Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1938

Vehicle registration plates of the United States by year
Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1937 Events of 1938 Vehicle registration plates of the United States for 1939

Each of the 48 states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for 1938.[1][2][3][4]

Passenger baseplates

Passenger  Car  Plates
Image Region Design Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
Alabama red on blue with embossed 38 none 123–456A
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas Embossed gray lettering, designs and border on red background, "ARKANSAS" embossed in winged signage below registration; "38" embossed inside state shape at left. none 123–456
California black embossed lettering on yellow base 1A 23 45 unknown
Canal Zone Embossed white lettering on red background none 12345
Colorado White embossed lettering and rims on teal base. none 1-12345
10-1234 		County coded registration (1 or 10).
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida Embossed yellow lettering and border on black background, "19 FLORIDA 38" embossed at top. none 12A3456 Coded by county and weight class
Georgia Orange embossed lettering and rims on blue base. "1938" embossed at bottom and "GEORGIA" at top. none 123-456A unknown
Guam
Hawai'i Embossed yellow lettering on black base; "HAWAII 1938" at bottom. none 12-345
Idaho Embossed white letters and rims on maroon base. "IDAHO - 1938" at bottom. none 1-2345, 12-3456 unknown
Illinois Embossed white lettering on green base; "ILLINOIS 1938" at bottom. none 123 456
123 4567 		unknown
Indiana Maroon lettering on cream base none 123 456
Iowa Black embossed lettering and rims on white base. none 1–2345
12-3456 		County-coded registration (1 or 12)
Kansas Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "KAN. '38" embossed in white block letters centered at bottom none 1-12345
10-1234
100-123 		Coded by county (1, 10 or 100)
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts Embossed white lettering on red base. "MASS 38" at bottom. none 123–456
Michigan none 123456
Minnesota none A123-456
Mississippi Dark blue with embossed white lettering and rim. "MISS." stamped at top center of plate, "38" at top right. Passenger plates stamped with "A" at top left. none 123–456
Missouri Embossed black lettering and rims on white base. "19 MISSOURI 38" at bottom. none 123–456 unknown
Montana Embossed black numbers on orange plate with state-shaped border; embossed black buffalo skull used as separator; "MONTANA–38" embossed in black block letters below numbers none 1-12345
1/0-1234 		unknown Coded by county of issuance (1 or 1/0)
Nebraska Silver embossed block lettering and rims on black base. "NEBRASKA – 38" embossed at bottom. none 1-12345
10-1234 		unknown County-coded registration (1 or 10)
Nevada Embossed white lettering and rims on blue base. "NEVADA 1938" at bottom. none 12-345 unknown
New Hampshire Embossed white lettering and rims on dark green base. "NH 38-9" at top.
New Jersey Embossed white lettering on heavy black steel base. "N.J. 38" embossed at top. none A123456 County coded registration (A).
New Mexico Embossed black lettering and Zia design on yellow base plate. none 1–2345
12-3456 		unknown County-coded registration (1 or 12)
New York Yellow-orange embossed lettering on black base "NEW YORK WORLD"S FAIR 1939" embossed across bottom of plate. A-12-34
1A23-45 		County-coded registration.
North Carolina Yellow base with embossed black lettering. "NORTH CAROLINA 38" embossed at top. none 123–456 unknown
North Dakota
Ohio Black embossed lettering, rims, and graphics on white base[16] 150 Anniv·N·W·Terr·[16] A·1234
AB·123
1234·A
123·AB
A·123·B 		County-coded registration. Commemorated the 150th anniversary of the creation of the Northwest Territory, from which the state of Ohio was formed.
Oklahoma Embossed black lettering on yellow base. "OKLAHOMA – 1938" at top. none 123–456 unknown
Oregon Embossed black lettering and rims on silver-painted base. "OREGON – 1938" at bottom. none 123–456 unknown
Pennsylvania Blue embossed lettering on yellow base with blue state outline none 1234A
12A34 		unknown
Rhode Island Embossed white letters on black base; "R.I. 1938" embossed at bottom. none A1234 unknown
South Carolina Embossed black numbers on golden yellow plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 38" embossed in black block letters at bottom. none A-12-345 unknown Letter in registration corresponds to weight class.
South Dakota Embossed white letters and rims on blue base. "S. DAK. 1938" at bottom. none 1–2345
12-3456 		unknown
Tennessee Embossed blue lettering and rims on state-shaped plate. "TENN. 38" at bottom center. none 1–2345
1A-2345 		unknown Coded by weight.
Texas Black embossed lettering, star separator at center, and rims on white base. none 123–456
A12-345 		unknown
Utah Embossed maroon lettering and rims on white base, "UTAH – 1938" at bottom. none 12-345 50-001 to approximately 174-000
Vermont Embossed blue lettering on white base. "19 VERMONT 38" embossed at bottom. none 12 435
Virginia Embossed black numbers on white plate; "VIRGINIA – 1938" embossed in black block letters at bottom. none 123–456 1 to approximately 388-000
Washington Embossed green numbers on white plate with border line; "1938 WASHINGTON" embossed in green block letters at top none A-12345
AB-1234 		County-coded
(A or AB)
West Virginia Embossed yellow numbers on black plate; "W. VA.-37-38" embossed in yellow block letters centered at top. none
Wisconsin Embossed black numbers on silver plate with border line; "WISCONSIN 1938" embossed in black block letters at bottom none 123–456 1 to approximately 706-000
Wyoming Embossed yellow numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on navy blue plate with border line; "1938 WYOMING" embossed in yellow block letters at top none 1–2345
12-3456

Non-passenger plates

Non-passenger  Plates  
Image (standard) Region Type Design & Slogan Serial format Serials issued Notes
Wisconsin Dealer Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; "WIS DEALER 38" at bottom 1234A Dealer number and plate number Number is the dealer number, letter is the plate number for that dealer
Farm Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "37 FARM TR'K 38" at top, vertical "WIS" at left 12-345 1 to approximately 49-000
Motorcycle Embossed black serial on silver plate with border line; "WIS 38" at bottom 1234 1 to approximately 3000
Municipal Embossed silver serial on black plate with border line; "WISCONSIN 1938" at bottom, embossed hollow star at right 1234 1 to approximately 8300 Identifiable with a hollow star
Truck Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; "37 WIS TRUCK 38" at bottom 12-345 A Coded by weight class Weight classes are A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, and N

See also

References

  1. ^ Fox, Jams K. (1997). License Plates of the United States: A Pictorial History 1903-To the Present. Jerico, New York: Interstate Directory Publishing Company. ISBN 9781886777002.
  2. ^ Minard, Jeff; Stentiford, Tim (2004). A Moving History, 50 Years Of ALPCA. 100 Years Of License Plates. Paducah, Kentucky: Turner Publishing Company. p. 58. ISBN 1-56311-975-7.
  3. ^ Crisler, Bob; Crisler, Chuck, eds. (2007). License Plate Values (7th ed.). King Publishing Company.
  4. ^ Martells, Jack (1980). Antique Automotive Collectibles. Chicago: Contemporary Books, Inc. pp. 128–145. ISBN 0-8092-7205-9.