IF YOU NOTE ANY INACCURACIES, HAVE UPDATED INFORMATION OR ANYTHING ELSE USEFUL, DROP ME A LINE!
melsh@centurytel.net 

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ALABAMA

47B317C - Current Passenger Issue
First issued in 2002

AAP144 - Retired Educator

2AP2590 - Previous Passenger Issue
Issued 1997-2001

E 18788 - Envorinmental Optional

1CG 2720 - Passenger Issue
Issued 1987-1992

1C-33252 - 1972 Passenger Issue
Alabama issued yearly plates, with differing colors and die colors through 1976
  INFORMATION AS OF:
 June, 2002
LINK:
 None
ADDRESS:
 Alabama Dept. of Revenue
Motor Vehicle Division
PO Box 327630
Montgomery AL   36132-7630
(334) 242 9006
WHAT'S AVAILABLE:
 Passenger and Motorcycle.
Serials:  SAMPLE or 0000000
Passenger 2002 Issue:  Both
Passenger 1997 Issue:  Both
Passenger 1992 Issue:  Both
Passenger 1987 Issue:  0000000
Passenger 1977 Issue:  AAA000
Motorcycle '99 Issue:  00000
Motorcycle '94 Issue:  000000
SAMPLE SERIALS:
 Varies (See above)
PRICES:
 Plates - $3 
Decals - $1
PAYMENT INFO:
 Certified funds only.  Money order or cash at your risk.
SERVICE TESTEMONIAL:
 Well, I've never ordered a sample from Alabama, but get this. I sent a letter inquiring about availability, and on the same day I received the propoganda, I also received a 2002 issue plate without sending any money.  ???

 

ALASKA

DRJ 515 - Current Passenger Issue
First issued in 1999.  Motorists can choose either this plate or "The Last Frontier" base.

CZK 473 - Current Passenger Issue
First issued in 1984.  Motorists can choose either this plate or "Gold Rush Centennial" base.

ALT 131 - Past passenger issue
Issued from 1976-1982

08 - Vanity Optional Base
Alaska Vanity plates can be on various bases.  Another popular base is the "caribou" plate, for which I have no example.

96087 - Past passenger issue
Issued from 1966-1967
 
 INFORMATION AS OF:
 June, 2002
LINK:
 Alaska Department of Motor Vehicles - Sample License Plate Info
ADDRESS:
 State of Alaska
Division of Motor Vehicles
ATTN: SAMPLE PLATES
2150 E. Dowling Road
Anchorage AK   99507-1997
WHAT'S AVAILABLE:
 Standard "Last Frontier Issue" or optional "Gold Rush Issue".  Indicate with payment whether you
will accept the other if your first choice is out of stock.
SAMPLE SERIALS:
 SAM PLE
PRICES:
 $3
PAYMENT INFO:
 No special information.
SERVICE TESTEMONIAL:
 I understand from others that their service is rather efficient (a few weeks).  I also understand that they are often out of of one the plates.

 
ARIZONA

001 DZS - Current Passenger Issue
First issued in 1997

E1035 - Old Style Environmental
First issued in 1993

85E78 - New Style Environmental
First issued in 1996 to replace the 1993 Enviornmental issue, which was recalled due to legibility concerns.  Frankly, I don't see a great improvement, and depending on the serial, the new version can be downright illegible, as well.

4T5X - 1935 Issue
The previous few years were made from copper.  This plate isn't, it's only made to look as if it were.
 INFORMATION AS OF:
 June, 2002
LINK:
 In the past, I'd heard that you can order a plate free of charge from their website.  I have searched their website , though, and found nothing.
ADDRESS:
 Arizona Dept. of Transportation
Motor Vehicle Division
Special Plate Division
Room 506M
1801 W. Jefferson
Phoenix AZ    85007
WHAT'S AVAILABLE:
 Standard Passenger Issue
SAMPLE SERIALS:
 ARIZONA
PRICES:
 Free
PAYMENT INFO:
 No special information.
SERVICE TESTEMONIAL:
 No personal experience

 

ARKANSAS

052 CWF - Current Passenger Issue
First issued in 1997

WKC 393 - Past Passenger Issue
1989-1996
 INFORMATION AS OF:
 August, 2000  (Letter recently sent looking for updated infomation)
LINK:
 Page that shows all available specialty plates in Arkansas (No sample info).
ADDRESS:
 Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration
PO Box 1272
Little Rock AR   72203
WHAT'S AVAILABLE:
 They'll send you an expired standard passenger plate with "Sample" handwritten on the
validation sticker (as seen above on left-hand plate).
SAMPLE SERIALS:
 Actual passenger plate
PRICES:
 Free
PAYMENT INFO:
 No special information.
SERVICE TESTEMONIAL:
 Took about 10 days.

 

CALIFORNIA

3NBE271 - Current Style Issue
Okay ... here's the nickel-tour history of California plates since the yellow-on-blue days:
1982 - Sunset plate introduced, issued concurrently with blue plates.  Became general issue for most of 1987.
1987 - Blue on white plates introduced with embossed red state name.  This change was made because they were 50 cents cheaper (but 75 cents uglier)
1996 - State name written in "Lipstick" variety
1999 - "Sesquicentennial" slogan added to bottom
2000 - "Sesquicentennial" slogan removed from bottom

1VAH919 - Protect Our Ocean Environmental

KAG 846 - Classic Black
Issued 1963-1969.  Still valid with stickers.  A surprisingly large amount of these are still on the road as plates stay with the car when it is sold in California.  Side note ... isn't California the only state with non-connecting 4's?

G CHRIS - Vanity

MELSH - Vanity
G CHRIS happens to be my first inital and middle name.  Ironically, I go by my middle name and this plate was never mine until Michael Weiner offered it to me, not knowing this was close to my full name ... he only knew me as Chris.  It was a cool five bucks spent

2A18291 - 1951 Base
 INFORMATION AS OF:
 February, 2003
LINK:
 Link to California DMV site has no license plate info.
ADDRESS:
 Departmment of Motor Vehicles
Outgoing Mail Operations
2415 First Avenue   MSA194
Sacramento CA   95818-2698
(916) 657 7501
Fax  (916) 657 6574
WHAT'S AVAILABLE:
 Different basic styles (Passenger, truck, app., etc.):
Yellow on Gold/6 and 7 digit
Red & Blue on White
Lipstick Base
Sunset Graphic
No optionals available.
SAMPLE SERIALS:
 Serial #s are SAM 123, 1SAM123, 2SAM123, etc.
PRICES:
 Non-Reflectorized:  $7
Reflectorized:  $12
PAYMENT INFO:
 No special information.
SERVICE TESTEMONIAL:
 No personal experience.  Adriaan Bellomo tells me they were rather quick and efficient in sending out both information and plates.