Maryland automobile registration began in 1904, while state-issued plates started in 1910.  The 1910 plate was made of crudely embossed thin steel and is now a rarity.  1910 Dealer plates are porcelain and only four surviving examples are known.  Maryland celebrated her "TERCENTENARY" in 1934.  In the 1940s, motorists were reminded to "DRIVE CAREFULLY".  The earliest of the two currently valid base plates began issue in 1986.