LICENSE PLATES TURN 100 YEARS OLD (APR. 25)

LICENSE PLATES TURN 100 YEARS OLD (APR. 25)

WORCESTER, Mass. (Wireless Flash) – Want to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the license plate? Well, you better get in gear – it happens tomorrow (Apr. 25). License plate historian Keith Marvin says the state of New York issued the first automobile license plates on April 25, 1901. The first license was really just a piece of paper, and in order to drive, folks had to place their initials on three-inch letters on the back of their car. Originally, only 954 people spent the $1 fee for the license and duplication of initials made the concept impractical. In 1910 drivers were required to display half-dollar-sized discs on their dashboard. Although a numerical system was eventually adopted, Marvin says the modern system of putting numbers and letters on metal license plates was pioneered in other states before being adopted in New York.

Tue 04-24-01