DELAWARE

Highest 1907-09 pre-state plate known:  #984

1909   1065 -  1438                           1930      5 - 47-175*

1910      1 -   876                           1931      5 - 47-999*

1911      1 -  1295                           1932      5 - 46-648*

1912      1 -  1784*                          1933      1 - 47-875*

1913      1 -  2445*                          1934      5 - 46-380*

1914      1 -  3195*                          1935      5 - 47-859*

1915      1 -  4690*                          1936      5 - 50-796*

1916     20 -  6922                           1937      5 - 53-748*

1917      5 - 10665                           1938      5 - 54-904*

1918      5 - 12942                           1939      5 - 58-251*

1919      5 - 13025                           3-31-41   1 - 60-547*

1920      5 - 18066                           3-31-42   1 - 58-648

1921      1 - 20701

1922      1 - 23-274   (Truck began 1923)

          PASSENGER            COMMERCIAL              TRACTOR

1923        5 - 24-883       25-001 - 30-148            (none)

1924        5 - 20-000,      20-001 - 23-885            (none)

       30-171 - 38-584

1925        5 - 29-729,      30-001 - 37-396*      37-801 - 38-000,

       45-038 - 47-548                             37-601 - 37-688

1926        5 - 36-246       40-001 - 48-119       50-001 - 50-414

1927        5 - 40-000*      50-001 - 58-002       70-001 - 70-246

1928        1 - 49-874*      50-001 - 63-618*      70-001 - 70-120

1929        5 - 46-851*         C 1 - C8-096       C9-500 - C9-800

1912:     1726 highest issued as of 10/31/1912.

1923-29:  Numbers in bold listed in registration ledgers.

1923-28:  Commercial/Tractor plates have rounded sides.

1925:     47-509 highest listed in registration ledger.

1929:     Convertibles used passenger block 43-001 - 43-900.

1931:     Convertibles used passenger block 47-001 - 47-324.

3-31-42:  63-060 highest listed in registration ledger.

          63-100 - 63-913 assigned to exempt or state-owned vehicles. 

1941-48 PORCELAIN BASE

7/15/41 "12-31-41"  Type 1            5  - 75-999        (75,995 P)

Jun.45   "9-30-45"  Type 2        76000  - 77119          (1,120 S)

1946     "3-31-47"  Type 3        77-125 - 86-999         (9,875 S)

                                                  (TOTAL 162,990 S)

Description of Types:

Type 1 - Delaware dies, hyphen

Type 2 - New thin dies, no hyphen

Type 3 - Pennsylvania dies, hyphen

Issued to new registrations only 7/15/1941 to 3/31/1942, with half-year

expirations available, thus "12-31" and "41" tabs issued.  Issued to

renewals 4/1/1942, with all owners receiving the same numbers as 1941/42.

#65-000 shown in News Journal (Wilmington) article on 7/15/1941.

According to the Baltimore Sun 7/27/1941, numbers began at #65-001.

The News Journal (Wilmington) 7/18/1941 reported that the first plate in

Wilmington was sold that morning, #65-836.  "12-31-41" 66-316 seen.

Pairs discontinued 7/1/1943.  Highest pair verified:  71-923

In July 1941, 2,021 permanent plates issued as follows:

12/31/1941 475, 3/31/1942 78, 6/30/1942 1,468.

1948-59 BLACK RIVETED BASE

Jan. 47  "3-31-48"  Type 1             4 - 100497

Feb. 51 "12-31-51"  Type 2             4 - 179121

Aug. 58  "9-30-58"  Type 3             4 - 185983

Description of Types:

Type 1 - Stainless steel numbers on stainless steel base

Type 2 - Reflective white steel numbers on aluminum or steel base

Type 3 - Reflective white steel numbers on 6" x 12" steel base

#100000 issued by 4/27/1949 to former Governor Walter W. Bacon. 

As of 1/10/1951, numbers up to #102499, with 103000 also issued.

As of 2/14/1951, Type 2 "recently started".

Dormant numbers periodically reassigned as available 1948-present.

#999999 reached May 1998.

1959-63 BLUE RIVETED BASE

10/1/58  "9-30-59"  Type 1          1011 -  29423

10/1/58  "9-30-59"  Type 2         11757 - 186948

12/1/58  "9-30-60"  Type 3             4 - 192813

Jun. 59  "3-31-60"  Type 4             4 - 213049

Description of Types:

Type 1 - 5 1/2" x 9 1/2", steel, "DELAWARE" flattened, then screened

Type 2 - 6" x 12", steel, "DELAWARE" flattened, then screened

Type 3 - 6" x 12", steel or aluminum, "DELAWARE" screened, straight leg "R"

Type 4 - 6" x 12", aluminum, "DELAWARE" screened, curved leg "R"

        (Palmer reports blue 150672 as 5 1/2" x 11")

1962-2026 FIRST STATE BASE

6/29/62  "DEC 62"   Type 1             4 - 261347

Oct. 68  "SEP 69"   Type 2             4 - 999998

Description of Types:

Type 1 - Riveted numbers, no border

Type 2 - Flat, screened numbers, border, new colors (began #262000)

Type 3 - As Type 2, but riveted numbers (replacements only)

All bases 1941-present currently revalidated.  Exact reproductions

of Porcelain and Black Riveted bases allowed starting May 1986,

with only allowable difference being bolt slot location.