Twenty Years—and Counting!

Sometimes, something very small can start a very big adventure.

For us, it was a 1925 Florida license plate.

In early 2007, we discovered the plate tucked away in our family “junk trunk.” That discovery sparked an idea: What if we turned our interest in antique license plates into a hobby business?

That idea became Great American Plates—and now, nearly two decades later, we’re preparing to celebrate our 20th Anniversary.

More Than License Plates

We’ve always understood why people collect. After all, we’re collectors ourselves. But what we never expected was how much personal enjoyment would come from the people we met and the stories behind the plates they were searching for.

Over the years, those stories have reminded us that a license plate can be much more than an old piece of metal.

There was the serious collector who finally discovered a long-sought treasure in our inventory.

There was the woman searching for a pair of 1948 Kansas plates—one for herself and one for her sister. After living near each other for most of their lives, her sister was moving to New York, and the matching plates would give them something special to share despite the distance.

A sculptor came to us looking for plates from different years and states representing members of her family. Her plan was to incorporate them into an installation in the Arizona desert, where the plates and the artwork would change and weather with time.

Two young Cub Scout brothers came looking for plates to begin a scouting display. A grandmother began collecting plates representing the birth year and state of each of her grandchildren, which she planned to display along the rafters of her mountain cottage.

Our plates have traveled far beyond the United States, too. We helped the owner of a 1924 Packard living in Switzerland locate an appropriate year-of-manufacture plate. In Marrakesh, a scrap dealer gifted us several Moroccan license plates that became part of our own collection and story.

And, of course, there have been the hundreds of fellow collectors we’ve met through ALPCA conventions and shows over the years.

Sometimes we even get to be the customer. One fellow collector gave us a 1965 Florida plate we had been searching for—for seven years. Anyone who collects knows exactly how exciting that moment can be.

One Plate Started It All

Looking back, it’s remarkable to think that a single 1925 Florida plate found in an old family trunk started this entire journey.

Great American Plates has given us the opportunity to buy and sell some incredible pieces of history. But more importantly, it has introduced us to wonderful people and the stories that make collecting meaningful.

So, as we prepare to celebrate 20 years, we want to thank everyone who has been part of the journey—our customers, fellow collectors, ALPCA members, classic car enthusiasts, families, artists, friends, and everyone who has stopped by our tables, visited our website, shared a story, or helped us track down that next great plate.

Thank you for an incredible 20 years.

And we’re not finished yet.

Twenty years—and counting!