Its 1907

[Texas Kid]

It's 1907

Like all old bachelors after Christmas I was grumpy,and broke.I felt like I need to cheer up a bit so I grabbed my ol' Bounty Hunter and off I went . I wound up at an old dust bowl farmstead and started diggin',and cussin' and scratchin' the ground like a badger after a field rat. I didn't have much luck until I decided to peek into the almost totally collapsed barn that some ol dirt farmer built long ago. It was a big delight to spot a couple of really nice finds. Hanging over a doorway was this 1907 Texas License Plate. I was really surprised that it was in pretty good condition. The numbers were enamel and the fame is almost rusted away tin, but still in tact. I was pumped by then and was feeling like my day might be ok after all when I looked and spotted another plate that had been used to patch a hole in what looked like a grain bin! Low and behold it was a 1936 Centennial Texas Plate. WOW!! I think that is a pretty rare find today ! Man was I ever stoked. My holiday blues had been turned into a celebration. !! They were surface finds but man they are rare!! I hope you enjoy the pictures and much as I enjoy telling about them!

 

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[Rich in Central PA]

Good eye. Old state license plates are very cool and collectable. Some bring high premiums, depending on scarcity & condition of course. Thanks for sharing............Rich

 

[Carolina Tom]

Nice old plates TK.

The '07 is really cool... I have not seen one like that before. It only has 3 digits, which indicates that there were less than 1000 cars in Texas in 1907. Ahhh.... the good old days.

As you can tell by my avatar... I like old cars!

GL&HH!

 

[pong12211]

Very cool. I know alot of people collect these. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Ia.FurTrade]

WOW!! Great find!

 

[gunsil]

That 1907 is super rare!! There's a member here called pl8man who will probably drool when he sees it, old plates are his thing. It is, I am sure much rarer than the 1936.

 

[usmc1361]

Those are awesome! A couple of great finds for sure.

 

[lockster99]

Kid, you must be in another part of Texas than me. I was pretty sure I have looked at every old crumbling falling down barn, shed, house and outhouse around me. Must have missed one if you're anywhere close to the Southeast.

Oh....nice plates. Great score.

 

[sandchip]

It don't get any better than that 1907! Cool as all get out.

 

[wetrock]

Really cool finds. The License plate kits like you found are definitely rare to come across. I actually dug a 4 and a 0 during a recent dump dig I was hoping to find the state or city piece for it but wasn't that lucky. The plate kits like what you found did first start being used in 1907 but they also used them up to 1916. 1917 was the first year Texas had a stamped plate.

 

[beez0404]

So I need to ask just to satisfy my curiosity how do you date the 1907 plate? Does it say it somewhere on the plate or frame? Fantastic finds for sure!

 

[pl8man]

That is one beauty of a plate ! I own #491 from Del Rio , Texas . These kit porcelain type pre states were made by the Stafford Illumination Auto Lamp and Number Co. from 1907 - 1917 . Here is a link with all the info !
Sweet find for sure . ARCHIVE: Texas Porcelain License Plates

 

[vpnavy]

OUTSTANDING non-MD finds! Thanks for sharing...

 

[park pirate]

Very cool..

 

[Texas Kid]

Thank you all for responding, as wetrock explained in his post that this license kit was made for 10 tears and could have very well could been a 1916 model. I was a little presumptuous by stating it was truly a 1907 model. I have no way to date it other than I was told that Texas came with the first kit and you could order the town or the county with the later models. So ........ it sure could be a 1916 model. Pretty much fun to find anyway! Thanks again ! The Kid

 

[Texas Kid]

HAHAHAHAH!!! That's cool. I'm from the Panhandle of Texas and that is where this jewel come from. I have some really good friends from Del Rio (500 miles south) and I'm going to tell them about your plate!!! They will crack up!! Happy Hunting and New Year! Thanks for the comeback ! The Kid

 

[wetrock]

Thank you all for responding, as wetrock explained in his post that this license kit was made for 10 tears and could have very well could been a 1916 model. I was a little presumptuous by stating it was truly a 1907 model. I have no way to date it other than I was told that Texas came with the first kit and you could order the town or the county with the later models. So ........ it sure could be a 1916 model. Pretty much fun to find anyway! Thanks again ! The Kid

Texas Kid, wasn't meaning to lessen the coolness of your find or anything. I'd love to find one intact like that myself. Not only could it be a 1907 or 1916, but it could be any year between. I doubt if the county kept the registration records from that far back, but it sure would be cool to see if the address it came from ever had a vehicle registered with that number for any of those years.

 

[7up2000]

That 1907 plate is real cool-looking. Congratulations on some nice finds.