COMMERCIAL 1918-1960
The first year for commercial plates was 1918.
1918-1938
1918

1918Ron Hepkin

1919Dave Zullo

1919

1919

The use of the "X" prefix began in 1920, and continues today.
1920

1921

1922

1923

1924

1924

The "A" suffix was only used for overflow in 1924.
7-digit plates were used from 1925 to 1930.
1925

1925

1926

1926

1927

1927

1928

1928

1929

1929

1930

1930Repaint

1930

Starting in 1931, the 7-digit plates were discontinued, and the 1/X prefix was used for numbers over X99999.
1931

1931

1931Repaint

1932

1932

1933

1933

1934

1935

1935

1936

1937

1937

1938

1938

1939-1951X/D 100 - X/Z 9999
1939 started the era of smaller plates with a stacked prefix.
X/D and higher were used for commercial plates (X/A through X/C were reserved for farmers).
1939

1939

1940

1941

1942

1943

1944

1945

1945

1946

1947

1947

1948

1949

1949

1950

1952 BASEX/A 100 - X/Z 9999
X/A A100 - X/N Z999 (?)
In 1951, the numbering changed and commercial plates started with X/A.
The 1952 plates were multi-year, starting with the X/A prefix and going to X/Z 9999.
Once X/Z 9999 was reached, the pattern changed to X/A A100.
1951

1951

1952

1953

1954

1954

1955

1955

1956

1957

1957

1957

1958

1958

1959

1960

1960

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Highest number known on this base is X/N J428.
Color variation ? Weird fading ? Who knows ? This plate is in as-found condition - and was not repainted.
Whatever environment it was in caused most of the orange to fade to (?!?) green. (Still a bit of orange near the bottom left !)
Dave Zullo

1957 BASEX/O A100 (?) - X/X K215 (?)
In 1957, the plates were re-sized to 6 x 12 inches and the numbering continued from the 1952 base, probably starting at X/O A100. I will display these in issue order, no matter what year tabs they have.
1959Dave Zullo

1957

1958Dave Zullo

1959

1957

1958

1957

1959

1958

1960

1960

1959Dave Zullo

1960

1960

1960

XF 1881 is a very early remake - a 1952 number remade on the 1957 base.
1960Dave Zullo

In late 1959, a few commercial plates were made with the "N. J." on the bottom, with new thinner dies like the upcoming tan 1960 base. They were also made of aluminum, whereas the earlier plates were steel.
The steel plates with the stacked NJ stopped sometime after X/W C764, and the new aluminum plates started before X/W F273.
1960John Willard

1960Dave Zullo

1960

1960Dave Zullo

1960

1960Dave Zullo

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The highest number known on this base is X/X N561.
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