License plate collecting with the Wizard

Quote: Wizard

Back to the 1919 NV plate, the price has bumped up to $308 with 37 minutes to go.
y.

$500, that's more than you paid for the other one.

Quote: Evenbob

$500, that's more than you paid for the other one.

Yeah, strange. The other one was worth about twice as much.

Quote: Wizard

Yeah, strange. The other one was worth about twice as much.

How on earth do you authenticate an old license plate?

Quote: stinkingliberal

How on earth do you authenticate an old license plate?

Lots of experience handling them. I was
in the collectible biz, over time you learn
to spot a repro almost immediately.

Quote: stinkingliberal

How on earth do you authenticate an old license plate?

I would defer to EvenBob on this one. Most fakes are pretty obvious because they are repainted and the new color isn't quite a match and simply looks too fresh. You can sometimes tell it was hand painted, by brush marks, as opposed to by machine. The toughest ones to judge are the "pre-states," when people were supposed to make their own license plate. Often they just attached house numbers to a piece of leather. So they were never painted in the first place and were hand made to begin with. Still, the hardware stores and automobile clubs sold kits to make them so there tended to be many of the same style.

BTW, back in the pre-state days a lot of people just painted their number on the bumper.

This seems to be a good time to buy Nevada plates. Some collectors of Nevada plates have died and it seems their heirs are putting them on eBay in drips and drabs. Fortunately, I'm not sensing any big competition.

By comparison, here are a couple much higher priced plates from Hawaii and Utah:

1927 Hawaii (closed at $2,825.00)

1917 Utah

The 2017 Silver State license plate collectors show is currently underway. I finally found out what is going on with the 2017 Inaugurals. Here is an order form for the kind used in the inaugural parade and those vehicles involved in it for up 90 days. The other two I've spoken of are pretty much just souvenirs.

The video of the motorcade I showed earlier was the ride TO the capitol. I should have realized that based on the landmarks and that the stands were still empty. I guess I didn't think the ride to the capitol was a thing.

This article I believe to be accurate: Last-minute reversal on President Trump's inaugural license plates.

Here is a license plate that went way over what I expected: Very Rare Soviet Military Mission Hand Painted License Plate 20 cold war Russia. Minutes before close the bidding was at $100. I had a sniper bid in for $360, which I felt confident would win. Nope. Closed at $1,136.11.

It is hard to put a value on unusual plates like this. The only other one I know of is #38, which is featured on the back cover of James Fox's license plate book. James Fox is one of the most well known collectors and the photo on the back of his book are all of some of the most exotic plates in the world. I'm not sure if that is what drove up the bidding on Ebay or somebody else just liked it.

Quote: Wizard

Here is a license plate that went way over what I expected: Very Rare Soviet Military Mission Hand Painted License Plate 20 cold war Russia. Minutes before close the bidding was at $100. I had a sniper bid in for $360, which I felt confident would win. Nope. Closed at $1,136.11.

It is hard to put a value on unusual plates like this. The only other one I know of is #38, which is featured on the back cover of James Fox's license plate book. James Fox is one of the most well known collectors and the photo on the back of his book are all of some of the most exotic plates in the world. I'm not sure if that is what drove up the bidding on Ebay or somebody else just liked it.

Interesting, I suppose a diplomat swiped it at some point.

Quote: Wizard

Here is a license plate that went way over what I expected: Very Rare Soviet Military Mission Hand Painted License Plate 20 cold war Russia. Minutes before close the bidding was at $100. I had a sniper bid in for $360, which I felt confident would win. Nope. Closed at $1,136.11.

It is hard to put a value on unusual plates like this. The only other one I know of is #38, which is featured on the back cover of James Fox's license plate book. James Fox is one of the most well known collectors and the photo on the back of his book are all of some of the most exotic plates in the world. I'm not sure if that is what drove up the bidding on Ebay or somebody else just liked it.

Well, at least two others liked it... alot. I'm curious about the seller, "wizard_of_az". I would think you wizards would stick together...