plate, which goes on sale in January 2011, looks little different from the standard "Unbridled Spirit" issue that debuted five years ago. That slogan and its horse-headed logo still grace the plate, albeit in much-smaller form.

One would think that a state that's willing to give tens of millions of dollars in tax breaks to a bunch of religious nuts for a Noah's Ark theme park would be willing to give the King of Kings and Lord of Lords a little more respect than His name on a retreaded design.

But if one does think that, one would be wrong.

There is good news, though: Like their neighbors to the north, Kentuckians who want to share their trust in the Almighty won't have to pay more for the privilege. Both the standard and IGWT plates will cost you $21 plus applicable taxes and fees.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

2010-07-13T01:20:00.000-07:00

Recently, the Oklahoma Tax Commission issued a new plate, and I figured it would be a striking design, especially given the beauty of the Sooner State's standard issue.

Oh, it's striking all right. Strikingly similar, that is.

The new "In God We Trust" plate is nearly identical to the one Indiana issues!

Sure, the font for the "In God" slogan differs, and naturally it says Oklahoma instead of Indiana on it, but the inspiration is clear.

My 13-year-old daughter -- the artist in the family -- also tells me that the blue-to-flag background images of the two plates are nearly identical.

Anyone have an idea as to why they're so strikingly similar?

More new Indiana special plates coming in 2011

2010-06-01T15:08:00.000-07:00

UPDATE, JUNE 2: Beginning with this crop of new specialty plates, all special-recognition (or group) plates will be made with a white background, the group's logo to the left, and a "tag line" on the bottom of each plate where a slogan or the group's name will be located.

The Indiana BMV announced 11 new specialty plates for 2011 today (which brings the total to somewhere around 7,236, I guess ... oh, I'm just kidding ...). I don't have pictures of the new plates yet, but here's a list (you can read the whole story at the Indianapolis Star):

National Rifle Association
Bicycle Indiana
Wild Turkey Habitat
Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at St. Vincent
Spay-Neuter Services of Indiana
Greenways Foundation
Indiana Sheriff's Association
Indiana Youth Institute
Stop Diabetes
Donate Life Indiana
Indiana Teamsters

The new plates will cost $40, with $25 of that going to the respective organizations, in addition to the normal taxes and fees.

Kentucky makes a minor change

2010-05-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

Here in Kentucky, changes to license plates in the middle of a cycle don't happen too often, so when they happen, it's something to write about.

When the current "Unbridled Spirit" plate hit the JC* series (on passenger plates), the state switched to new, narrower stamping dies that were first rolled out for special-issue plates.

That was change enough for some people, but this year there are even more changes:

The reflective sheeting, once supplied by 3M, is now being supplied by another company -- we believe it's Avery Dennison, although we're not 100% sure on that -- and if past experience in other states is any indication, the plates won't last as long.
The light blue at the bottom of each plate is brighter now, again, probably because of the switch in sheeting suppliers.
County stickers (on passenger plates, not pictured here) have been changed to appear more like the ones made for the 1998-2003 cloud base, although they are still white on blue. However, they are not holding up well, tending to peel around the edges (or more) after as little as two or three months exposed to ... well ... air.

Indiana Municipal plates

2010-04-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

Vehicles owned by a city or town, county or other local agency are licensed with Municipal plates in Indiana. Up until a few years ago, there were a variety of different plates that served this function, but it's simpler to just make one type, so here we are.

I created the image of the Municipal plate at left on my computer. It is pretty close to accurate (as far as I can remember), but as soon as I can get a better shot of one, I'll post that in its place. Oh, and if you click to see the image in full size, I have NO idea where the "horns" came from on the "M" in MUNICIPAL. The antiquated software I use sometimes does that.

More on Indiana's new unique plate numbering system

2010-03-22T15:06:00.000-07:00

UPDATE, APRIL 29: I'm late getting this posted, but I saw a couple of new farm truck plates last weekend, and they are now green on white, with numbers in the F123AB format. I didn't get one number, but the other one I can confirm was F717BT.

UPDATE, APRIL 10: Motorcycle plates, also once all-numeric, are now also being reissued with new numbers; apparently they are all starting with "M," with M284D verifiable as seen here.

To answer one question that I have been asked, it appears truck plates are being left alone. They are all-numeric, but as there are more of those than the types being replaced, my gut feeling is that their numbering system won't be changed -- if it gets changed at all -- until the next regular reissue beginning in 2013.

UPDATE, MARCH 28: Standard trailer plates are also being replaced with plates having a new numbering system. I saw one today but was unable to get its entire number (I was practically past it before I even noticed it on the highway). The plates, which have blue letters and numbers on a white background, have a "TR123ABC" serial format.

I'm getting more details on Indiana's new unique plate numbering system, including one plate type that most of us probably don't think too much about: Semi trailers.

Spotters who've reported in at licenseplates.cc say that there are still two varieties of semi trailer plates, one which is revalidated annually and the other which is permanent.

Those with annual expirations are numbered in the following format: SE123ABC
Permanent plates are numbered as follows: SP123ABC

I've yet to see any of the new plates on the road, but I'm sure I will before too long.

In other news, the Indianapolis Star reported last week that all plates which are getting new numbering formats will be replaced by the end of this year. Those will include RV, handicap and most other numeric-only plates.

Those specialty plates which have small, stacked letters (which is most of them) will be replaced in 2011.

Year decals, 1982-2011

2010-03-17T17:53:00.000-07:00

For your convenience and enjoyment, I've created a guide to Indiana's year decals, beginning with the first in 1982 and continuing through the new 2011 decal.

From 1982 to 1992, the word "PASS" is repeated twelve times behind the two-digit year; all this means, simply, is "PASSENGER." Different decals (usually with different color schemes) were created for RV plates, handicap plates and other varieties. Unfortunately, those are now so rare that I have no idea what they look like.

There were actually two styles of decals used for 1998; both were black on deep yellow, although the earlier style was laid out more like the 1995-97 versions. Later decals were numbered to match the plate.

As noted in the image, year decals were used in 1999, 2004 and 2009 ONLY on specialty plates, and that wasn't even universal in those years.

Indiana making all plate numbers unique, dropping small letters on specialty plates

2010-03-17T09:28:00.000-07:00

Evansville ABC affiliate NEWS25 (WEHT-TV) reports today that the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles is moving to make all license plate numbers unique. Presently a number can appear on several different types of plates, which has caused confusion among law enforcement personnel.

In addition, specialty plates will lose their small letters, as I told you earlier this year.

Examples of the new plate numbering schemes are pictured.

INDIANA LICENSE PLATE HISTORY TIDBIT #3 -- The story of the 1980 George Rogers Clark plate

2010-03-03T15:14:00.000-08:00

The history of the George Rogers Clark plate is pretty much ... well, lost to history. But its story is pretty neat, and worth retelling.

Issued in 1979, the Clark plate was the result of Indiana's first contest to design a license plate. An article in the March 12, 1978 Evansville Sunday Courier & Press reported that 92 entries were received by state officials, who eventually chose the design submitted by William George Clark (a man with no known relation to George Rogers Clark), a retired toolmaker from Economy, Indiana.

Unlike more recent plate-design contests, Clark did receive a monetary award -- $100 -- and the number 1979 on his own plate. Nowadays, winners get just a smile and maybe a handshake.

The 1978 article also explained that the rustic "Hoosier State" plate, which was first issued in 1981, had already been designed, but it was pushed back a year. It had originally been intended to break cover in 1980. That plate was the first in Indiana since 1955 to be used for more than one year.

INDIANA LICENSE PLATE HISTORY TIDBIT #2 -- Why plates ending in "9" and "0" were in high demand in '69

2010-03-01T17:22:00.000-08:00

During the first week of January 1969, vehicle owners flocked to their nearest license branch, demanding plate numbers ending in "9" and "0," a phenomenon never seen before or since.

Why the sudden burning desire to have one of those two numbers?

Credit is due Indiana's then-new and long since repealed vehicle safety inspection law, which determined when a vehicle had to be inspected by the last digit of the license plate number.

You can read the Jan. 2, 1969 article from the now-defunct Evansville Press for the full details, but here's how it played out:

Motorists whose plates ended with "1" or "2" had to get their inspection done on or before March 31.
Plates ending in "3," "4" and "5" were due on April 30.
Plates ending in "6," "7" and "8" had to be inspected by May 31.
Finally, the "9" and "0" plates were due by June 30.

So there you go. The "9" and "0" plates were popular among procrastinators!

And now you know ... the rest of the story!

NEXT TIME: Find out the history behind the 1980 Indiana license plate which honored George Rogers Clark. I'll even give you the name of the plate's designer!

INDIANA LICENSE PLATE HISTORY TIDBIT #1 -- How the 1963 switch to county numbers almost didn't work out

2010-02-28T03:36:00.000-08:00

In June 1962, the then-commissioner of Indiana's Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Allen Nutting, announced that the state's 1963 plates would be all-numeric, with either the first digit or first two digits determining the county in which a particular plate was issued.

But we know today that there were no all-numeric plates issued for 1963.

There's a reason for that.

According to an article in the June 19, 1962 Evansville Press, Nutting backpedaled on the all-numeric plate idea because, when the punch cards were run through the bureau's rudimentary computers, the machines couldn't distinguish between the numbers 5 2345 (a plate meant for Blackford County) and 52 345 (a plate to be issued in Miami County).

It didn't take a machine to figure out that wasn't going to work.

Thus the bureau added what they called "an alphabetical branch prefix" -- a letter -- between the county number and the plate number. In Spencer County, that meant plates issued at the Rockport branch began with "74A" and those issued at the Dale branch began with "74B."

And now you know a little more about Indiana plate history than you did before.

NEXT TIME: Find out why plates ending with "9" and "0" were hot commodities in Indiana in 1969!

A sighting ...

2010-02-02T02:22:00.000-08:00

Last night, while I was out running errands, I found myself behind a new Chrysler Town & Country bearing a new 2010 Kentucky dealer plate.

What caught my eye about the plate was the new dies. Until this year, Kentucky's dealer plates had continued to use the type of dies first used in late 1962, but now it appears that eventually all Kentucky plate types will be changed over to the dies introduced in 2008.

I find it interesting that the 1962-style dies lasted for 48 years, while the other "new" dies, first used in 1988, were phased out after 20.

A few more new ones from around the country that have caught my eye

2010-01-31T15:22:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more new plate designs that you'll be seeing on the roads this year:

The Kansas "KU FANS" plate at right is the state's new vanity (sometimes called personalized) plate design, which will be issued through 2015.

The New Mexico Centennial plate (center right) is New Mexico's new standard plate, which marks the upcoming 100th anniversary of statehood.

The Tulsa Zoo plate from Oklahoma (bottom right) is an optional plate, the proceeds from which benefit the zoo.

New special-issue plates for 2010

2010-01-09T07:51:00.000-08:00

Indiana has a few new special-issue plates for 2010 (they'll be dated "11," as their first expiration will come in 2011). You'll note that unlike other special plates, these are numbered in an AA9999 format, but without the stacked letters, which many find difficult to read at a distance.

I've got images of the new plates at left, and they are, in order of appearance:

EARLHAM COLLEGE
This plate benefits the Richmond college that was founded by the Quakers in 1847. Its additional cost includes a $25 group fee and a $15 administrative fee.
May be used on cars, motorcycles, trucks to 11,000 pounds, and RVs.

GOLD STAR FAMILY

The Gold Star Family plate is available to spouses, parents, siblings and children of those who died while serving in the military, including all those on active duty, in the Reserves or the National Guard. Family members are required to submit a DD1300 form from the Department of Defense, but there are no additional fees for this plate; only standard registration fees and taxes apply.

May be used on cars, trucks up to 11,000 pounds, and RVs.

POW-MIA

The Prisoner Of War-Missing In Action license plate was sponsored by Indiana Rolling Thunder. It honors all Hoosier veterans who are missing in action or listed as prisoners of war. Proceeds from this plate go to the Veterans Assistance Trust Fund established by the General Assembly in 2007 to assist veterans and their families in times of financial hardship. In addition to standard fees and taxes, this plate has a $25 group fee and an administrative fee of $15.

May be used on cars, motorcycles, trucks to 11,000 pounds, and RVs.

INDIANA BLOOD CENTER

This plate -- as you'd expect, given its name -- benefits the Indiana Blood Center. An additional charge of $25 for the IBC and $15 for administrative fees applies.

May be used on cars, motorcycles, trucks to 11,000 pounds, and RVs.

INCASA ("End Violence Together")

The End Violence Together plate benefits the Indiana Coalition Against Sexual Assault. It carries a $25 group fee and a $15 administrative fee.

May be used on cars, motorcycles, trucks to 11,000 pounds, and RVs.

AUTISM AWARENESS

Proceeds from this plate benefit the Autism Society of America in Indiana. As with the other organizations' plates, this plate has a $25 group fee and a $15 administrative fee.

May be used on cars, motorcycles, trucks to 11,000 pounds, and RVs.

UPDATED: Making some changes

2010-01-08T21:39:00.000-08:00

Indiana has evidently changed the numbering system for some plates beginning this year.

The BMV's website shows a new format for disabled, disabled veteran and RV plates beginning with the 2011 expiration cycle. Until this year, those plate types were on a straight numeric system. Now, however, it looks like plate numbers will be laid out as shown in the images at left.

It'll be a few months before I see any RV plates around, as we won't start traveling through Indiana in our rig until late March at the very earliest. Disabled plates should already be filtering out.

Interestingly, the samples shown have the "11" year on the plate itself, not as a sticker. It remains to be seen if that's going to be the case in the field.

One other note: These plates, as well as the new POW-MIA and Gold Star Family plates now reaching license branches, all display the recycled symbol I mentioned a few months ago.

Truck plates 1994-2008: Changes

2010-01-04T02:43:00.000-08:00

Beginning with the 1994 issue (released in 1993), Indiana finally went to a five-year plate replacement cycle for trucks.

The only downside to this is that truck plates tend to get the living daylights beaten out of them, so after five years, they're sometimes pretty rough-looking.

Style notes to mention: The state name resembles that used on the 1994-98 "Amber Waves of Grain" plate.

Beginning with the 2004-08 issue, truck plates began to follow their passenger counterparts in going flat, although most early plates were still stamped. My gut feeling is that it's going to be very difficult to find flat truck plates that are worth saving after five years. They're so thin and flimsy that I can't imagine them holding up that long.

Truck plates 1986-93

2009-12-30T00:47:00.000-08:00

1986 brought the first major design change to Indiana's truck plates in nearly 20 years. The state abbreviation, weight class and two-digit year were all crammed above the plate number, and a new, wide county sticker graced the area at the bottom of the plate.

Month stickers finally became commonplace in 1986 as well; indeed, my dad's plate got two of them: One in the upper left-hand corner (where it was supposed to be) and another in the lower left-hand corner. Oops.

This design wouldn't have the staying power of the 1966-85 era; indeed, it would only last until 1993, and then only because the state finally crammed six digits and a small weight class letter at the end, at least on the 7,000-lb. plates

Truck plates 1980-85

2009-12-30T00:39:00.000-08:00

If you look closely at the pictures at left, you'll immediately notice that there is no 1981 plate. Right?

Wrong.

On Feb. 28, 1981, the 1980 plate expired, and the 1982 plate was issued, as Indiana finally included trucks in the staggered registration system. However, since the corner boxes were still around, there was no good place to put a month sticker.

The corner boxes went away with the 1984 issue, enabling the use of month stickers, but most license branches didn't bother putting them on the plates. Occasionally you'll find an example, but the majority of the ones I've seen are '85 issues.

One interesting note about the '85 plate pictured: For whatever reason, the inmate running the embossing machine put in an "I" die instead of a "1." This happened on quite a few plates. The one pictured was never issued, but several were.

Finally, even though passenger plates went to a multi-year replacement schedule in 1981 (with the 1982 "Hoosier State" issue), trucks would retain yearly plates for a while longer.

Truck plates 1970-79

2009-12-30T00:33:00.000-08:00

You may recall that passenger car and certain other plates in Indiana began expiring on a staggered basis with the 1970-71 issue. However, the new registration system wasn't applied to trucks until much later. That's why things get a little interesting beginning with the '70 issue. It actually expired on Feb. 28, 1971, and so on.

Color schemes continued to match each year's passenger plate until 1977, when passenger cars got the first in a long line of new graphic designs.

The embossed corner boxes introduced in 1967 continued in that form until 1974, when they were squared off.

You may also notice that the state abbreviation and year traded places with the weight class indicator until 1975. Beginning in 1976, the abbreviation and year moved to the top and remained there for the rest of the decade and beyond.

Truck plates 1967-69

2009-12-30T00:25:00.000-08:00

Beginning in 1967, Indiana's truck plates continued the basic format established in '66, but changing colors along with the passenger plates. Through 1969, the weight classes established in 1957 continued. However, after '69, the 4,000-lb. class would be discontinued as most trucks were well over that limit.

Indiana truck plates, 1966: The stage is set

2009-12-30T00:21:00.000-08:00

Beginning in 1966, Indiana's truck plates finally caught up to their passenger car brethren, being fully reflectorized for the first time.

The word "TRUCK" was no longer embossed alongside the plate number, but above it, along with the weight class. On passenger plates for '66, you may recall that, with Indiana celebrating its sesquicentennial, the "150th YEAR" slogan appeared up top.

Indiana truck plates, moving into the modern era (1950-1965)

2009-12-30T00:16:00.000-08:00

Beginning in 1950, Indiana's truck plates began to look a little more modern, even though plates numbered higher than 99999 -- were wider than standard plates.

The word "TRUCK" was embossed in stacked, squat letters to the left of the number.

Beginning in 1957, plates were divided into weight classes, with "A"-suffix plates signifying a 4,000-lb. gross-weight-rated truck (yes, some trucks were that light back then), and a "D"-suffix plate (as shown at left) signifying a larger, 16,000-lb. GVWR truck. Prior to '57, when weight classes were signified at all, it was done through the sporadic use of weight tax plates that were usually attached to the main plate.

Color schemes were identical in all of these years to passenger and other plates.

The 1951 and 1954 plates were revalidated in 1952, 1953 and 1955 through the use of numbered strips, as on passenger cars.

Unlike most 1964 plates, however, 1964 truck plates were not issued with reflectorized numbers. This would wait until 1965.

Indiana truck plates, the early years (1920-1949)

2009-12-29T23:58:00.000-08:00

Indiana didn't begin issuing truck-specific license plates until 1920. From 1920 to 1949, the only difference between passenger car and truck plates was the truck plates' "T" prefix. In 1921, the "TRUCK" prefix was used, but for whatever reason, the state returned to "T" in 1922.

Pictured are 1926, 1937, 1947 and 1949 plates.

A new look

2009-11-15T21:23:00.001-08:00

I thought I'd freshen up the look of the blog a little bit today. I hope you like it.

So ... why?

Well, it looked a lot like my DTV blog, and obviously this one is considerably different, so why not make it LOOK different?

UPDATE to my trade plates list

2009-10-30T13:01:00.001-07:00

All of the previously-available plates I listed for trade are still here, but I recently got some more that I'd be willing to part with for the right trade offer. All plates are in at least VG condition except where noted differently.

INDIANA
1972-73 #82A6830
1974 #82E8542
1975 #82J2190
1976 #29B5192
1976 #82C3858
1978 #82E9500 (in good shape, but background is darker than it should be)
1988 #6B4038 (Back Home Again base)

KENTUCKY
2006 #615 LHA (smiley base, Daviess County)

WEST VIRGINIA
1996 unstickered #3K 2501
1997 stickered #8F 4387

RV plates

2009-10-03T21:17:00.000-07:00

When we got our "new-to-us" 2000 Jayco Designer motorhome recently (you'll find its photo at left), it started me thinking about RV plates from different states.

Oklahoma, which is where we got our rig, does not separate RVs from any other vehicles. Thus the motorhome had the standard "Native America" plate that Oklahoma had used since the mid-'90s.

Indiana and Kentucky, of course, do have special RV plates.

Indiana's RV plates since 1980 or so have been similar in design to passenger plates (except for no county coding until last year and the letters "RV" to the left of the plate number). In the early years of the multi-year plates (1984-1992), RV validation stickers were different, but since 1993, they've been the same as all the others.

Kentucky, on the other hand, didn't switch RV plates to the basic passenger plate design until the wildly unpopular "smiley sun" plate debuted in 2003. Prior to that, they were based on the plainer truck plate design. On the "smiley" issue, the plates maintained the stamped "RECREATIONAL VEHICLE" designation across the bottom of the plate. This proved rather difficult to read, as the dark blue lettering on the dark green "hills" became nearly invisible at a distance.

When former Governor Ernie Fletcher announced to much relief (!) that the unpopular "smiley" plate would be killed off in 2005, RV plates switched to the new -- and current -- "Unbridled Spirit" design. This time around, instead of stamping the designation into the plate itself, "RECREATIONAL VEHICLE" is printed in white on a bright blue sticker. It is placed on the plate in a debossed area between the lower two bolt holes, not unlike county stickers on passenger plates.

You will notice that, despite the fact that this is a newly-issued plate, it uses the same number stamping dies that Kentucky used beginning in 1987, not the new, narrower (and, arguably, harder to read) set introduced last year.

I'm not sure why RV plates haven't yet switched to the new dies, but if I were to venture a guess, it's probably because there are far fewer RV plates issued than most other varieties, and the state usually stockpiles far more plates than are normally needed. The repeating holographic security image (a silhouette of Kentucky with two digits inside) in the center of this particular plate marks it as having been made in 2007, well before the new dies were introduced.

As far as numbering, all RV plates begin with 1H at this point. Once 1HZ 999 is reached, it's my understanding that the next plate in the sequence will be 2HA 000. The "H" is constant, signifying RVs' former name: House cars.

I'm still studying how other states designate RVs on their license plates, so if you have information to contribute, please let me know!

Plates I need (with a list of my traders)

2009-10-02T01:08:00.000-07:00

Since I've gotten all of the old plates I need, what I'm doing now is replacing crummy plates and adding the newest ones.

Here's a list of what I need now:

Current "In God We Trust" plate; years '08-'09-'10
Current "Lincoln's Boyhood Home" plate; years '09-'10
Current dark blue state seal plate; '10

And here's what I have to trade (just a partial list at present, please e-mail for pictures):

U.S.

HAWAII
Undated #MLK 359 (Rainbow base)

KANSAS
1973 #J/O S 11231
1974 #R/N M 2767
1981 #M/I C 397 (dark blue wheat base)
1988 #J/F J 1447 (white sunflower/wheat base)

KENTUCKY
2005 #902 MNG (Smiley base)

MISSOURI
1976 #P7F-128 (late darker blue base)

OHIO
2004 #EW39YA (Bicentennial base)

UTAH
1996 #019 HXB (Ski base)

CANADA:

NEW BRUNSWICK
1996 #BDG-629 (New/Nouveau Brunswick "ship" base)

SASKATCHEWAN
1989 #NRJ 237 (wheat base)

Welcome!

2009-10-02T01:01:00.000-07:00

Thanks for stopping by my new License Plate Blog! Since Yahoo! is pulling the rug out from under my six-and-a-half-year-long project over at my website, I decided to move my Indiana plates on over here to Blogspot.

This isn't as fancy as my old site, but I have tried to make it user-friendly. If I've failed, I apologize. Any suggestions you might have are welcome, and you can e-mail me or leave a comment at any entry on the site.

I started this crazy journey to collect one license plate for every year Indiana has issued them back in about 1983. With a lot of help from family, friends and even total strangers, I finally plugged the last gap in the collection -- my 1914 plate -- thanks to my beloved wife, Ginger, who bought it for me on eBay as a birthday/anniversary present.

Anyway, this is it, so come on in and enjoy!

Staggered registration in Indiana (current system)

2009-08-05T00:02:00.000-07:00

Beginning in 2008, Indiana modified, for the fourth time, its staggered registration system. When I lived in Indiana, as a kid, my family's plates expired on April 30 each year. In 1986, however, we were moved to the end of July. Now, my brothers and my parents all have until August 21 to get them renewed.

Here's how it shakes out now:

JANUARY 31 -- Corporate fleet vehicles
FEBRUARY 7 -- Last names beginning with AAAA through ARNN
FEBRUARY 14 -- Last names beginning with ARNO through BATE
FEBRUARY 21 -- Last names beginning with BATF through BLAI
FEBRUARY 28 -- Last names beginning with BLAJ through BRID, and also rental fleet vehicles, heavy weight vehicles and trailers
MARCH 7 -- Last names beginning with BRIE through BUSD
MARCH 14 -- Last names beginning with BUSE through CHAN
MARCH 21 -- Last names beginning with CHAO through CONN
MARCH 28 -- Last names beginning with CONO through CURL
APRIL 7 -- Last names beginning with CURM through DICE
APRIL 14 -- Last names beginning with DICF through EDDY
APRIL 21 -- Last names beginning with EDEA through FERG
APRIL 28 -- Last names beginning with FERH through FRYA
APRIL 30 -- All personalized license plates
MAY 7 -- Last names beginning with FRYB through GLOR
MAY 14 -- Last names beginning with GLOS through GUMZ
MAY 21 -- Last names beginning with GUNA through HART
MAY 28 -- Last names beginning with HARU through HILE
JUNE 7 -- Last names beginning with HILF through HUCH
JUNE 14 -- Last names beginning with HUCI through JERR
JUNE 21 -- Last names beginning with JERS through KEEL
JUNE 28 -- Last names beginning with KEEM through KNUD
JULY 7 -- Last names beginning with KNUE through LAWR
JULY 14 -- Last names beginning with LAWS through LOPE
JULY 21 -- Last names beginning with LOPF through MART
JULY 28 -- Last names beginning with MARU through MCKI
AUGUST 7 -- Last names beginning with MCKJ through MILL
AUGUST 14 -- Last names beginning with MILM through MUND
AUGUST 21 -- Last names beginning with MUNE through NUNG
AUGUST 28 -- Last names beginning with NUNH through PATT
SEPTEMBER 7 -- Last names beginning with PATU through PONT
SEPTEMBER 14 -- Last names beginning with PONU through REDM
SEPTEMBER 21 -- Last names beginning with REDN through ROBE
SEPTEMBER 28 -- Last names beginning with ROBF through SANC
OCTOBER 7 -- Last names beginning with SAND through SERM
OCTOBER 14 -- Last names beginning with SERN through SLON
OCTOBER 21 -- Last names beginning with SLOO through SPRI
OCTOBER 28 -- Last names beginning with SPRJ through SUCE
NOVEMBER 7 -- Last names beginning with SUCF through THOP
NOVEMBER 14 -- Last names beginning with THOQ through VANO
NOVEMBER 21 -- Last names beginning with VANP through WALD
NOVEMBER 28 -- Last names beginning with WALE through WATT
DECEMBER 7 -- Last names beginning with WATU through WILK
DECEMBER 14 -- Last names beginning with WILL through WRIG
DECEMBER 21 -- Last names beginning with WRIH through ZZZZ

Recycled plates?

2009-07-23T07:24:00.000-07:00

As I updated in my last post with the pictures of the current Indiana regular-issue plates, evidently the state has started making plates out of recycled materials.

I doubt the reflective sheeting is recycled, because Scotchlite (or whatever 3M product they're using) doesn't last forever, and I'm not sure that actually is recyclable, but I feel like it's probably the aluminum that's recycled.

Plates made in this fashion bear the three-arrow recycle symbol, which unfortunately I do not have a photo of as of now. Once I get one, you'll see it here.

2007-present: Choices, choices, choices!

2009-05-21T15:38:00.001-07:00

In 2007, Indiana decided to jump on the bandwagon with other states and issue a patriotically-themed "In God We Trust" plate as a no-cost alternative to the standard "www.in.gov" plate.

The plate proved extremely popular from the get-go, probably because:

Hoosiers are patriotic by their nature.
Many Hoosiers believe in God.
It's free.
It's prettier than the standard plate.

Regardless, the ACLU sued the state, but lost, so as of this date, the IGWT plate continues to be more popular than the other available no-cost choices.

Yes, I said choices. Plural.

As of 2009, there are three no-cost passenger plates from which a motorist can choose, and they are the new standard plate, which debuted last year (more on that in a moment); the IGWT plate; and the new Lincoln's Boyhood Home plate, which celebrates the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth.

With the new '09 standard plate, it seems the BMV is looking to push people into the other options, because they haven't come out with a standard-issue plate as plain and undistinguished in appearance as this one in more than three decades.

It's the first to have a dark blue background since 1960. And yes, it's still flat, as are, now, all Indiana plates.

And that's not all. For the first time since the introduction of county code numbers in 1963, the BMV changed the numbering system. Each county is represented (as on the plate in my collection above) by a black-on-white sticker across the top of the plate with the county's number and name (in this case, Hamilton County, #29).

"INDIANA" rides at the bottom for the first time since 1987.

And the numbering could be three numbers and a single letter (ex. 123A), three numbers and two letters (ex. 456BC), or three numbers and three letters (ex. 789DEF). There seems to be no rhyme nor reason as to which plates get what combination, or where they are issued.

I guess it's just another reason to try one of the other alternatives, which my parents did in 2008. Mom's Freestyle and Dad's 2003 Dodge Ram pickup both wear IGWT plates, and wear them proudly.

Now, if I could convince them both to switch to the Lincoln plate this year, I'll finally get a couple of IGWT plates in my collection ... HA!

UPDATE, JUNE 1, 2009: During the spring of 2009, it appears Indiana has switched to recycled aluminum for its license plates. A small recycle symbol (familiar to most of us) is now printed in the lower left-hand corner of each plate. I've seen it on standard and IGWT plates.

Where they're from:

The In God We Trust plate belonged to my grandfather, Floyd Newkirk, and was used on his 2005 Chevrolet Venture. Its sibling, TO 8774 (not pictured), was used on his 1985 Chevrolet Silverado.
The standard-issue plate from Hamilton County (738PAU) came in a trade from Dave Nicholson.
The LBH plate image is from the Indiana BMV, used with their blessing in an exchange whereby they're using some of my plates on their site. The 2009 standard plate is from Hamilton County.

2004-08: Flatter than a pancake?

2009-05-21T15:24:00.001-07:00

You can well imagine people's shock and dismay when this plate came out.

And there was much gnashing and grinding of teeth, and wailing and moaning ... oh, wait, that's a different story. Sorry about that.

But as much as people really wanted to like this design, it lost about 90% of its appeal somewhere in the process between the design's victory in online voting against its rivals and production.

The original design bore the famed "Back Home Again" slogan, but somehow, someone at the BMV decided instead to put the state's web address, www.IN.gov there.

And that wasn't the half of it.

For the first time, Indiana's plates were completely FLAT, manufactured using 3M's Digital License Plate technology. Hideous numbers and letters, all the same size, looked NOTHING like what folks were used to. Even law enforcement complained.

Therefore, early on in the process, the design was changed and even the spacing of the numbers and letters was made to look more like what folks remembered from the past.

It was an improvement, but just barely.

The good news was that license branches -- of which there were fewer after Governor Mitch Daniels' minions got done revamping the BMV -- could store more plates in less space, and plates required less manpower, all of which saved the state money in the long run, I guess.

But this plate would prove to be only the first affront to Hoosiers' plate sensibilities. The ultimate assault was yet to come.

Where they're from:
2004: Daviess County
2005-07: Spencer County (The 2007 plate was, once again, my mother's; it was issued for her 2001 PT Cruiser and later transferred to her 2006 Ford Freestyle SEL when she got tired of the Cruiser costing her a small fortune in minor repairs. Oh, well, that and the air conditioning crapped out on a 95-degree day. But that's another story for another time.)
2008: Tippecanoe County (This one, for the first time, came from my younger brother, Matt, who elected to remain in Lafayette after his graduation from Purdue University a few years ago. He now makes his home there with his wife and son.)

1999-2003 - The Crossroads of America

2009-05-21T15:16:00.000-07:00

For 1999, Indiana issued another relatively plain but tasteful graphic design, this time featuring the most detailed depiction yet of the torch and stars design on the state flag.

By this point, the stamping dies were well and truly worn out, so it is not uncommon to find two -- or more -- different die types on the same plate!

The 2003 plate shown here is the last one issued to my late grandfather, retired Indiana State Police Lt. Max Bruggenschmidt (1922-2003). His plates carried the number 2400 from 1950 until his death from complications related to Alzheimer's disease.

Where they're from:
1999: Harrison County
2000: Noble County
2001: Allen County
2002 and 2003: Spencer County (The 2002 plate was Mom's once again; this time it was used on her 1997 Plymouth Voyager, and later on her 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser Limited Edition.)

1994-98 - Amber Waves of Grain

2009-05-21T12:57:00.000-07:00

For the 1994 issue, Indiana went back to the farm scene for the first time in more than a decade.

Some people didn't like this design, and to be fair, it didn't look all that great on certain cars, but I liked it. In the interest of full disclosure, for the last two years this plate was used, I had a red car. It looked good on that one.

And I still do.

Early issues used a new-design county sticker, but someone finally woke up and realized they weren't necessary, so they fell by the wayside before 1993 was out. Thank. You. Lord.

Where they came from:
1994: St. Joseph County
1995: Delaware County
1996: Henry County (issued to my uncle, Jerry Newkirk, for a 1980 Dodge Aspen Sunrise coupe that he sold to my brother that year)
1997: Spencer County (this one was my second plate, on a 1989 Ford Escort Pony hatchback that I drove to college, work and wherever for a few years. Still miss that car.)
1998: Vigo County (issued to my aunt, Madonna Hummel, for a Honda of some vintage that she owned for a while)

1991-93 - Showing off some Hoosier Hospitality

2009-05-21T12:52:00.001-07:00

As the years roll by, I've started to like this plate more and more, although when it came out in 1990, it was a bit of a disappointment to me.

I liked the "Back Home Again" plate, and this one, I thought, was a bit too plain. But it's grown on me.

By this point, the dies that had been in use since the mid-'50s were starting to wear out, so other sets were used at various times. If you look closely, you'll see that each of these three plates uses a different die set.

Where they came from:
1991: Vanderburgh County
1992: Hamilton County
1993: Spencer County (Mom's plate again; this one was also used on the '90 Grand Voyager)

1988-90 - Back Home Again!

2009-05-21T12:45:00.000-07:00

Now this was more like it.

Following the "Wander" fiasco, people hoped and prayed that Indiana would do right and come up with a design that atoned for all the sins of ugliness committed by the previous monstrosity, and the "Back Home Again" design did it admirably.

Strangely, however, despite the fact that Indiana's counties had kept the same plate prefixes since 1963, someone in the BMV decided to cook up a small blue sticker with each county's name. Good idea? Maybe, but the execution stunk. After a few car washes, the white printing on the stickers, which was already nearly illegible at more than 10 feet, virtually disappeared.

Aside from that, the plate was a triumph.

Where mine came from:
1988: Madison County
1989: Hamilton County
1990: Spencer County (issued to my mother, Susan Newkirk, and used first on a 1985 Plymouth Voyager, and then briefly on a 1990 Plymouth Grand Voyager)

1985-87 - Indiana goes wandering, comes back disappointed

2009-05-21T12:39:00.001-07:00

Motorists were interested to see what Indiana would do to follow up the success of their 1982-84 "Hoosier State" plates.

They would be disappointed.

Even today, some 25 years since their introduction, if you mention the "Wander Indiana" plate in good company, people will still tell you, in sometimes salty language, that this issue was, to quote my late grandfather, Max Bruggenschmidt, "the ugliest damn plate I ever saw in my life."

More successful was the state's television advertising campaign of the era, which featured a driverless, red 1950 Studebaker Champion convertible, known as "The Wanderer." It ended up being displayed in the Studebaker National Museum for a time after its retirement, but I don't know where the car is today.

But I've got a heckuva lot of these "damn plates" I'd like to part with ... maybe.

Where mine came from:
1985: Johnson County
1986: Boone County (issued to my grandfather, F.C. Newkirk, and used on a white 1985 Ford LTD Country Squire wagon)
1987: Kosciusko County

1982-84 - Indiana goes multi-year

2009-05-21T12:32:00.001-07:00

Beginning with the 1982 plate, Indiana would hold onto plates for a minimum of three years, at least if you stuck with the normal plates numbered 101 or higher. If you were a big wheel and got a plate numbered 100 or lower in any county, you did get a new plate each year.

Bearing a neat, folksy farm scene, the "Hoosier State" plate proved popular among motorists, and when you consider what replaced it in 1984, it's no wonder that I still saw some of these on the road as late as 1987 ... illegally, of course!

The 1982 plate was issued in Monroe County; 1983, Clark County; 1984, Lagrange County.

1981 - Indiana's last one-year plate

2009-05-21T12:30:00.001-07:00

1981 would mark the last single-year plate for the Hoosier State, and they sure made it colorful, didn't they?

The basic design -- with a color change -- would eventually preview a plate derided by many as the ugliest in Indiana history, but there'll be plenty more to be said for that later on.

This plate was issued in Hamilton County.

1980

2009-05-21T12:27:00.001-07:00

In 1779, George Rogers Clark and a small band of outnumbered, outgunned men captured Fort Sackville from the British.

The 1980 plate memorialized that brave feat.

Oh, and Fort Sackville? You might have driven past its general location if you're at all familiar with U.S. Highway 41. It's now known as the city of Vincennes, approximately halfway between Evansville and Terre Haute.

This plate was issued in Blackford County.

1979

2009-05-21T12:21:00.000-07:00

Some 67 years after the first Indianapolis 500, Indiana finally paid homage to its title as the home of the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing" with the 1979 plate.

It is believed, although not confirmed, that this plate was issued in memory of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's late owner, Anton "Tony" Hulman, Jr., who died on October 27, 1977; interestingly, the same day that your humble correspondent was born. Lending some credence to this belief is the fact that sample plates of this issue did away with the usual 00A0000 numbering format, using instead 00H0000.

Speedway officials liked the design so well that it was used, with minor changes, on Pace Cars and other vehicles affiliated with the 500 through 1999.

Perhaps the one criticism I can offer is that the race cars were to many eyes difficult to see, and after a year on the road, they had pretty well faded into oblivion.

This plate was never issued in Lawrence County. It's a mint example.

1978

2009-05-21T12:19:00.001-07:00

Well, it wasn't just a one-shot deal after all.

1977's sharp graphic design was followed up by this very ... umm ... green and yellow affair. In truth, I actually like it, but I'm sure it had its detractors in its day.

This plate was issued in Morgan County.

1977 - What's this? Something new!?

2009-05-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

When the time came to replace their 1976 plates, Hoosier motorists might have been a bit surprised to see that they received ... another 1976 plate?

Yes, that's the date on the plate, but only because 1976 marked America's bicentennial, and Indiana chose the year to get into a new field in the design of their license plates -- GRAPHICS!

Indiana's design for the plates expiring in 1977 featured a Minuteman in red, 1976 and INDIANA at the top, and "Heritage State" at the bottom.

Many 1977 plates I've seen -- the one pictured is an example -- carried month stickers that were cut (sometimes haphazardly) from the longer 1970-76 stickers. That's one way to save a few pennies, I guess.

This plate was issued in Boone County to Mr. Clifton Porter, a neighbor of my grandparents, Mr. & Mrs. F.C. Newkirk.

1976

2009-05-21T12:13:00.000-07:00

The 1976 plate might have seemed to most motorists to signal "just another new color year," but it ended up being the last of a long ... and, frankly, quite boring ... line.

This plate was issued in Knox County.

1975

2009-05-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

1975 saw a color change. That is all.

This plate was issued in Wayne County.

1974

2009-05-21T12:08:00.000-07:00

In early 1973, when my late grandmother, Margaret Bruggenschmidt (1921-1984) picked up this plate at the Rockport license branch, she might have noticed that the corner boxes, by now an established style feature on Indiana's plates, were now squared off.

She might have noticed a bit more quickly that the year of issue, which "rode shotgun" with the abbreviated state name atop the plates from 1970 to 1973, was eliminated, allowing "INDIANA" to be embossed in all its glory for the first time since 1969.

As mentioned, this plate was issued in Spencer County at the Rockport license branch.

1972-73

2009-05-21T12:06:00.001-07:00

Isn't that shade of green lovely? Well, inasmuch as that was the major change of 1972, you'd better have liked it.

This plate was issued in Warrick County.

1971-72

2009-05-21T12:04:00.001-07:00

With the pattern set the previous year, Indiana motorists quickly adjusted to their new staggered registration schedule.

They also adjusted to their plates having become more than just a little a bit boring by this point.

This plate was issued in Allen County.

1970-71

2009-05-21T11:56:00.001-07:00

Customers at the license branches in Indiana got quite a shock when they picked up their new plates in the opening months of 1970.

Each new plate had a long, multicolored sticker across the bottom indicating which month the plate would expire in 1971. No longer would they have to get the job done by the end of February ... unless, of course, their sticker indicated that particular month.

The state used the first letter of a motorist's last name to determine in which month (February through June) the plates would expire. In my case, with the last name Newkirk, my plates would have expired in April.

This plate was issued in Vanderburgh County.

1969

2009-05-21T11:52:00.001-07:00

Through 1969, Indiana's license plates expired at the end of February in the year following that displayed on the plate; i.e., this 1969 plate actually expired on February 28, 1970.

But that was about to change, as we'll see with the 1970-71 plate coming up next.

This plate was issued in Marion County (metropolitan Indianapolis), to my grandmother's aunt and uncle, Venus and Ray Bennett.

1968

2009-05-21T11:49:00.001-07:00

In 1968, it appears that Indiana had a hard time getting good help in the prison plant where this and all other Hoosier license plates were made.

How can I tell?

Easy. Take a look at the stamping. The plate number itself is the only thing stamped straight. Everything else sort of slides ever so gently downhill from left to right.

This plate was issued in Dearborn County.

1967

2009-05-21T11:48:00.000-07:00

For 1967, Indiana's plates gained two new embossed corner boxes (each with one rounded corner) for added visual distinction.

Otherwise, there wasn't a whole lot new, aside from the annual change in color.

This plate was issued in Wells County.

1966 - Indiana's Sesquicentennial

2009-05-21T11:45:00.001-07:00

Indiana celebrated its 150th year of statehood in 1966, and to mark the occasion, all passenger plates carried the "150th YEAR" slogan at the top of the plate.

In addition, the state switched from reflectorized numbers to a reflectorized Scotchlite-type background this year (it may, in fact, be 3M's Scotchlite).

This plate was issued in Boone County.

1965

2009-05-19T15:34:00.001-07:00

For 1965, Indiana continued their most recent reflectivity experiment, and for the first time in 33 years, issued a dark green plate.

This would be the last go-around for painted plates in Indiana. Something new was waiting in the wings.

This plate was issued in Parke County.

1964 - "I see reflections of you and me ..."

2009-05-19T15:30:00.000-07:00

Well, OK, so that's a bit of a stretch, but at night, when you shine a light on a 1964 Indiana license plate, you'll see the numbers glowing back at you.

For the first time since 1955, Indiana tried reflectivity again, this time coating the white characters with special glass beads in the paint. It worked out quite nicely and, based on what I've seen, lasts quite a long time.

After issuing plates with a small county number in 1963, the number was made full size in '64, with the letter (which, in these early years, denoted which license branch office issued the plate) made smaller.

This plate was issued in Spencer County by the Rockport license branch.

1963 - A new wrinkle

2009-05-19T15:27:00.001-07:00

Indiana decided to make a change from alpha county codes to numbering counties in alphabetical order for 1963.

In addition, the safety slogans were laid to rest this year, and the state's name was stamped fully across the bottom of the plate for the first time since 1955.

On the "how they're made" front, Indiana switched to thinner sheetmetal this year, with the end result being that the plates are not quite as sturdy as in past years.

This plate was issued in Randolph County.

1962

2009-05-19T15:25:00.000-07:00

For 1962, Indiana chose to go with a yellow-on-black plate for the first time since 1950. The result is what you see here.

This would be the final year that counties would be identified by letters on Indiana's license plates.

This plate was issued in Vanderburgh County.

1961

2009-05-19T15:22:00.001-07:00

1961 saw Indiana issue a red plate for the first time since 1949, and, like that year, white numbers were used.

The slogan continued from 1960.

This rare plate was issued in Spencer County. Most Spencer County plates used the SP prefix, but a relative handful of SQ prefix plates were issued each year. Today, this plate and its identically-numbered 1962 successor in my collection are the only such plates known to exist.

1960

2009-05-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

For 1960, Indiana decided to go with another different slogan, with a similar theme, after breaking for a year to celebrate Abraham Lincoln. "Safety Pays" was the new message.

For the first time since 1955, white numbers were used, albeit on a navy blue background.

This plate was issued in Clinton County.

1959 - Lincoln's Sesquicentennial

2009-05-19T15:14:00.000-07:00

Indiana, which can lay claim to being the boyhood home of our nation's 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, marked the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's birth with the 1959 license plate, which swapped the "Drive Safely" slogan for one reading "Lincoln Year."

Aside from the slogan, the plate was very similar to 1957's issue.

This plate was issued in, appropriately enough, Spencer County, where Lincoln's family lived from 1816 to 1830.

1958

2009-05-19T15:12:00.001-07:00

For 1958, the design was nearly identical to the 1956 issue, except for perhaps a slightly deeper shade of blue for the background.

I'm not sure why, but many 1958 plates I've been fortunate enough to lay hands on seem to rust much more easily than their forebears; the one pictured is a rare exception.

This plate was issued in Perry County.

1957

2009-05-19T15:07:00.001-07:00

For 1957, Indiana issued its first full-size yellow plate in 10 years. The slogan moved down, the state name and year moved up, and the numbers were done in navy blue. All in all, a quiet, clean design.

This plate was issued in Pike County.

1956

2009-05-19T15:01:00.000-07:00

When 1956 rolled around on the calendar, Indiana decided to make some changes. One was a required change, as all North American license plates were required to go to a 12"x6" size this year.

The half-inch crop from the height of the plate meant that the dies, while having the same basic appearance as those used from 1950-55, had to be made ever so slightly smaller.

Atop the plate, debossed in a yellow strip, is the admonishment to "Drive Safely."

Finally, from this point on, Indiana went back to single plates. From time to time, a bill is introduced in the Indiana General Assembly to require two plates (front and rear), but none of the bills introduced in my lifetime have ever gained enough traction to make it into law.

This plate was issued in Spencer County.

1954-1955: One last try ... for a few decades

2009-05-19T14:56:00.001-07:00

Despite the end of the Korean War in 1953, Indiana would continue issuing multi-year plates with the white-on-maroon 1954 issue.

For 1955, a reflective, white-on-red tag was issued to revalidate the plates. This was Indiana's first reflectivity experiment, and it worked well, but it would be another nine years before Indiana would try something similar again.

Both plates: Spencer County

1951-1953: Indiana tries multi-year plates again

2009-05-19T14:48:00.000-07:00

For 1951, a new, black-on-white plate with bolt holes instead of slots was issued (although some with slots are known to exist).

Metal restrictions were again in place because of the Korean War, and what metal was available wasn't the best of quality, so paint and plate often had difficulty remaining as one unit. Still, the plates would be used through 1953, dated in 1952 and 1953 by small metal tags, black-on-yellow for '52, black-on-light green for 1953.

1951 plate: Dubois County; 1952-53 tags: Spencer County

1950

2009-05-19T14:44:00.000-07:00

With numbers running short by the late 1940s, Indiana decided to go back to the drawing board for 1950 and issue plates by county. The one shown is from the county where I grew up, Spencer County.

I'm working to get my list from the old website here where you can link to it, but until then, if you'd like to know where a particular code was used, just e-mail me.

In addition, new dies were introduced this year, and variations of these dies would be used all the way up until 2003!

1949

2009-05-19T14:41:00.001-07:00

1949 was the final year for Indiana to use all-numeric plates; as seen in the second picture, there were just too many cars around to do things that way any longer. Plates numbered higher than 999 999 were given a letter, a dash, and up to five digits.

Plate #A-64606 was spotted on eBay in March 2003. If you own this plate, please let me know.

1948

2009-05-19T14:40:00.001-07:00

For 1948, the 1947 debossing design was "flipped," with the year and state name switching places. Another attractive shade of blue was used for the background this year, with white numbers.

1947

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With wartime restrictions now lifted, two plates were issued (front and rear) to all vehicles again beginning in 1947. Issued in navy blue on deep yellow, this year also saw the beginning of a long-standing design tradition for Indiana -- a debossed outer rim surrounding the numbers, "INDIANA" and the plate's year.

1946

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Plates were made a half-inch taller for 1946, with this simple deep yellow-on-black design. The bolt slots continued to be debossed this year, for the second and last time.

1945

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Despite the fact that the war was not yet at an end in early 1945, Indiana went ahead with a full-sized plate that year, in white on brown.

The Plates of War: 1942 through 1944

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During the World War II era, Indiana, like all other states, had to ration materials that were necessary to maintain the American war effort. That meant the state had to implement several measures to keep registering vehicles for the duration:

1942's front plates were to be turned in at the time of registration in 1943, per the order of Governor Henry Schricker. The governor also requested anyone who had a collection of old plates turn those in as well; thankfully, it does appear this particular request didn't garner much compliance.
In 1943, a small tag was issued and the motorist mounted it over the lower portion of his/her 1942 rear plate, or, as best I can tell, instead of a rear plate if the vehicle did not have one.
In 1944, the previously turned-in 1942 plates were "reprocessed" (flattened, cut down and restamped) and reissued in a smaller size, dated for 1944 and with new numbers. Some "new" plates were also made (like the one in my collection), but a good many reprocessed plates are still in existence, even today, some 65 years after the event.

1941

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1941's plate, the final one before Indiana and the rest of the country entered World War II, came out in a rather attractive white on medium blue. Never again would Indiana use such a color; a shame, because it's actually very pretty.

1940

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For the first and only time in the painted-plate era, Indiana decided to go with silver-painted numbers for 1940. Other states had done it, but Indiana waited, and only did it this one year. Why? I wish I knew.

1939

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A new die set was introduced for the 1939 plates, along with a navy blue-on-deep yellow color scheme. These dies would be used through the end of 1949.

1938

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For '38, a crimson-on-cream (for all you Indiana University fans) scheme set off the plates. It was the first time in several years that such a light background was used.

1937

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This lovely deep yellow-on-black scheme turned out quite nicely for 1937. Note also that this particular plate, having fewer than six digits, is narrower than a six-digit plate. Three- and four-digit plates are narrower still.

1936

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For '36, the state decided to go with a redder background than the '33 issue, but continued with white for the numbers, border and legend. This plate hasn't been restored ... yet.

1935

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For 1935, Indiana decided to go with black on a pale green -- almost pea green -- background. Again, it does not photograph well, but it's actually not as bad as it could be, I guess.

1934

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And it was back to basic white-on-black for 1934. No other real changes this year.

1933

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For 1933, Indiana went with a white-on-maroon color scheme.

1932

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By 1932, Indiana had established a pattern of moving the year and state name from top (odd years) to bottom (even years), in addition to the usual color change.

This year it was white on dark green.

1931

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For 1931, Indiana switched to a considerably heavier steel stock and a thin, almost delicate die set. This die set would hang around for a while.

Black on orange-yellow background this year.

1930

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1930 brought yet one more minor die change and a snazzy new color scheme. Again, it doesn't picture too well, but I actually like the orange on dark blue.

1929

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When I did a light cosmetic restoration on this plate, I got conflicting reports on the original colors, so I went with the deep yellow-orange background it has here, and dark blue numerals. It doesn't photograph too well.

Some believe it should be black on orange. I'm not re-doing it again.

Also, you'll notice the year is back to two digits after showing "1928" on the previous year's plate.

1928

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For the first time, in 1928, Indiana moved to the basic size of license plate still recognizable today. And, for the first time, Indiana moved the name of the state and the year away from the side of the plate, now beneath the serial. The dash remained this year, but it was just barely there.

1927

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Surprise! Another new die set!

1926

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This one is one of my smallest plates, and you'll note that, at least for this year, Indiana dropped the dash in the number for four-digit plates.

1925

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It's kind of hard to see in the picture I snapped of this plate, but 1925 brought a maroon on cream color scheme.

1924

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My kids call the 1924 plate my "Halloween" plate because of its deep orange on black color scheme. And, you guessed it, it had another new die set.

1923

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Dies went through yet another change for 1923, and this year a dash was added to numbers 1-000 and up.

1922

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1922 brought another die change and a move away from the earlier overlapping IND and year. White on dark blue this year.

1921

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1921 used a slightly more rose-tinted cream background with black numerals.