New Hampshire began automobile registration and state-issued plates in 1905.  With just two exceptions in 1945-48 and 1978, New Hampshire plates have always been green and white.  The Old Man of the Mountain profile was featured in 1926 and again continuously since 1987, despite the collapse of the iconic rock formation in 2003.  The state motto, "LIVE FREE OR DIE", was adopted in 1945 and added to license plates in 1971.  The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1977 that the First Amendment right to freedom of speech allowed motorists to cover up this slogan if desired, but states could still use them.  The current issue of plates started in 1999.