TENNESSEE 1939-64 OVERFLOW FORMATS

      This analysis is an attempt at estimating which counties might have issued

overflow-format plate numbers, and how high those numbers might have reached.  While

exact passenger registration figures exist by county for most years from 1940 to

1965, they are not broken down by weight class until 1964, by which time,

ironically, weight class designations on license plates had been discontinued!

Therefore, some generalized ratios have been established for each year based on

credible known plate numbers.

      Overflow formats are defined as plates that are different from the norm for

that year, as follows:

      1939-50 - Single letter other than "D", or two letters

      1951-56 - 7 figures, longer size

      1957    - Single letter other than "D", or two letters

      1958    - Series 0A-DA-00, 00-D0-A0 and 00-D0-0A

      1959-62 - Two letters

The tables below are organized according to groups of years as listed above.  In

some cases, non-overflow numbers are included for comparison with nearby years or

similar-size counties.

      In the early years, the vast majority of cars were of the light weight

class, while very few heavy cars were registered.  A 1941 news article mentioned

that Hawkins county (#43) ordered 2,400 light car plate pairs and only 50 heavy

car pairs.  Although 200-250 additional pairs were likely ordered later in the year

to fulfill the 1941 total of 2,661 registrations, the ratio of the initial order is

98% to 2%.  After World War II, the number of heavy cars increased quickly, and

this gain continued steadily through the 1950s, changing the ratio dramatically.

A Sullivan county (#5) news report for July 3, 1953, states that 19,200 light

cars (80%) and 4,800 heavy cars (20%) were registered so far for 1953.  The 1956

totals for Sullivan, found in a 1957 article, were 26,000 light cars (78%) and

7,400 heavy cars (22%).  Although the number of light cars increased, their

percentage of the total decreased!  Meanwhile, other counties' ratios differed:

Maury county registered 11,796 cars in 1953, and a 1953 plate #9-9972 is known,

giving us a ratio of 85%, higher than Sullivan's 80%.

      Using 1964 as an example, the ratio of heavy cars to total registrations

varied from one county to another, ranging from 16% to 50%, with the average

being 33%.  While taking individual counties into account is useful, having

multiple ratios for any given year would make this study too inconsistent.

Instead, a single ratio has been arrived at for each year based on the highest

plate numbers seen within a normal expected range.  Because of this, and the

fact that many highs may be leftover unissued stock, the total percentages of

light and heavy cars in a given year often total more than 100%, i.e. in 1956,

80% + 22% = 102%.  These ratios may be adjusted in the future as needed to

accomodate newly-discovered plate sightings.

      The first county to put pressure on the original 1939 numbering system was

Anderson county, #29.  During World War II, many scientists and other military
personnel moved to Oak Ridge to work feverishly on the Manhattan Project to help

develop the atom bomb.  This buildup levelled off after the war ended in 1945,

but resumed again with the Korean War threat beginning in 1949.  When counties

were finally re-numbered in 1971, Anderson became #8.

      In most of the tables below, total passenger registration figures appear

at the left, followed by actual observed plate numbers in bold, with estimated

expected highs and their straight math equivalents in ().  It was thought that

the change to 7-character longer plates in 1951 was necessary because the

alphabet had been depleted in the previous overflow format in Anderson county.

This was based on the high letters seen, such as 29D-V60 in 1946 and 29-X592 in

1949.  It is evident based on this study that such high letters would not have

been reached in normal progression, and that letters were possibly used in

reverse or random order.  Therefore, the reason for the change away from the

letter system in 1951 remains unknown.  Perhaps it was P/1 and/or F/1 truck

plates that ran out of letters in their overflow series.

      From 1939 to 1954, light cars were those up to and including 3,500 lbs.,

while heavy cars were those over 3,500 lbs.  Chapter 52, passed February 16,

1955, effective February 25, 1955 (just before plates went on sale for 1955),

shifted the weight classification cut-off from 3,500 to 3,600, which remained

in effect from 1955 to 1964.

1939-50           LIGHT CARS                         HEAVY CARS

1946-47 RATIO USED   92%                                 8%

1949    RATIO USED   89%                                11%

1950    RATIO USED   85%                                15%

(Assuming all D serials start at #301 1939-48, #1 1949-50)

DAVIDSON

1950    78,024     1-64138                           1D-9958   (1D-B706 = 11,704)

SHELBY

1948               2-69702                           2D-8347
1949    92,663     2-72790                           2D-Z325   (2D-A194 = 10,193)

1950   111,516     2-90946         ( = 82%) 2D-B633,2D-H132,2D-I41,2D-J554,2D-Z939

                                                               (2D-G734 = 16,727)

BLOUNT

1947     8,861     10-8250         ( = 93%)                    (10D-A10 =    709)

1948               10-9301

1949    11,018     10-9899                           10D-906   (10D-C15 =  1,212)

1950    12,432     10-A606  (10-A568 = 10,567)       10D-G63   (10D-I74 =  1,865)

MONTGOMERY

1948               11-5635

1949     7,800     11-3751

1950     9,564     11-5600                           11D-E66       (15% =  1,461)

GREENE

1948               12-1289                           12D-290

1949     7,695     12-4232                           12D-169

1950     8,255     12-5774                                     (12D-C41 =  1,238)

GIBSON

1948               13-6915

1949     9,124     13-6910                           13D-480    (13D-A4 =  1,004)

1950    10,021     13-6230                                      (13D-F9 =  1,503)

SUMNER

1950     7,137     14-6420                                     (14D-A72 =  1,071)

DYER

1950     6,916     18-1133                                     (18D-A38 =  1,037)

BRADLEY

1948               19-3118

1949     7,242     19-6451                           19D-206

1950     8,420     19-6565                           19D-A14   (19D-C66 =  1,263)

CARTER

1950     7,388     21-1120                                     (21D-B10 =  1,108)

ANDERSON

1942     3,054     29-3568

1944     9,204     29- 835                           29D-814   (29D-A37 =    736)

1945    10,606     29-9179                           29D-X52   (29D-B50 =    848)

1946     9,329     29-7303                           29D-V60   (29D-A47 =    746)

1947     9,673                                                 (29D-A75 =    774)

1948               29-5454

1949    12,727     29-X592  (29-B329 = 11,327)       29D-V21    (29D-E5 =  1,400)

1950    14,316  29-A616,29-B327(29-C172 = 12,169)  29D-A37,29D-J50(29D-L59 =  2,147)

1951-56           LIGHT CARS                         HEAVY CARS

1952    RATIO USED   81%                                19%

1953-55 RATIO USED   81%                                20%

1956    RATIO USED   80%                                22%

DAVIDSON

1951              1-65676                            1D-12933

1952    84,614    1-70690    (1-68537)               1D-11676   (1D-16077)

1953    94,782    1-76894     ( = 81%)               1D-16557   (1D-18956)

1954   102,999    1-74695    (1-83429)                1D-9112   (1D-20600)

1955   107,627    1-84997    (1-87178)               1D-22212   (1D-21525)

1956   112,523    1-86098    (1-90018)               1D-22276   (1D-24755)

SHELBY

1951              2-90623                            2D-22390

1952   122,582    2-97392    (2-99291)               2D-21683   (2D-23291)

1953   140,937   2-110043    (2-114159)              2D-28957     ( = 21%)

1954   150,984   2-114748    (2-122297)              2D-24896   (2D-30197)

1955   156,621   2-112363    (2-126863)              2D-28502   (2D-31324)

1956   163,434   2-122201    (2-130747)              2D-38413     ( = 23%)

KNOX

1951              3-35946                             3D-8411

1952    52,174    3-41204    (3-42261)                3D-9330    (3D-9913)

1953    59,436    3-46376    (3-48143)               3D-11325   (3D-11887)

1954    66,287    3-47918    (3-53692)               3D-12479   (3D-13257)

1955    66,508    3-49727    (3-53871)               3D-13356     ( = 20%)

1956    70,194    3-51701    (3-56155)               3D-15427   (3D-15443)

HAMILTON

1951              4-34441                             4D-3872

1952    49,496    4-38054    (4-40092)                4D-7948    (4D-9404)

1953    57,021    4-44916    (4-46187)               4D-11701     ( = 21%)

1954    60,112    4-44864    (4-48691)               4D-10905   (4D-12022)

1955    60,629    4-39103    (4-49109)               4D-11878   (4D-12126)

1956    67,782    4-50400    (4-54226) [51,811]      4D-14829     ( = 22%)[16,074]

BLOUNT

1951              10-8353                            10D-1427

1952    14,452   10-11735    (10-11706)              10D-2107   (10D-2746)

1953    17,512   10-14437    (10-14185)              10D-2177   (10D-3502)

1954    18,730   10-13678    (10-15171)              10D-2604   (10D-3746)

1955    18,829   10-12945    (10-15251)               10D-442   (10D-3766)

1956    19,247   10-15307    (10-15398)              10D-2982   (10D-4234)

MONTGOMERY

1951             11-10037

1952    13,273    11-7671    (11-10751)              11D-2314   (11D-2522)

1953    12,429    11-9926    (11-10067)              11D-1936   (11D-2486)

1954    12,658    11-7536    (11-10253)                         (11D-2532)

1955    13,099   11-10638      ( = 81%)                         (11D-2620)

1956    12,451    11-9422     (11-9961)                         (11D-2739)

GIBSON

1951              13-5126

1952    10,568    13-9092      ( = 86%)               13D-983   (13D-2008)

1953    12,217    13-8881     (13-9896)                         (13D-2443)

1954    12,449    13-6234    (13-10084)              13D-1539   (13D-2490)

1955    12,192    13-7030     (13-9876)               13D-127   (13D-2438)

1956    12,375    13-7904     (13-9900)              13D-1679   (13D-2723)

BRADLEY

1951              19-6864

1952     8,947    19-5772     (19-7247)              19D-1435   (19D-1700)

1953    10,978    19-8853     (19-8892)                         (19D-2196)

1954    12,200    19-9493     (19-9882)                         (19D-2440)

1955    12,350    19-8390    (19-10003)              19D-1269   (19D-2470)

1956    11,072    19-6176     (19-8858)              19D-1901   (19D-2436)

ANDERSON

1951             29-13628                            29D-1200

1952    17,024   29-13376    (29-13789)              29D-3312     ( = 19%)

1953    20,549   29-13588    (29-16645)              29D-3724   (29D-4110)

1954    22,535   29-14831    (29-18253)              29D-3921   (29D-4507)

1955    21,939   29-14585    (29-17771)               29D-386   (29D-4388)

1956    20,419   29-13291    (29-16335)              29D-4701     ( = 23%)

OTHER COUNTIES (HEAVY CARS)

              1951        1952        1953        1954        1955        1956

Greene                 (12D-1697)  (12D-2050)  (12D-2180)  (12D-2110)  (12D-2418)

Sumner                 (14D-1362)  (14D-1628)  (14D-1773)  (14D-1899)  (14D-2064)

Robertson                          (15D-1159)  (15D-1198)  (15D-1189)  (15D-1379)

Wilson                 (16D-1003)  (16D-1180)  (16D-1178)  (16D-1294)  (16D-1657)

Obion                  (17D-1195)  (17D-1369)  (17D-1428)  (17D-1397)  (17D-1573)

                                                17D-1108

Dyer                   (18D-1310)  (18D-1577)  (18D-1657)  (18D-1659)  (18D-1865)

Williamson             (20D-1009)  (20D-1197)  (20D-1288)  (20D-1329)  (20D-1484)

Carter      21D-1044   (21D-1597)  (21D-1905)  (21D-2058)  (21D-1972)  (21D-2310)

Weakley                (22D-1969)  (22D-1251)   (22D-843)  (22D-1197)  (22D-1352)

McMinn                 (23D-1342)  (23D-1698)  (23D-1809)  (23D-1774)  (23D-1965)

            23D-1113                23D-1441                23D-1704

Giles                              (24D-1075)  (24D-1093)  (24D-1090)  (24D-1239)

Bedford                (25D-1145)  (25D-1386)  (25D-1436)  (25D-1414)  (25D-1583)

                                                                        25D-1119

Henry                  (26D-1003)  (26D-1149)  (26D-1197)  (26D-1217)  (26D-1271)

Hamblen                (27D-1305)  (27D-1698)  (27D-1770)  (27D-1757)  (27D-2039)

                                                                        27D-1468

Lincoln                            (28D-1036)  (28D-1081)  (28D-1138)  (28D-1333)

Tipton                             (30D-1197)  (30D-1239)  (30D-1253)  (30D-1421)

Campbell               (31D-1003)  (31D-1171)  (31D-1250)  (31D-1252)  (31D-1358)

Marshall                                       (32D-1031)  (32D-1058)  (32D-1190)

Roane       33D-1020   (33D-1262)  (33D-1698)  (33D-2008)  (33D-2000)  (33D-2180)

Putnam                 (34D-1093)  (34D-1306)  (34D-1395)  (34D-1377)  (34D-1632)

Carroll                (35D-1074)  (35D-1259)  (35D-1265)  (35D-1259)  (35D-1412)

Lawrence                           (36D-1177)  (36D-1233)  (36D-1208)  (36D-1436)

                                                                        36D-1019

Franklin               (37D-1004)  (37D-1170)  (37D-1239)  (37D-1231)  (37D-1359)

Sevier                             (38D-1062)  (38D-1150)  (38D-1197)  (38D-1364)

Dickson                                                                (39D-1079)

Loudon                 (40D-1064)  (40D-1341)  (40D-1515)  (40D-1501)  (40D-1596)
                                                            40D-1037

Coffee                 (41D-1029)  (41D-1247)  (41D-1316)  (41D-1319)  (41D-1658)

                                                                        41D-1451

Lauderdale                                                             (42D-1088)

Hawkins                            (43D-1160)  (43D-1270)  (43D-1286)  (43D-1418)

Jefferson                                      (44D-1006)  (44D-1034)  (44D-1195)

Warren                             (45D-1043)  (45D-1089)  (45D-1123)  (45D-1327)

                                                                        45D-1045

Cocke                                                                  (46D-1131)

Monroe                             (51D-1002)  (51D-1077)  (51D-1086)  (51D-1239)

Rhea                                           (53D-1038)  (53D-1066)   (53D-979)

                                                            53D-1000

Marion                                                                 (54D-1062)

TOTAL ALL LONGS         (37,397)    (74,459)    (94,160)   (101,270)   (122,809)

% OF TOTAL REGS.           5%          9%         11%         11%         13%

1957               LIGHT CARS                      HEAVY CARS

RATIO USED            80%                             28%

(Assuming counties 1 - 14, 19, 21, 27 start at A 0001, all others start at 0001)

(Assuming no I,O,Q used, no D in light class)

Davidson   118,957 1/L 6546       (81% =  96,537)  1/DC 8591       (32% = 38,588)

Shelby     170,286 2/T 3772       (90% = 153,757)  2/DF 2326       (36% = 62,320)

Knox        72,817 3/H 4900       (89% =  64,894)  3/DA 7391 (3/DB 0391 = 20,389)

Hamilton    68,100 4/F 7500  (4/G 4485 =  54,480)  4/DB 5335       (37% = 25,333)

Sullivan    35,314 5/C 5667  (5/C 8253 =  28,251)

Washington  18,530 6/B 3499  (6/B 4825 =  14,824)

Madison     16,527 7/A 7386  (7/B 3223 =  13,222)

Rutherford  13,810 8/A 9121  (8/B 1049 =  11,048)

Maury       12,756 9/B 0176       (80% =  10,175)

Blount      19,217 10/B 5073(10/B 5375 =  15,374)

Montgomery  12,535 11/A 8631(11/B 0029 =  10,028)

Greene      11,365 12/A 9651      (85% =   9,651)

Gibson      12,075 13/A 8720(13/A 9660 =   9,660)

Sumner       9,739 14/A 7304(14/A 7791 =   7,791)

Robertson    6,612           (15/ 5290 =   5,290)
Bradley     12,005 19/A 4640(19/A 9604 =   9,604)

Carter      10,838 21/A 8204(21/A 8670 =   8,670)

Hamblen      9,732 27/A 5942(27/A 7786 =   7,786)
Anderson    20,337 29/B 2504(29/B 6271 =  16,270)

1958                LIGHT CARS                       HEAVY CARS

RATIO USED             75%                              28%

(Assuming no I,O,Q used; no D in light class)

Davidson   125,852  1L-13-33 (1L-43-98 =  94,389)    1E-DL-03 (1F-DJ-85 = 35,239)

Shelby     176,265  2P-17-16 (2R-22-12 = 132,199)    2H-DS-91 (2M-DP-43 = 49,354)

Knox        75,159  3G-62-04      (75% =  56,199)    3X-D6-48 (3Y-D0-66 = 21,045)

Hamilton    69,115  4F-63-37 (4G-18-41 =  51,836)    4S-D0-43 (4W-D3-71 = 19,352)

Blount      19,455  10-U0-13      (82% =  15,997)    10-D3-P5 (10-D9-Y2 =  5,447)

Montgomery  13,371  11-M1-93      (76% =  10,183)             (11-D7-E2 =  3,744)

Greene      12,067  12-H1-12 (12-L0-59 =   9,050)             (12-D0-B4 =  3,379)

Gibson      11,928  13-K8-29 (13-K9-54 =   8,946)    13-D7-16 (13-D6-A4 =  3,340)

Bradley     12,844  19-J7-12 (19-L6-42 =   9,633)    19-DF-51 (19-D2-D3 =  3,596)

Anderson    20,234  29-H2-54 (29-T1-91 =  15,176)    29-D6-8B      (28% =  5,720)

1959-64             LIGHT CARS                       HEAVY CARS

1959    RATIO USED     75%                              34%

1960-62 RATIO USED     66%                              38%

1964 ACTUAL RATIOS (95-county range is from 84/16% to 50/50%; median is 67/33%)

(All years assuming no B,D,I,O,Q,S,V used)

SHELBY

1959   185,550      2N-4401  (2A-M185 = 139,163)     2T-F079      (34% = 63,070)

1960   189,648      2N-3892  (2R-5180 = 125,168)     2U-L220      (46% = 87,187)

1961   195,223      2N-9910  (2R-8859 = 128,847)     2T-K885  (2U-C205 = 74,185)

1962   198,004      2EH-270         ( = 183,213)     2UP-720         ( = 90,684)

1964   215,189                   (56% = 119,803)                  (44% = 95,386)

BLOUNT

1959    20,486      10-H477      (75% =  15,471)     10-Z701  (10-TM80 =  6,965)

1960    21,163      10-9633  (10-F972 =  13,968)     10-TC48  (10-UC68 =  8,042)

1961    21,908      10-G647      (67% =  14,642)     10-UE87  (10-UG54 =  8,325)

1962    21,951      10-P305         ( =  21,293)     10-TZ20  (10-UG70 =  8,341)

1964    25,046                   (59% =  14,685)                  (41% = 10,361)

MONTGOMERY

1959    14,709      11-4715  (11-C034 =  11,032)     11-T738  (11-Z006 =  5,001)

1960    15,981               (11-A548 =  10,547)     11-Y713  (11-TA79 =  6,073)

1961    18,313      11-2747  (11-E090 =  12,087)              (11-TM74 =  6,959)

1962    19,833       11-P89         ( =  21,077)      11-TU6  (11-TW58 =  7,537)

1964    21,928                   (65% =  14,366)                  (35% =  7,562)

BRADLEY

1959    14,093      19-2283  (19-A571 =  10,570)     19-X060  (19-Y796 =  4,792)

1960    14,830      19-9330  (19-9788 =   9,788)     19-T250  (19-Z640 =  5,635)

1961    16,045      19-7173  (19-A591 =  10,590)     19-Y264  (19-TC04 =  6,097)

1962    16,551      19-A738  (19-A925 =  10,924)     19-TA78  (19-TE97 =  6,289)

1964    18,035                   (63% =  11,377)                  (37% =  6,658)

ANDERSON

1959    21,986      29-7748  (29-J497 =  16,490)     29-TJ48  (29-TU95 =  7,475)

1960    22,527      29-C900  (29-G873 =  14,868)     29-UJ90      (38% =  8,559)

1961    23,839      29-9356  (29-H740 =  15,734)     29-UL33  (29-UP95 =  9,059)

1962    23,838      29-J326  (29-H739 =  15,733)     29-XE96         ( = 11,931)

1964    25,046                   (59% =  14,685)                  (41% = 10,361)