Click on any state below to jump down to that states info
Alabama
Blue on white annual 76 plate, no bice theme. Their 77 plate
(issued in late 1976) was a base used into 1982 and did have the
bicentennial logo on it.
Return To Table
Alaska
Red on white multi-colored 76 plate issued (which was used into
1982). No bice theme beyond a circle of 13 stars around the "76".
Return To Table
Arizona
White on red x76 sticker on 73 base. No bice theme on sticker. By
the way, the 73 base was still used as late as the mid-1990s.
Return To Table
Arkansas
White on blue x76 sticker on various bases dating back to 1968.
No bice theme.
Return To Table
California
Blue on light blue x76 sticker on 1963 (black) and 1969 (blue)
bases. No bice theme (although the sticker's serial number was red).
Return To Table
Colorado
Blue on white 76 sticker on 75 base. The 75 plate had a centennial
theme to it since 1976 was Colorado's centennial of statehood. These
plates replaced in 1977 with the plate that is still valid today.
Never really was a bice.
Return To Table
Connecticut
Blue on white x76 sticker on various bases dating back to 1957.
No bice theme.
Return To Table
Delaware
x76 stickers of varying color (depending on the month of
expiration) on various bases dating back to x1942 (yes, 1942!
and the 42 base was porcelain!).
Return To Table
District of Columbia
Blue on white 76 sticker on xMarch 75 base. Base used at least into
the 1980s. Base was bice with "1776 ... 1976" slogan as you've seen.
Return To Table
Florida
They had two 1976s, really. The first was a white on green sticker on
the 1975 base for their 1975/76 registration year (begining in the 1960s
their registration year ran from July through June). When that sticker
expired they went to a staggered monthly registration system. Some
registrants got a white on red x76 sticker (with a month on the sticker)
while some jumped directly to a white on blue x77 sticker. No bice theme
anyplace here!
Return To Table
Georgia
New plates issued in 76 which were used through 1982. No bice
theme although some counties issued leftover blue on white county name
stickers on these red on white plates for a red-white-blue color scheme
instead of using the red on white county stickers they were supposed to
use.
Return To Table
Hawaii
New plates issued in 76 which were used through 1980. No bice
theme although the plate number was blue and the background had Diamond
Head, palm trees and King Kamehamea (pardon my spelling) in the background
in pink. Also had a red hibiscus in the corner and the date in red.
Return To Table
Idaho
Either a white on red or white on blue x76 sticker on x1974 base.
No bice theme. The change in color on the stickers was due to a lawsuit.
The first stickers were the red ones and had just "76" on them. One
motorist thought that that meant the sticker was valid for all of 1976,
which it was not. Idaho used a staggered monthly system with the last
number of the plate indicating the month of expiration (eg "3" was March).
This guy sued the state DMV. While all this was going on (in 1975 as the
x76 stickers were being issued) the DMV decided to change the stickers and
printed "EXPIRES OCTOBER 31, 1976" (or whatever month) on the stickers.
These were the blue ones and this was the design of the stickers for the
last half (more or less) of the expire-1976 registration year. They did the
same thing for all months of the x77 stickers. By the time the x78 stickers
came out the case was settled and they went back to just plain "78"
stickers.
Return To Table
Illinois
Blue on white multi-colored annual 76 plate with bice theme.
Return To Table
Indiana
Blue on white x76 plate, no bice theme. For x77 they issued a
blue on white multi-colored bice theme plate. Most new collectors probably
don't know it, but the bice plate for Indiana is the x77 plate, even though
it is dated 76.
Return To Table
Iowa
Blue on white 76 sticker on 75 plate (which was used through 1978).
No bice theme.
Return To Table
Kansas
White on blue x76 plate issued which was used through x80. No bice theme.
Return To Table
Kentucky
Blue on white 76 sticker on 75 plate (which was used through
1977). No bice theme.
Return To Table
Louisiana
Black on yellow 77 sticker issued on 74/75 plate. This really
screws up bicentennial collectors!! Louisiana has had two year registration
since the 1960s. The plate they issued in 1974 was dated 74/75. In 76 they
issued a sticker which was valid for two years - so it was dated 77. There
is NO passenger plate for Louisiana dated or stickered 76. None!
Return To Table
Maine
Various colored x76 sticker (depended on month) issued on 1974
plate (which was used through 1987). No bice theme.
Return To Table
Maryland
This is another screwy state. From the 1950s through the time
they went monthly in 1986 (if I remember correctly - either 86 or 87)
Maryland showed the year of expiration on the plate. They were not a
monthly state, however. So, if you were in Maryland in 1972 you would have
seen plates dated 71 with a 73 sticker on them. The "73" sticker was for
the 1972 registration year.
In 1975 they replaced the dated-71 plates (which were issued in 1970) with
their "76" plate, a plain, undated red on white plate. This is the "76"
plate - used undated. It was really used in 1975. In 1976, for the 1976
registration year, they issued a white on blue 77 sticker. This plate was
used through their 1979 registration year (when it bore an 80 sticker).
They did this again in 1980, issuing a plain black on white undated plate
which expired in March 1981. So if you find plain red on white or plain
black on white Maryland plates, they are NOT undated front plates. Those
are the plates you'd need for 1976 (really used in 1975) and 1981 (really
used in 1980). No bice theme anyplace here!
Return To Table
Massachusetts
White on blue x76 sticker used on plates issued as early as
1972 (for x74 registrations - another two-year registration state).
No bicentennial theme.
Return To Table
Michigan
White on blue and red 76 plate issued (which was used through
1978). Bice theme. Michigan won ALPCA's Best Design award for this plate in
1976.
Return To Table
Minnesota
Olive green on white x76 sticker issued for 1974 plate (which
was used through x77). No bice theme.
Return To Table
Mississippi
annual maroon (some say brown) on white xOct 76 plate. No
bice theme. Mississippi's registration year ran from November through
October and the plates all had OCT (county name) 76 (75, 74, 73, 72...)
on the bottom.
Return To Table
Missouri
annual yellow on blue x76 plate, no bicentennial theme. Like Indiana
the bicentennial plate was their white on red x77 plate.
Return To Table
Montana
Montana went monthly in 1976 with the issue of the
longest-runnung bicentenial plate issued. Multi-colored blue on white x76
plate issued (which was used through 1991). A TRUE 76 Montana will have a
month expiring late in the year. Since this was the year they adopted
staggered-monthly registration some registrants jumped straight to x77
stickers. The x76 was the baseplate with only a month sticker (the 76 was
screened on the plate). Bice theme.
Return To Table
Nebraska
Another oddity. Red on white bice theme multi-colored plate
issued which was dated 76 but was never used without an x77 sticker.
Nebraska chose 1976 to be the year that they started showing the date of
expiration on the plate rather than the registration year. Since their 1976
registration year ended in January 1977 all 1976 plates were issued with an
"expires 1 1977" sticker. This sticker was frequently placed in the middle
of the plate because the people issuing the plate didn't want to cover any
of the bicentennial theme!
Return To Table
Nevada
Black on yellow x76 sticker issued on various bases dating back to
1969 (all of which are still valid, I believe). No bice theme.
Return To Table
New Hampshire
red and blue on white sticker issued to 1975 plate. They
chose 76 as the year to adopt staggered registration too, so an x76 is
fairly hard to find. They used the 75 base through x79.
Return To Table
New Jersey
They began using windshield stickers with the issue of their
black on straw plate in 1959, so then, like today, they had no plates
bearing a date unless you go to a trailer plate or such.
Return To Table
New Mexico
Blue on white sticker (with US flag in background) on 1972
plate (which was used through 1991). Only bice theme was the US flag on the
sticker.
Return To Table
New York
Like New Jersey, was using windshield stickers for their x76
registrations. The plate in se then was the undated blue on orange base
which began to be issued in October 1972 with x73 windshield stickers.
Since the earlier plate in use (orange on blue) carried x73 stickers as
late as xSept 73, the orange plate is usually considered to be the x74
plate. No bice theme but I think the x76 windshield stickers were white on
red.
Return To Table
North Carolina
White on blue 76 sticker on 75 plate. This plate was
phased out sometime in the 1980s. No bice theme.
Return To Table
North Dakota
White on red sticker on 74 plate. This plate was used through 1979.
No bice theme.
Return To Table
Ohio
Undated red on white 76 plate issued. This is the one with just OHIO
at the bottom. Plate used through x80.
Return To Table
Oklahoma
Annual red on white plate issued with 1776 BICENTENNIAL 1976 slogan.
Return To Table
Oregon
White on red x76 sticker issued for various bases dating back to
x1956. All of these bases are still valid today! No bice theme. Actually
they are another state that had two year registration so the x76 stickers
were issued in 1974. Stickers being issued in 1976 were the white on green
x78 stickers.
Return To Table
Pennsylvania
Blue on white 76 sticker issued to 1971 plate. The 71 plate
had BICENTENNIAL STATE '76 slogan along with Liberty Bell.
Return To Table
Rhode Island
White on red 76 sticker issued on 1967 and 1972 bases. No bice theme.
Return To Table
South Carolina
Blue on white multi-colored 76 plate issued. Bice theme
with slogan, cannon and palm tree. This plate was used through x80.
Return To Table
South Dakota
Blue on white multi-colored 76 plate issued (which was used
through 1980). Bice theme with stylized US flag across top with Mt.
Rushmore.This was their first multi-year plate. In both 1974 and 1975 they
issued annual plates in red, white and blue color schemes.
Return To Table
Tennessee
White on blue 76 sticker issued for 1971 plate. No bice theme.
1976 was the last year of use for this plate.
Return To Table
Texas
White on blue 76 sticker issued for 75 plate (which was used
through 1990 or so). No bice theme but the serial number of the sticker was
in red.
Return To Table
Utah
White on blue x76 sticker issued for 73 base (which was used into
the 1980s or maybe 90s). No bice theme.
Return To Table
Vermont
White on blue and red 76 sticker issued for 1972 plate. Only bice
theme was that the top half of the sticker was blue and the bottom half was
red (a pretty neat looking sticker!). This was the last year of use for
this plate.
Return To Table
Virginia
White on red x76 sticker issued for 1973 plate (which was still
in use into the 1980s). No bice theme.
Return To Table
Washington
Red on white 76 sticker issued on various bases dating back to
1963. The sticker had a minuteman between the "7" and the "6". Another neat
looking sticker!
Return To Table
West Virginia
Here things get confusing as there are three "76" West
Virginias. The first was a yellow on green x76 sticker issued on the x71
plate. No bice theme. These were for registrations expiring in 1976. In
1976, when motorists renewed to expire in 1977 they received a new blue on
white plate which was dated "76" (even though it expired in 1977). Halfway
through 1976 as these plates were being issued it was decided that ALL cars
ought to have the nrew plates. So more plates were hurriedly made by an out
of state firm (so the plates have different dies from the traditional W.
Va. dies) and these plates were sent to the motorists whose plates expired
later in 1976 or their x77 registration. These later-month plates were not
used without a sticker as were the earlier month plates (which were dated
"76"). These late-month 1977 expirations were issued with a red and blue on
white "76" sticker (even though it expired in 1977).
So, for all registrations expiring in 1976 you had the blue on gold x71
plate used with a gold on green "1976" sticker.
For registrations expiring from January through July of 1977 you had a blue
on white graphic plate (like the current design with the state map), dated
"76" in the lower right corner.
For registrations expiring from August through December of 1977 you had the
same graphic plate with a manufacturing style similar to Illinois' 1976
plate (same manufacturer) carrying a red and blue on white "1976" sticker.
And who says this hobby isn't interesting!!
(By the way, the first character on West Virginia's passenger plates
indicated the month of expiration - 1 for January through 9 for September
then the letters O, N and D for the last three months, so 5D-1129 expires
in May and DF-4901 expires in December).
Return To Table
Wisconsin
Yellow on blue x76 sticker used on x73 plate (which was used
through x79). No bice theme.
Return To Table
Wyoming
White on blue 76 sticker issued for 1975 plate. The 75 plate was
a blue on white multi-colored affair with the slogan "THE SPIRIT OF'76 - In
the American West!" on it which was used through 1977.
Return To Table
Additional Info
In the mid-1970s the graphic screening that is so common today was new
technology. The first modern graphic was South Dakota's 1974 plate. Many
states saw it as a way to do something for the bicentennial so did employ
it in 1976. But the process was expensive so most states used their early
graphic plates for several years, such as South Carolina and the extreme
example of Montana (still issuing the bicentennial plate in 1990!)
Some states could not afford to have a general reissue in 1976 so offered
an optional bicentennial plate for an extra fee. The bicentennial was what
gave birth to the billions of extra-fee plates we have today. I've never
tried to get all of the extra-fee plates so I might be missing some, but I
believe these are all of the states that offered optional extra-fee
bicentennial theme plates (all were used for several years after 1976):
Maryland, Virginia, Georgia. The Virginia is the most common, the Maryland
isn't hard to find but the Georgia is RARE. The few I remember seeing
advertized had a price tag of $100 or more on them and that was in the late
1970s or early 80s! Needless to day I don't have a Georgia bicentennial!
Additionally some states made and offered a bicentennial booster plate for
the front of the car. These included Maine, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New
Jersey, New Mexico and Vermont.
The mid-70s was when many states began adopting what folks in Missouri
had been doing since 1948 - a staggered-monthly registration system. In
order to
spread all of the registrations out across the year from their previous
calendar year system, most states used the plate number to determine the
month of expiration and the registrant payed a prorated fee, adjusted for
the correct number of months. For example, if the last number on the plate
was a "9" the month assigned was the 9th month, September, and the
registrant only paid for nine months. When September rolled around he'd pay
for the full twelve months again to expire in September of the following
year. Early months would usually jump to the next year so that the
registrant didn't have to pay for a short term then return again after only
a few months to pay for a year. If the month assigned to him was February,
instead of paying for two months he'd pay for 14 months all in one go and
not have to return for over a year. Because of this, the year that a state
goes monthly is sometimes a fairly hard year to find for a run, because
most vehicles skipped that year. That is what happened in Montana in 1976.
They were calendar year in 1975 with a nice-looking 1975 plate. In 76 they
went monthly and most cars jumped from a 75 plate to a plate with a 77
sticker, never having a 76.
There were two styles of base plates for Idaho in
76. Utah used several variations on the 73 plate, a couple of which are the
only two passenger plates that I have not run across yet, New Mexico used the
72 base and short lived 74 base. There were two sticker varieties.This Information
was submitted by Mike Sells(ALPCA#6464) another friendly and knowledgable plate trader.
Be sure to visit his web site at http://www.plateshack.com/76/index.html
Return To Table
|Return To Main Page|
|Plates Wanted|
|Plates For Trade|
|My Collection|
|Links|
|DMV Addresses|
|The Junk Drawer|
|Bicentennial Plate Info|
|About Us|
|My Other Pages|
Send Inquiries To Robert(Bob)Quasa @Plate Traders
Plate Traders 2001