The Andrew Turnbull License Plate Gallery

Automobile license plates have fascinated me all my life.

It's difficult to pinpoint a single reason why exactly I took an interest in them, but there were many different factors to take into consideration: Their varied colors, distinctive captions, hidden codes, geographical significance, and association with both numbers and transportation were but some of the reasons why they appealed to me. Everyone deserves to have a unique or eccentric hobby, and with this I am no exception.

Showcase


Well, well; three West Virginia motorcycle plates. What to make of these? Around 2006, the G12345 numbering series that had started in 1997 was completely exhausted...	...So they switched to a handful of unusual overflow formats with two letters and four numbers. The "GM" series came first, with the "M" presumably standing for motorcycle...	...and only lasting a few months before inexplicably being followed by "GB." This series was also short-lived, as the state used the July 2008 renewal as an excuse to introduce a new motorcycle base design and start the numbering over from scratch.

Features

Gallery. The original potpourri of license plate collection highlights.
West Virginia license plates:
- More than you wanted to know about "Map" Bases, 1976-1995.
- Non-Passenger Plates, 1976-1995.
- The work-in-progress License Plate Run.
- Updated! Highs, 1976-date.
Oregon license plates:
- Passenger Variations, 1956-date.
- Passenger Variations, Part 2: Vendor Switches and Further Questions.
- A slightly-ambitious attempt at tracking Non-Passenger Variations.
Updated! License Plate Sticker Colors.
Updated! 1985 "Birthyear Run."

Updated! The Idle Pen: Commentary and opinion.