Automobile License Plate Collectors Association
Encyclopedia
The Automobile License Plate
Collectors Association (ALPCA) is the largest such organization in the world. Founded in Rumney Depot
, New Hampshire
, United States
, in 1953 and holding its first meeting in North Attleboro, Massachusetts
, in 1954, its members have come from all 50 U.S. states
and the District of Columbia (often state subsidiaries exist as well) and twenty-four other countries, although the bulk of its members reside in the United States, followed by Canada
, Germany
, and Australia
.
Despite the club's name, many members also collect and exchange license plates
from vehicles other than automobile
s.
ALPCA currently has 3,183 registered members and 10,921 registered member numbers, although many of the earlier—and therefore lower-numbered—members are now deceased or are no longer members. The club hosts an annual convention each June or July that attracts several hundred members, and regional meets take place in a number of countries throughout the year.
ALPCA members often consult the media for stories on issues in automobilia
.
design—and in some years two such designs—introduced during the previous year as the "Plate of the Year," to state media coverage. Members vote based both on the plate's legibility and its aesthetics. For 1995, 1997, and 1998, the club recognized one standard-issue plate and one optional-issue plate, while in 1985 and 1989, two jurisdictions' designs tied for first place.
Vehicle registration plate
A vehicle registration plate is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. The registration identifier is a numeric or alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies the vehicle within the issuing region's database...
Collectors Association (ALPCA) is the largest such organization in the world. Founded in Rumney Depot
Rumney, New Hampshire
Rumney is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,480 at the 2010 census. The town is located at the southern edge of the White Mountain National Forest.-History:...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in 1953 and holding its first meeting in North Attleboro, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, in 1954, its members have come from all 50 U.S. states
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
and the District of Columbia (often state subsidiaries exist as well) and twenty-four other countries, although the bulk of its members reside in the United States, followed by Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Despite the club's name, many members also collect and exchange license plates
Vehicle registration plate
A vehicle registration plate is a metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. The registration identifier is a numeric or alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies the vehicle within the issuing region's database...
from vehicles other than automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s.
ALPCA currently has 3,183 registered members and 10,921 registered member numbers, although many of the earlier—and therefore lower-numbered—members are now deceased or are no longer members. The club hosts an annual convention each June or July that attracts several hundred members, and regional meets take place in a number of countries throughout the year.
ALPCA members often consult the media for stories on issues in automobilia
Automobilia
Automobilia is a portmanteau of the words automobile and memorabilia. It is term which can be used to describe any historical artifact or collectible linked with motor cars and related areas, such as motor racing and motorsport personalities...
.
Plate of the Year
Since 1970, club members have voted each year to name one United States or Canadian license plateVehicle registration plates of Canada
In Canada, licence plates are issued by an agency of the provincial or territorial government. The spelling license is used in the U.S. for the noun and verb, while the spelling licence in Canada is for the noun and license for the verb...
design—and in some years two such designs—introduced during the previous year as the "Plate of the Year," to state media coverage. Members vote based both on the plate's legibility and its aesthetics. For 1995, 1997, and 1998, the club recognized one standard-issue plate and one optional-issue plate, while in 1985 and 1989, two jurisdictions' designs tied for first place.
| ALPCA Plates of the Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Jurisdiction | Times won | Design | Type | Image |
| 1970 | Northwest Territories Vehicle registration plates of the Northwest Territories The Canadian territory of Northwest Territories first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display licence plates in 1941. In 1970, to celebrate the centennial of the territory, a polar bear-shaped plate was introduced. The bear shaped plate is now a registered trademark of... |
1 | "Centennial" | general |  |
| 1971 | Pennsylvania Vehicle registration plates of Pennsylvania The U.S. state of Pennsylvania first issued vehicle registration plates in 1906. Until 1979, the embossed date or sticker on the plate represented the date of issue, as opposed to the rest of North America, where it represented the date of expiry... |
1 | "Bicentennial State" | general | | |
| 1972 | Wyoming Vehicle registration plates of Wyoming The State of Wyoming first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1913. License plates are issued and regulated by the Wyoming Department of Transportation through its Motor Vehicle Services division... |
1 | bucking bronco | general | |
| 1973 | Prince Edward Island Vehicle registration plates of Prince Edward Island The Canadian province of Prince Edward Island first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display licence plates in 1913.-Passenger plates 1973 to present:-External links:*... |
1 | "The Place To Be ... In 73" | general | |
| 1974 | South Dakota Vehicle registration plates of South Dakota The U.S. state of South Dakota first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1913.-Passenger baseplates 1933 to present:-2006 to present:-Optional types:-County coding:-External links:*... |
1 | Mount Rushmore Mount Rushmore Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota, in the United States... |
general | |
| 1975 | Colorado Vehicle registration plates of Colorado Since 1913, the U.S. state of Colorado has issued license plates for vehicles registered there.-Passenger plates 1959 to present:In 1956, the U.S... |
1 | "Centennial" | general | |
| 1976 | Michigan Vehicle registration plates of Michigan The U.S. state of Michigan began requiring its citizens to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1910.-Passenger baseplates 1962 to present:-External links:**... |
1 | Bicentennial | general | |
| 1977 | Mississippi | 1 | "The Hospitality State" | general | |
| 1978 | Wyoming Vehicle registration plates of Wyoming The State of Wyoming first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1913. License plates are issued and regulated by the Wyoming Department of Transportation through its Motor Vehicle Services division... |
2 | wooden fence | general | |
| 1979 | Indiana Vehicle registration plates of Indiana The U.S. state of Indiana first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display government-provided license plates in 1913, with the law taking effect on July 1 of that year.-Passenger plates 1970 to present:-New Plate Prefixing:... |
1 | "1779 George Rogers Clark George Rogers Clark George Rogers Clark was a soldier from Virginia and the highest ranking American military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. He served as leader of the Kentucky militia throughout much of the war... " |
general | |
| 1980 | Kansas | 1 | wheat | general | |
| 1981 | South Dakota Vehicle registration plates of South Dakota The U.S. state of South Dakota first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1913.-Passenger baseplates 1933 to present:-2006 to present:-Optional types:-County coding:-External links:*... |
2 | Mount Rushmore | general | |
| 1982 | North Carolina Vehicle registration plates of North Carolina The U.S. state of North Carolina first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1913.-Passenger baseplates 1933 to present:-External links:*... |
1 | "First in Flight Wright brothers The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur , were two Americans credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903... " |
general | |
| 1983 | California Vehicle registration plates of California The U.S. state of California began issuing license plates in 1913.-Base plate colors 1914 to 1962:Some plates were revalidated for multiple years... |
1 | "The Golden State" | optional | |
| 1984 | Maryland Vehicle registration plates of Maryland The U.S. state of Maryland first required its residents to register their vehicles and display license plates in 1910.-Passenger plates 1977 to present:-Non-passenger types:... |
1 | "350th Anniversary" | optional | |
| 1985 | Nevada Vehicle registration plates of Nevada The U.S. state of Nevada first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1910 as Potty.-Passenger baseplates 1933 to present:-County coding for 1975 series:-Non-passenger and optional-issue plates:... |
1 | Bighorn Sheep | general | |
| North Dakota Vehicle registration plates of North Dakota The U.S. state of North Dakota first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1911.-Passenger baseplates 1933 to present:-External links:*... |
1 | Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity... |
optional | |
|
| 1986 | Utah Vehicle registration plates of Utah The U.S. state of Utah first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1915. A gallery of license plates from 1915 to 1974 can be found .- Passenger baseplates 1985 to present :- 2008 to present :... |
1 | "Greatest Snow Snow Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by... on Earth" |
general | |
| 1987 | Idaho | 1 | "Centennial" | optional | |
| 1988 | Oregon Vehicle registration plates of Oregon The U.S. state of Oregon first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1911.-Passenger baseplates 1956 to present:... |
1 | fir tree | general | |
| 1989 | Nova Scotia Vehicle registration plates of Nova Scotia The Canadian province of Nova Scotia first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display licence plates in 1918.-Passenger baseplates 1989 to present:-External links:*... |
1 | "Canada's Ocean Playground" | general | |
| Oklahoma Vehicle registration plates of Oklahoma The U.S. state of Oklahoma first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1915.-Passenger baseplates 1989 to present:-Optional types:-External links:*... |
1 | "OK!" | general | |
|
| 1990 | South Carolina Vehicle registration plates of South Carolina The state of South Carolina began requiring its citizens to register their vehicles and display license plates on their cars in 1917.-Passenger baseplates 1990 to present:-External links:**... |
1 | wren Wren The wrens are passerine birds in the mainly New World family Troglodytidae. There are approximately 80 species of true wrens in approximately 20 genera.... |
general | |
| 1991 | Idaho | 2 | "Famous Potato Potato The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species... es" |
general | |
| 1992 | Mississippi | 2 | blue gradient | general |  |
| 1993 | North Dakota Vehicle registration plates of North Dakota The U.S. state of North Dakota first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1911.-Passenger baseplates 1933 to present:-External links:*... |
2 | "Discover the Spirit" | general | |
| 1994 | Kansas | 2 | wheat Wheat Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice... |
general | |
| 1995 | Texas Vehicle registration plates of Texas The U.S. state of Texas first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1917.-Passenger baseplates 1995 to present:-External links:*... |
1 | "150 Years of Statehood" | general | |
| Pennsylvania Vehicle registration plates of Pennsylvania The U.S. state of Pennsylvania first issued vehicle registration plates in 1906. Until 1979, the embossed date or sticker on the plate represented the date of issue, as opposed to the rest of North America, where it represented the date of expiry... |
2 | "Flagship Niagara" | optional | |
|
| 1996 | Arizona Vehicle registration plates of Arizona The U.S. state of Arizona first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1912. Registrants had to provide their own plates for display. In 1914, the state began to supply license plates to registrants. The current Grand Canyon State slogan first appeared in 1940, appearing on all... |
1 | "Grand Canyon Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States... State" |
general | | |
| 1997 | Manitoba Vehicle registration plates of Manitoba The Canadian province of Manitoba first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display licence plates in 1911.-Passenger plates 1983 to present:-External links:*... |
1 | "Friendly" | general | |
| Wisconsin Vehicle registration plates of Wisconsin The U.S. state of Wisconsin first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1905. Plates are currently issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation .... |
1 | "Sesquicentennial" | optional | |
|
| 1998 | Alaska Vehicle registration plates of Alaska Since 1921, the U.S. state of Alaska has issued license plates for vehicles registered there.State law requires two license plates, one on the front and on on the rear, to be displayed on a motor vehicle, with the exception of motorcycles and trailers. Only the rear plate is required to be... |
1 | "Gold Rush Centennial" | general | |
| Idaho | 3 | "Wildlife Wildlife Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative.... "—elk Elk The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:... |
optional | |
|
| 1999 | Virginia Vehicle registration plates of Virginia The state of Virginia first required its citizens to register their vehicles and display license plates on their cars in 1906. Plates are currently issued by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles .-Motor vehicle registration statistics:... |
1 | "George Washington George Washington George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of... Bicentennial" |
optional | |
| 2000 | Wyoming Vehicle registration plates of Wyoming The State of Wyoming first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1913. License plates are issued and regulated by the Wyoming Department of Transportation through its Motor Vehicle Services division... |
3 | Devils Tower Devils Tower National Monument Devils Tower is an igneous intrusion or laccolith located in the Black Hills near Hulett and Sundance in Crook County, northeastern Wyoming, above the Belle Fourche River... |
general | |
| 2001 | Arkansas Vehicle registration plates of Arkansas Since 1911, the U.S. state of Arkansas has issued license plates for motor vehicles registered there.- Passenger plates 1955 to present :In 1956, the U.S... |
1 | "The Natural State"—hummingbird Hummingbird Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings... |
optional | |
| 2002 | Oregon Vehicle registration plates of Oregon The U.S. state of Oregon first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1911.-Passenger baseplates 1956 to present:... |
2 | "Crater Lake Crater Lake Crater Lake is a caldera lake located in the south-central region of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the main feature of Crater Lake National Park and famous for its deep blue color and water clarity. The lake partly fills a nearly deep caldera that was formed around 7,700 years agoby the... Centennial" |
optional | |
| 2003 | Kentucky Vehicle registration plates of Kentucky The U.S. state of Kentucky first required requiring its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1910.-Passenger plates 1924 to present:-Optional types:-References:... |
1 | "It's That Friendly" | general | |
| 2004 | Oklahoma Vehicle registration plates of Oklahoma The U.S. state of Oklahoma first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1915.-Passenger baseplates 1989 to present:-Optional types:-External links:*... |
2 | "State Parks"—pavilion Gazebo A gazebo is a pavilion structure, sometimes octagonal, that may be built, in parks, gardens, and spacious public areas. Gazebos are freestanding or attached to a garden wall, roofed, and open on all sides; they provide shade, shelter, ornamental features in a landscape, and a place to rest... |
optional | |
| 2005 | Kansas | 3 | "Home on the Range Home on the Range "Home on the Range" is the state song of Kansas, U.S.Home on the Range may also refer to:* Home on the Range , a drama directed by Arthur Jacobson* Home on the Range , a Disney animated feature film... " |
optional | |
| 2006 | South Dakota Vehicle registration plates of South Dakota The U.S. state of South Dakota first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1913.-Passenger baseplates 1933 to present:-2006 to present:-Optional types:-County coding:-External links:*... |
3 | "Great Faces. Great Places." | general | |
| 2007 | Mississippi | 3 | Biloxi Light Biloxi Light Biloxi Light is a lighthouse in Biloxi, Mississippi, adjacent to the Mississippi Sound of the Gulf of Mexico. The lighthouse has been kept by female keepers for more years than any other lighthouse in the United States... |
general |  |
| 2008 | Delaware Vehicle registration plates of Delaware The U.S. state of Delaware first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1909. All license plates issued since 1942 can still be used with current stickers... |
1 | "Centennial Plate 1909-2009" | optional | |
| 2009 | Oklahoma Vehicle registration plates of Oklahoma The U.S. state of Oklahoma first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1915.-Passenger baseplates 1989 to present:-Optional types:-External links:*... |
3 | Sacred Rain Arrow | general | |
| 2010 | New Mexico Vehicle registration plates of New Mexico The U.S. state of New Mexico first required its residents to register their motor vehicles and display license plates in 1912.-Passenger baseplates 1988 to present:-External links:*... |
1 | "Centennial 1912-2012" | general | |
Notable members
- Jim FoxJim Fox (drummer)Jim Fox is a musician best known as the drummer and organist of the James Gang, as well as the band's founder and its namesake. He is the only member of the group to appear in every incarnation of the band...
, drummer of the James GangJames GangThe James Gang was a rock band formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1966. Though the band was not a huge commercial success, except in the Northeast Ohio area, the fame garnered by guitarist Joe Walsh has since made the group more notable.- History :...
; served as an officer of the ALPCA and authored one of the most prominent published works within the hobby, License Plates of the United States.