Item Description
Original Items: Only One Set Available. During WWII there was a metal shortage, and the iron used in making license plates was needed to make the necessary tools for war. Scrap metal drives were a common sight in America during the war and many old license plates hanging on barn walls and garages went to the scrap heap to be recycled into jeeps, helmets, C-Ration cans and so on. The individual states themselves looked for ways to help conserve the natural resources (Gasoline, Rubber, Steel, Iron, etc.) for the war effort. One common method to save metal was to only make a single license plate and not issue pairs of plates. Later, instead of issuing a new plate every year, a new metal date tab was issued to attach over the previous year's plate. The next step was to only issue a sticker to affix to the inside of the automobiles windshield. States like California issued small corner plates, white with a “V” on them for Victory instead of using the stickers. Some states even started making plates out of soybean pulp and fiberboard. These soybean plates are like pressboard fiber. They were made by the thousands, but not too many survived due to animals eating them.
Several states found that they had already started making pairs of plates when the decision was made to only issue a single plate. The states saved one of the two plates and sent the other plate to the registered owner of the vehicle with that license plate number. The duplicate plates saved by the state were often flattened and restamped with a new number or saved for another year (or more) and only the date was restamped. The re-stamped or overstamped plate was sent to the registered owner of that license plate in subsequent years.
The plates in this lot:
- x4 Pressed Fiber Illinois License Plates
- x2 Early War Wisconsin Stamped Steel License Plates
- x2 Early War Stamped Steel Pennsylvania License PLate With 1943 Renewal Tab
All 7 license plates are in wonderful condition with much of the paint and details still present. This would be a welcome addition to any caliber of war time license plate collections.
Comes more than ready for further research and display.
- This product is available for international shipping.
- Eligible for all payments - Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX, Paypal & Sezzle
