| Errors, Screw-ups & Rare plates |
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| If you cant figure out whats wrong about this plate, then theres probbally something wrong with you. No, these were not issued out to people. Somebody was definately not paying attention to their work when they were doing these plates. |
| Updated: Oct. 23, 2002 |
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| Here's an incorrectly embossed Lobster plate what is simply known as an "invert". The state likes to destroy plates like this. As you can see this one got by them. This plate ranks #1 in of all the plates I have. |
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| These rare dead cooked lobster plates were issued only through the last 2 weeks of June 1999 around the Portland area BMV offices. What makes it special is the embossed "Vacationland", which was done on non-screened blanks only because they ran out of the standard screened blanks. Only about 1140 or so were done like this. I dont know how many of these got destroyed or send to the scrap yard. |
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| Another not as common passenger plate. This is another reserved number that came from the Lobster base reserved onto this base. Not to bad for a dump find ah? |
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| Looks like this plate missed the embossing machine. This is what is known as a "blank" before it goes through the stamping and painting process. Now you see what the dead lobster really looks like. |
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| Here's another "blank" that missed the embossing machine. I found both of these at a recycling center. I dont know how they survived all the other plates in the box were all cut up in pieces. |
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| Here a cool one. Looks like someone forgot that these plates were only to be used through 1961. My guess is the state was producing the 1962 base plates at the time that more commercial plates were needed. The end result that "62" was embossed by mistake on this plate. As a Alternative to it, this black box was made to fix the errors made. You can still see the outline of the "62" on the back of this plate. |
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| This "Blank" actually made the border embossing machine but it failed to make it to the number embossing machine, therefore giving me a "bordered blank" you can say. This type of blank would have been used to make either a trailer, municipal, dealer or misc types that have no graphics. |
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| Maine's plate production quality I must say is pretty good. Therefore something like this would not be issued due to the poor production. The "blank" was appearently cut wrong, when the plate was sent to the embossing machine (which was done correctly) makes the plate look like it was off center. If you look at the bigger picture you can see where the numbers are overlapping the word Maine, compared to a normal lobster plate. |