Delaware license tag number "6" auctioned off for a record $675,000

sailchef · sailchef's Garage

Are there any other members whose State has such a peculiar tradition as Delaware. If so how much is your tag worth.

My wife and I own three low digit, Black & White, Delaware auto tags which are currently on our three vehicles. It's taken a little luck and some barganing over a 5 year period to get them. If I sold them to another resident for use on thier vehichle, which is perfectly legal in Delaware, I could probably get close to $10,000.00 for the three of them. I paid nothing. Three pieces of metal (license plates) for $10,000.00.

Forget the stock market. Move to Delaware and start buying B&W tags for your car.

Stories follow.

At the moment DE tag # 121 is for sale for the low bargain price of $199,000.00

Delaware culture: low license plate numbers - SkyscraperCity

Numbers Only - Delaware's Marketplace for Low Digit Black Tags

gprsh924 · 04-26-2010, 11:29 AM

In Illinois those are government plates, but I am sure there is some type of black market for them.

If they went to public auction I am sure there are plenty of rich Chicago residents that would pay those kind of prices for them. I know I would if I had that kind of cash to throw around.

legion · 04-26-2010, 11:31 AM

My last name is my license plate on my motorcycle.

It's nice having an unusual last name.

Noah930 · Noah930's Garage

Quote:

I know I would if I had that kind of cash to throw around.

OK, I'll bite: Why?

When I lived in Massachusetts, there's a similar public affinity for low-digit license plates. But those are awarded via lottery, so it doesn't really cost anything to get one. Is the point to look like you've lived there forever?

I'd rather have the least recognizable plate around.

legion · 04-26-2010, 11:39 AM

Yep. My requests for 1OI010I, WMWMWMW, and S55SS5S were all rejected...

gprsh924 · 04-26-2010, 11:41 AM

You know you're right, the best plate to have would be some combination of 1 and L or 0 and o.

The first time I ever saw a low digit plate, I was downtown visiting my Dad at his office and saw a cool car with 9 as the plate. I was probably like 10 years old, so it seemed really cool. It still sort of does today. I'd like to have 21 as my plate number. But it would probably have to go on about my 10th or 15th car, that's the kind of money I'm talking about.

gprsh924 · 04-26-2010, 11:41 AM

A.S.S.M.A.N. would be a pretty sweet plate as well.

legion · 04-26-2010, 11:43 AM

Someone post the Florida license plate with A55 RGY....

legion · 04-26-2010, 11:43 AM

3M TA3 is a good one too....

pwd72s · 04-26-2010, 11:45 AM

Vanity plates abound in Oregon. Obviously, some fools believe the state doesn't have enough money.

masraum · 04-26-2010, 11:47 AM

that's darn odd.

legion · 04-26-2010, 11:47 AM

When I had a Porsche, my goal was NOT having a memorable plate...

cgarr · cgarr's Garage

I am still waiting for BDR529

sailchef · sailchef's Garage

These are not vanity plates. They are the first govt issued plates prior to 1940. Delaware doesnt have "letters" on its license plates, only numbers.

Zeke · 04-26-2010, 11:59 AM

I think this thread is about old existing plates, not vanity plates.

In NV, the plate stays with the owner, not the car. Hence, you can see who has lived in NV for a long time (not that many). the old plates are blue with silver and most have faded to where it's hard to read.

And they guard them with their life. I'm not sure they can be transferred, so value may not be like DE. IN CA we can buy 50's and 60's yellow/black and black/yellow plates for not that much. With some hoop jumping, they can be used on a car of the appropriate year. Again, a couple hundred bucks will set you up.

Joeaksa · 04-26-2010, 12:00 PM

England is the same way, with some plates going for hundreds of $$$.

Mine for the interesting cars are: 92V-12XJ and 1973RS. Thats as far as its going to go...

pwd72s · 04-26-2010, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milt

I think this thread is about old existing plates, not vanity plates.

In NV, the plate stays with the owner, not the car. Hence, you can see who has lived in NV for a long time (not that many). the old plates are blue with silver and most have faded to where it's hard to read.

And they guard them with their life. I'm not sure they can be transferred, so value may not be like DE. IN CA we can buy 50's and 60's yellow/black and black/yellow plates for not that much. With some hoop jumping, they can be used on a car of the appropriate year. Again, a couple hundred bucks will set you up.

Damn...wish Oregon did that...I'd still be running the old "Pacific Wonderland" plates. Still have the old blue background gold plates from my old 911S...thought I might find somebody with a Vintage Mustang who'd like to run them...

johnco · 04-26-2010, 12:15 PM

I've got a old black Cal. plate covering the master cylinder on my rat rod floor. my friend also has one that came on his 27. I've seen a few around here.

sailchef · sailchef's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by milt

I think this thread is about old existing plates, not vanity plates.

In NV, the plate stays with the owner, not the car. Hence, you can see who has lived in NV for a long time (not that many). the old plates are blue with silver and most have faded to where it's hard to read.

There you go...... same thing.

When these plates were issued not many people in Delaware owned cars.

License plate #1 is the Governor, #2 Lt. Gov, #3 Attorney General. After that they went to the citizens of the state.

So........in the begining #10 went to the tenth person to register a car, #250 went to the 250th person in the state to register a car. Those tags today, are still active and on someones car.

Its like saying " I was one of the first people to live in this state"

They are more "vain" than vanity plates. They are like a right of passage. And there are 87000 people in the state who have them.

Only the first 87000 issued plates were made in B&W, after that they are Blue & Gold.

There are people driving old hondas worth $1500 with double or triple digit tags that are worth $100,000.

And they can sell those tags to anyone else in the state.

Its that phenomenon that I am trying to find out about.

sailchef · sailchef's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnco

I've got a old black Cal. plate covering the master cylinder on my rat rod floor. my friend also has one that came on his 27. I've seen a few around here.

Now we are getting close.

Are the numbers on those plates currently active numbers in California? and could someone in California still be able to use those black plates as a legal tag on there car?