Plus History, Trivia and More!
New Mexico Chile Plates
The New Mexico chile plate was voted the best plate of 2017 by members of the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association (ALPCA). The chile plate beat out 16 other nominated plates from the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Japan. This marks the second time New Mexico has won the honor, with the last being the turquoise centennial plate in 2010. Read more on ALPCA's web site: 2017 Best Plate Award
The photos begin with the Territorial “pre-state” tags issued by certain municipalities starting in 1910, then continue with the state-issued plates which first appeared shortly after statehood was attained in early 1912. Multiple styles of some types of plates exist and you will find most of those varieties illustrated as well.
We also include photos of many related items such as early vehicle titles and registration certificates, driver’s licenses, chauffeur badges, tribal plates, error plates, Highway Department signs and maps, plates issued by U.S. military installations within New Mexico, and so forth.
All of the photographs seen here are from the book Early New Mexico License Plates by Bill Johnston, and/or from the NMTHP archives.
NMTHP would like to hear from you... Do you have an old New Mexico license plate that you would like to know more about, or that you would like to donate or sell to our organization? If so please contact us!
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