1919-1921

1919

New Hampshire's license plates underwent a significant change in 1919. For the first time since 1912, porcelain covered steel was abandoned as the material of choice. Instead, registrants received flat steel plates with screen printed letters and numbers. New Hampshire was just behind its neighboring states in adopting flat steel license plates. Massachusetts began the trend in 1916 and continued until 1919, Connecticut ran flat plates from 1917 to 1919, Maine in 1918, and Rhode Island from 1918 to 1920. Vermont is the only New England state which did not adopt a flat plate style during this period. New Hampshire's late adoption may have been influenced by the failure of its non-porcelain 1912 plates to survive the calendar year in legible condition.

The change in format was almost certainly driven by financial considerations. According to a Jan 1, 1916 article in the Christian Science Monitor, when Massachusetts changed from porcelain to flat steel plates in 1916 the cost went from 30 cents to 20 cents per pair. A savings of 1/3 would have been difficult for the state to ignore, and there were already examples of the successful use of flat steel in neighboring states.

Evidence of where these flat plates were manufactured has not yet been located, but it is believed that the flat plates in all surrounding states were made by the Scioto Sign Company of Ohio.

Despite the change in materials, the layout, size, and color combination of 1919 plates continued the pattern started in 1917.

There is a variation in the printing of the "1919" date on some high number plates. The date appears in taller figures and the 1s have and angle cut top. Very high number plates revert to the original design.

In an effort to distrubute low numbered plates equitably, an unusual system was used in 1919. All applications recieved by Tuesday, December 10, 1918 at 11:00 AM were "shuffled and the registration and license numbers assigned by lot" according to an insert distributed with renewal materials. All later registrations were to be assigned in the order recieved.

On June 14 the highest plate number in use was 25081 .

In an address to the state assessor, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles Olin H. Chase stated that 30006 vehicles were registers in 1919.

In a blow to collectors attempting to reconstruct the history of New Hampshire license plates, Chapter 12 of the Laws of 1919, An Act to Authorize the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles to Destroy Certain Worthless Papers was passed on February 20th. This act allowed the Commissioner to destroy registration applications, unissued plates, and other materials after 7 years or at a point when the materials became obsolete.

1920

While in previous years passenger plate numbers started at 100, in 1920 they started at 101. The reason for this change is not known.

Flat steel plates continued in 1920 in the same format as 1919 plates but in the reverse colors. There are two distinct versions of the 1920 date: the first version features a square topped 1, sharply pointed 2 and fat, narrow 0. The second type features and angle cut 1, square 2 and broad 0. These formats may follow number blocks of production, but there are examples such as the pair illustrated here that features both formats. One of these may therefore be a replacement for a lost plate. 1920 plates also vary in the colors appearing on the reverse of the plate. Again, these colors may follow production blocks, but more research is needed.

On April 20 the highest plate number in use was 18950 and by June 15 numbers had reached 29234.

In an address to the state assessor, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles Olin H. Chase stated that 34760 vehicles had been registered by December 11 1920.

The governor reported that 34680 automobiles were registered in the state in 1920.

1921

1921 was the final year for flat steel license plates in New Hampshire. These plates follow the formatting of the previous two years, though the stencils used for the plate numbers are not the same as the previous two years. It is not clear if this indicates a change in manufacturer or simply a change in the stencil. The 1921 plates are more consistent in their design than the previous two years, with no variations in stenciling or the color of the reverse of the plates.

The Federal Highway Administration lists 44125 registered automobiles and trucks in the state for 1921.