mainecommercial

Maine: Commercial

Updated: Mar. 20, 2002

Maine 1959 (56 Base) Commercial issue. These new plates were first issued in 1956. This squarelike "COM" die would only be used on this base up through about the 60-000's series. Later issues of plates have a more rounded effect to the die. When plate 99-999 reached state used the letters T,W,X,Y as a prefix.

Maine 1967 (62 Base) Commercial issue. In 1961 these new white plates were issued as was the passenger plates at this time. Some of these series of plates were made from galvanized steel and later made on aluminum.The series was re-issued from 1 to 99-999, after plates used a single letter prefix. S,T,V,X,Y were used as prefixes.

Maine 1973 Commercial issue. At the change to this base plate, Again the series was restarted. This time when 99-999 was reached a new narrower "COM" die was used and made room for a 6th digit. The state also decided to use a dash to seporate the numbers. The dash is kind of unique as it appears to be a full size "dash" die cut into a tiny piece.

Maine 1983 Commercial issue. Again at the time of the new issue the series yet again restarted but for the last time. At the 100-000 series the state used their dumb looking dash die again from the 100-000 series to the begining of the 200-000 series and later was eliminated. Not a bad ldea I must say.

Maine 1989 Commercial issue. In 1987 the lobster graphic was introduced. This series of plates picked up somewhere in the middle of the 300-000 series where the black and whites had left off. These would be issued through June 1999.

Maine 2000 Commerical issue. At about the 500-000 series the the state has replaced the old dies with these new narrow dies. The wider "COM" die was used again to fill the empty space that the narrow "COM" die would not have used. This appears to be same "COM" die used back in the earlier issues.

Maine Commercial issue. Starting in July 2000 The new chickadee graphic was introduced replacing the lobster plates. The series started at the 600-000 series. This time the word "COMMERCIAL" would be stamped out instaed of the small "COM" used previously. The state also chose to again use a dash space the 3rd and 4th digit. The state is also near the end of the all-numeric series. Currently seen in the 720 series. The 800-000 block was set aside for the "Commercial Tractor" series and the 900-000 block set aside for the "Commercial Apportioned" series. (See next 2)

Maine undated Commercial Tractor issue. According to the ALPCA archives, these were first available around the 1980's or about the time the state was producing regular commercial plates with the "tiny dash" seporator. These are mostly used on semi-tractors. Not a common plate, one of the odd not popular types. The entire 800-000 series was set aside for this series of plates. I see these mostly on Coca-Cola trucks.

Maine 2001 Commercial Apportioned issue. These plates have 1993 listed as the begining of their lifespan. These plates (like the Comm. Tractor plates) are used mostly on semi-trucks and misc. utility and construction vehicles. These plates have the one above out numbered by a wide margin. The entire 900-000 series has been set aside for these issues.