California stopped issuing black plates many many years ago (not sure when
-- 1972?). If a car still carries them, it pretty much means it has been
continuously registered in Califorrnia for that entire period, therefore is
an "original California car", as they like to boast, and not a recent import
from the Rust Belt.
I say, "pretty much", since in recent years they have been letting "barn
cars" that have been out of registration for years, re-register and keep the
black plates they already have. For a long time, the policy was to
confiscate the black ones and issue the current style of plate, which as you
could imagine would tend to tick off collectors and restorers. So there is a
small loophole for a non-operating original California car to be taken out
of state, perhaps for many years, then surreptitiously returned to
Califonia, still non-operating, and presented to the DMV as a "barn car".
A registered car brought in from out of state, no matter how old, would not
be issued black plates. My 66 MGB sports the late-70s/early-80s "sunset"
California plate, an indication that it is an import, which is borne out by
the rampant rust.
California has no provision for re-using old out-of-use plates, so there is
no market for trading in them (other than the license plate collectors),
unlike some states, where people restore and resell old styles of plates to
car hobbyists.
So, you see, it's not the plate itself that is valuable, it is what it
represents -- it validates the claim to be an original California car.
--
Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the primer red one with chrome wires
on 4/1/05 2:40 PM, ksmith40@centurytel.net at ksmith40@centurytel.net wrote:
> So I'm browsing eBay and I see a few auctions where the owner is bragging
> about having black and yellow plates. What's the big deal about black and
> yellow plates from California? If I buy your car, you can keep your old
> plate, regardless of the color. I won't be needing it in Arkansas.
>
> Just curious.
> Kevin
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