Bumper Bytes

A few months ago RB and Elizabeth LaGrone asked us to help find a nice pair of 1937 Alabama tags for their pride and joy Chevy Classic…we did find them, but they wanted them to be ‘perfect’, so we recommended them to the Tag Doctor, Rod Pearman…he did his magic, and we know you’ll also […] read more
Plates are interesting, but tin and lifeless, however the stories we’ve heard and the friends we’ve made over the years are priceless!…a few weeks ago we electronically met Golde Wallingford of Clayton, ID who had inquired about our interest in a ‘pile of old Idaho plates’…living in Florida, we don’t see too many of those, […] read more
For four days in July, the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association meets for its international convention…held this year in Rochester, NY, the event drew over 350 collectors and their plates!…Great American Plates was there with its 5,000 plates, hoping to sell more than it bought…NOT!!…it was a very educational and enjoyable get-together, as always…the Plate […] read more
…as reported in an earlier post, Charles DeFanti has developed the much-appreciated gesture of awarding antique license plates to his close friends, colleagues, and in this case, a former student!…Adele Kenny, born in NJ in 1948 (sorry Adele, your secret is now out!), she was his student and is now a renowned poet as well […] read more
While on vacation in Key West, one of Gap’s Plate Conchs came across a small junk shop with a Cuban license plate in the window.  The store was off the beaten path of Duval Street and open on during limited hours, so our man sprang into action.  Utilizing his iPhone, he snapped a photo of […] read more
My wife, the GAP Plate Princess, and I were walking to our car in the Tampa Airport parking lot after returning from a huge license plate auction in NH and she spotted this plate on a beautiful red Corvette…I, of course, told her it was a sign from the gods that we had done the right […] read more
One of our good friends, noted author, and semi-serious license plate collector, Charles DeFanti, often presents his associates and colleagues with antique license plates to express his affection for them…birth years, anniversaries, or other event dates are reflected by the State and year of the tag….one such recent recipient of the DeFanti License Plate Award […] read more
…while admiring the spoils of the Hamel Estate Auction in Epsom, NH, and being guarded by our faithful Plate Puppy, Josephine, kudos are extended to George Foster and his professional auction team for an extremely well-run event…3,700 plates in 250 lots sold in just over two hours!!…my wife kept his card for future reference…hmmm?! read more
Recently Charles DeFanti, Professor Emeritus at Kean University who lives in Manhattan, purchased his first plate from us….we soon learned that he and his wife, Leni, share a passion for plates…well, maybe not a 50/50 emotion!….his office is tastefully? decorated with all types of plates and signs, including oval country markers from defunct countries like […] read more
John Eiffert’s dad was a career fireman in St Louis, and John has always had a penchant for related memorabilia…hats, badges, and now….his own Fire Truck!!…John and his wife have a lake home in Grand Beach, Michigan and John regularly drives his truck in all of the local parades, along with lots of kids as […] read more
A few months ago we received a request from Chris Houghtlin, who had decided to decorate her family’s mountain home in Boone, NC with a collection of license plates representing each one of the members of the Houghtlin family…by birth state, year, month, and county, whenever available!! To make the assignment just a little more […] read more
Recently William Ryboldt of Cheboygan, MI was anxioulsy looking for a license plate for his 1931 Model A Ford Deluxe Roadster…he spotted one on our website and within a few days another GAP treasure had a new ride…what a gorgeous classic automobile, William!! read more