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Vehicle registration plates of the United States by year
Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1958 Events of 1959 Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1960

Each of the 49 states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for the year 1959. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Passenger baseplates

Passenger  car  plates
Image Region Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
Alabama Embossed blue lettering, heart logo and rims on white base. "HEART OF DIXIE" centered embossed at top Coded by county of issuance:
0-12-345
00-12-345
Alaska Embossed blue numbers on golden yellow plate with border line; embossed territorial/state flag at left; "ALASKA" embossed in blue block letters centered at top; "58" embossed in top right corner None 12345 1 to approximately 74000 1958 base plates revalidated for 1959 with white tabs.
American Samoa
Arizona Embossed white numbers on blue plate with border line; "ARIZONA 59" embossed in white block letters centered at top. "GRAND CANYON STATE" ABC-123 AAA-001 to approximately BDY-999
Arkansas Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "ARKANSAS 59" embossed in black block letters centered at top "LAND OF OPPORTUNITY" 1-12345
10-1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10)
California Embossed black lettering on yellow base; "CALIFORNIA" embossed at top left with "56" incused into black embossed box at top right. None AAA 123 unknown 1956 base plates revalidated for 1959 with black-on-white stickers.
Canal Zone Embossed yellow lettering on black base; embossed and centered "1959 at top and "Canal Zone at bottom None 12345 unknown Sample plate shown
Colorado Embossed white lettering on green base "Colorful" 1-1234
10-1234
County-coded registration
Connecticut Embossed white numbers on blue plate with border line; "CONNECTICUT" embossed in white block letters at bottom, offset to left None 12345
AB123
AB1234
123-456
AB-1234
Varied by format
Delaware Reflective gold numbers riveted on dark blue, Delaware at top, insert spaces bottom. Insert format continued as original. None 123456 4 to approximately 225000 First plate in federally mandated 6 x 12 in size.

1958 base renewed with metal tabs for 1959.

District of Columbia unknown
Florida Embossed blue lettering and rims on white base; nickname at top with date and state name at bottom. "SUNSHINE STATE" embossed at top between "19" and "59" 1-234567
12-123456
1A-23456
12A-34567
unknown County coded (1 or 12) and coded by vehicle weight and type (A).
Georgia Embossed white lettering and rims on black plate, with state name embossed at top center and nickname at bottom between halves of date. "PEACH STATE" 1-A-2345
12-A-3456
Coded by county (1 or 12) and class (A)
Guam
Hawaii Embossed white lettering and rims on red base. State name at bottom with slogan at top. Undated. "ALOHA" embossed at top. 1A-234 1957 base plate in use continuously through 1960 without updated registration on plate.
Idaho None
Illinois White lettering embossed on blue base; "ILL 33" at bottom. "LAND OF LINCOLN" embossed at top 123 456
1 234 567
1 to approximately 1-277-000
Indiana Royal blue lettering embossed on yellow base; "IND - 59" embossed at top. LINCOLN YEAR incused in embossed blue box at bottom. AB 1234 County-coded
Iowa Embossed black numbers on yellow plate with border line; "IOWA" embossed in black block letters centered at top; "59" embossed in top right corner. "none" 1 12345


10 12345

County-coded (1 or 10).
Kansas Embossed blue numbers on yellow plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 59" embossed in blue block letters centered at top. "THE WHEAT STATE" embossed in blue block letters at bottom, offset to right. A/B-12345 County-coded (A/B)
Kentucky Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate; "KENTUCKY" and county name embossed in wide white block letters centered at top and bottom respectively; "19" embossed in top left corner and "59" in top right corner. None 123-456
Louisiana Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate with border line; embossed white pelican in the center; "19 LOUISIANA 59" embossed in wide white block letters at top. "SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE" embossed in narrow white block letters at bottom 123 456 1 001 to approximately 910 000
Maine
Maryland Embossed blue numbers and rims on white plate with border line. None
Massachusetts Embossed white numbers and rims on red base. White box at top with incused "59 MASS" in red.
Michigan "WATER WONDERLAND" embossed centered at the bottom. 1-234-567 Issued in front and rear pairs.
Minnesota Embossed blue numbers on reflective white plate with border line; "MINNESOTA" embossed in blue block letters centered at bottom; "19" embossed in bottom left corner and "58" in bottom right corner. "10,000 LAKES" embossed in blue block letters centered at top. 1A 1234
MA1234
First number corresponds to congressional district of issue. "M" plates were mail-order issues. 1958 base plates revalidated for 1959 with green tabs.
Mississippi White with embossed green lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate. None 123-456 unknown
Missouri None
Montana Embossed black numbers on unpainted aluminum plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA" embossed in wide black block letters centered below numbers; embossed "59" to right of state name. None 1·12345
10·1234
Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10).
Nebraska Black embossed lettering and rims on golden yellow base. THE BEEF STATE embossed at bottom center 12-3456 County-coded
Nevada Embossed blue numbers on white plate with border line; "NEVADA" embossed in blue block letters centered at top; "EXP" embossed in top left corner and "JUN 60" in top right corner. None A12345
AB1234
County-coded
New Hampshire White base with embossed green lettering and border. None 1-234 County-coded
New Jersey Black lettering embossed on straw-colored base. None ABC 123
New Mexico Red embossed lettering and sunburst design on yellow background. "NEW MEXICO" embossed at bottom and sunburst with "33" inside embossed at left. None 12-3456 County-coded
New York Embossed black lettering on gold base; "NY 33" embossed at bottom center. "none" A-12-34
1A23-45
County-coded.
North Carolina Blue base with embossed white lettering "NORTH CAROLINA - 33" at bottom. None 123-456
North Dakota White lettering and border embossed on green base. "ND" embossed at left and "33" embossed at right. None 123-456 1 to approximately 149-000
Northern Mariana Islands
Ohio Embossed red lettering and rims on white plate; "1959 OHIO" embossed at bottom. None A·12345
AB·1234
12345·A
1234·AB
A·1234·B
Issued in blocks by county
Oklahoma Embossed yellow numbers on black plate; "OKLAHOMA 1933" embossed at bottom. None 1-123456
10-12345
County-coded
Oregon None 123-456
Pennsylvania Embossed yellow lettering and state-shaped border on blue base. "PA 58" embossed at top. None ABC 123
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "RHODE ISLAND 59" embossed in white block letters above numbers. None AA1 to WW999 Letters I, Q and U not used, and X, Y and Z used only on replacement plates.
South Carolina Embossed white numbers on blue plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 59" embossed in white block letters at top. None A-123-456 Coded by weight class (A)
South Dakota Black lettering and border on white base with stamped Mount Rushmore graphic at top. None 1-1234
1-A123
12-1234
12-A123
Coded by county (1 or 10 prefix). 1957 base plates revalidated for 1959 with red tabs.
Tennessee Embossed yellow numbers on black state-shaped plate with border line; "TENN. 54" embossed in yellow block letters centered at bottom. None 1-12345
10-1234
1D-12345
10D-1234
(D) in registration indicates vehicles weighing over 3,500 lbs.
Texas Embossed black lettering on white base. "TEXAS 59" embossed at top. None AB-1234 Could be revalidated for subsequent years using metal tabs.
Utah
Vermont Embossed dark green numbers on white plate; "54 VERMONT" embossed in dark green block letters centered at bottom. None 12345
A1234
Virginia Embossed white numbers on black plate; "VIRGINIA 1954" embossed in white block letters at top. None 123-456 1 to approximately 999-999
Washington Embossed white numbers on green plate; "54 WASHINGTON" embossed in white block letters at bottom. None 123-456 A
12-345 AB
County-coded (A or AB)
West Virginia Embossed yellow numbers on black plate with border line; "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-54" embossed in yellow block letters at bottom. None 123-456
Wisconsin Embossed dark green numbers on white plate; "WIS" embossed in dark green block letters at top, offset to left; month of expiration and "59" embossed in top right corner. "AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" embossed in black block letters centered at bottom. A12-345
AA-1234
First letter corresponds to month of expiration.
Wyoming Embossed black numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "54 WYOMING" embossed in black block letters at bottom. None 1-12345
10-1234
County-coded

Non-passenger plates

Non-passenger  plates  
Image (standard) Region Type Design and slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes

See also

References

  1. ^ Fox, Jams K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. ISBN  9781886777002.
  2. ^ Minard, Jeff; Stentiford, Tim (2004). A Moving History, 50 Years Of ALPCA. 100 Years Of License Plates. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company. p. 58. ISBN  1-56311-975-7.
  3. ^ Crisler, Bob; Crisler, Chuck, eds. (2007). License Plate Values (7th ed.). King Publishing Company.
  4. ^ Martells, Jack (1980). Antique Automotive Collectibles. Chicago: Contemporary Books, Inc. pp. 128–145. ISBN  0-8092-7205-9.

External links