Hinton, West Virginia, USA

November expires today. The plates on this pickup expired June 30, 1949. Welcome to a time warp, where you can plop down in The Market and become part of a national historic landmark. That's because, decades ago, Hinton's entire downtown was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. [2021]

St. George, Utah, USA

 

Biggest Spider:  Here is a monster arachnid who has taken over the whole town. You can do him no harm because he is wearing a coat of armor, one made of Utah license plates (see them?). Alas, he was captured and moved off Main Street to become the front man for a pest control company! [2019]

Annapolis, Maryland, USA

Does Maryland make you Go Mad? Or, are you Going Mad because that jalopy won't make it up State House Hill? Or, are you Going Mad because you have to peddle up State House Hill? Or, are you Going Mad because of the antics of the legislators on State House Hill? [2018]

New York, New York, USA

Plate collecting is a major hobby in the U.S., and the Hell's Kitchen flea market looks like the place to go if you are on the lookout for New York plates. These pre-date the vanity era, but don't you love the tiny maps of the Empire State that are pretending to be hyphens? [2017]

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Today, we have a multiple choice question. You get to pick two from the above display. Recommended (especially for Sagittarians named Lucas): (1) Dream-It-Plan-It-Do-It, (2) No-Pain-No-Gain. [2016]

Havana, Cuba

Pop culture in the form of nation-building icons are displayed on ersatz license plates: maps, flags, cars, rum, and Che (but not Fidel). Are they really just for visitors? Or, is there some nation-building going on here? [2014]

Sedona, Arizona, USA

What's the future of the license plate? It could be destined for the scrap pile. A bar code would be far more efficient for keeping track of every single vehicle in the United States without the assistance of human eyes. The matrix bar code, in fact, was invented for the automotive industry. [2009]

Jerusalem, Israel

Hone in on the tomato. Did you know that tomatoes are Sinaloa's most important crop? (Sure, they are...) So much geographic imagery, so much to be proud of, is wrapped up in these plates. And, for Americans in Israel, they're sure to make you homesick. Remember: Mexicans are Americans, too! [2010]

Rock Sound, Eleuthera, The Bahamas

Where do old license plates go when their partners get a ticket to the auto afterworld? The luckiest ones get a ticket to the roadside art world. What's their stock in trade?
State names that whisper home,
Customized designs that stand alone,
Signature colors (a few overblown),
Scenic icons that say: "Come roam!"
[2014]

Chloride, Arizona, USA

Here hang the ghosts of cars past in the ghost town of Chloride. Driving through on your way to....? Well, just driving through? Be sentient, or you're likely to be hauled into Inferior Court, where they may demand your license plate in lieu of a fine. [2009]