Texas 1962 Annual Plate
1962–1962Texas · annual
White on black, TEXAS and the year spaced across the top, the star returning as the separator between letters and digits. Texas alternated its colours on a two-year rhythm through this period rather than changing them outright each year. Texas replaced its plates every year in this era, so the year is stamped into the design itself rather than carried on a sticker: the plate was the registration, surrendered and replaced twelve months later. The colour pairing changed annually, which let an officer date a plate at a glance. The plate shown is a reconstruction carrying an invented serial, so no real registration is depicted.
A plate for one year only
Texas replaced its plates every year in this era, which is why 1962 is stamped into the design rather than carried on a sticker. The plate was the registration: it was surrendered and replaced twelve months later, and the colour pairing usually changed with it so an officer could date a plate at a glance. That is also why plates from these years are scarce, each one having been current for a single year.
Stamped, not printed
Every character here is pressed into the metal and stands proud of the surface, along with the raised rim just inside the edge. Run a hand across it and you feel the whole design. The plate was struck from flat stock in a press, then the raised faces were rolled with paint, which is why wear shows first on the tops of the characters.
Sources
Reference photograph (CC BY-SA 4.0, Absecon 49). Annual issuing practice and the 1955 move to the 6x12 standard (CC BY-SA).
- Issued
- Standard issue
- The plate you received by default when you registered a vehicle.
- Serial format
- AA★9999
- Material
- Embossed metal
- Source license
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Reference
- View original