We can’t wait for Saturday’s License Plate Tailgate! Got a 2020 Commemorative plate? Join us for the big group photo at 1pm!
In the meantime, here are some fun facts about Massachusetts license plates, courtesy of the RMV:
Massachusetts first began issuing licenses and registration plates in June of 1903. The first plate, featuring the number “1” printed on it, was issued to Frederick Tudor and is still held as an active registration by a member of his family.
Plate sizes were not standardized until 1957.
The Registry alternated between green and maroon as base colors for the plates issued between 1930 and 1942. However, halfway through 1942, the prisons (which produced the plates) ran out of maroon paint and had to finish the year with green.
In January of 1987, the Registry began issuing the red “Spirit of America” plates.
Today, there are 246,000 specialty plates on the roads in MA- residents can choose from 18 (soon to be 19) different plates
And we CAN’T forget about the codfish fiasco of 1928!
In 1928 the RMV produced a plate showing a codfish to honor the state’s marine industry. This came at a time when the fishing industry suffered one of its worst years in history, and many local fishermen blamed the RMV for their troubles. According to the not-so-happy fishermen, the fact that the codfish on the plate was swimming away from the word “Mass.”, the fish in the sea were doing the same and as a result, the entire fishing industry was in trouble. The controversial image was removed from plates in 1929 and a more realistic and detailed codfish shown swimming toward Massachusetts appeared on truck plates in that same year. (Read more via the New York Times)
If you did not purchase a Plymouth 400 plate and would like to, the plates are now available through the RMV!
