(9) License Plates. This collection features 3 regular Florida state license plates, 3 specialized Florida plates (1 Protect Our Reefs and 2 Protect the Panther), 1 Georgia plate, 1 Texas plate, and 1 plate from the country of Honduras, a unique find. 

Size: 6 x 12 in. 

License plate collecting began as enthusiasts saved discarded early 20th Century tags, evolving into an organized hobby with the 1954 formation of the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association (ALPCA). Collectors cherish plates for their historical, artistic, and regional significance, often focusing on porcelain, early steel, or specific vintage, vanity, or geographically significant plates. France and Germany were the first to produce plates in 1902, followed a year later by the state of New York. While many in the first decade of the 20th Century were home-made, Massachusetts began mass producing metal plates using prison labor in the 1920s, leading to countrywide adoption of the practice during the 1930s. The most valuable license plate ever sold at auction was the Dubai plate “P 7,” which sold for roughly $15 million in April of 2023, but collectors still typically focus on the more antique forms, such as the eighth Australian license plate ever made, “SA 8” from 1906 that sold for $2.3 million in 2024. 

All items are sold AS IS. Lot and condition details are for descriptive purposes only. Sarasota Estate Auction is not responsible for errors and/or omissions of condition. The absence of a condition report does not imply that the lot is perfect or free from wear, flaws, or characteristics of age. Please bid according to your own expertise, or request any additional information and/or photographs you deem necessary.