| Maine: 1988-1993 |
| Updated: Oct. 23, 2002 |
| Maine 1988 issue. This plate is the first graphic plate for the state. First issued July 1, 1987. This Lobster series started with plate 1 P picking up where the black and white plates left off. The Lobster plate was a design on my hometown of Saco, Maine elementry school. The lobster plates have been replaced as of June 30, 2000. However there were still some floating around on the roads in early September. |
| Maine 1989 issue. About midway through the changeover. The inital changeover ran through the "P" series through the mid "W" series. Notice the "1" on this plate is more serif style upposed to the old style witch was a straight line. A blue sticker was chosen for this year which would be the second color in a three year color format. |
| Maine 1990 issue. The end of the single suffix letters were reached in early 1990 ending with plate 99999 Z. This is the third color sticker in the rotating pattern. |
| Maine 1991 isssue. In 1990 when 99999 Z was reached Maine rolled over to a 4-number 2-letter format picking up at 1 AA. Makes sense. When 9999 AA was reached, (FF, II, OO to be skipped) the state rolled over to plate 1 BB and followed with all the double letters in succession (CC, DD, EE etc.). Why? I would like to know why they did this. Now they have to skip the double letters combination in each new letter suffix that is issued. |
| Maine 1993 issue. When 9999 ZZ was reached the state finally smartened up and rolled over to plate 1 AB where they should have initally started after the "AA" series. This numbering format will last the state a good 20 years |
| Maine 1992 issue, Same series as the double letter. This lettering format held them for about a year. One interesting note, some circa '92 and '93 plates ("A-" series and "AA" series) plates were issued in late 1998 early 1999. Most of those were double-digit combinations that the state holds on to in case they they were requested by somebody. |
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| Wait a minute!, I thought the state was not gona issue II? Or were they? With some contact information from Bill Sproull (Thanks Bill!) Apparently the state only proudced plates 1 thru 10 in the II sereis and only issued plate number 2 II, therefore the other 9 plates were scrapped. This one survived and has a nice home. Makes me wonder in they produced "OO" plates wothout my knowledge? Guess I'll have to ask Augusta. |