Art & Inspiration Story Of Lost and Found The License Plates That Found Their Way Back Home

In 1994 my Grandfather died, and left behind a wife and daughter (my Mom) Some years p***ed, and my Dad gave me a pair of 1947 California license plates that had been found in my Grandfather's garage.

I put them on my wall, and one thing led to another, and I started to collect plates and signs.

As a rule, I have never sold anything given to me by my family, BUT in the early 2000's money was tight, and I was offered a huge sum of $650 for the plates. My Grandfather would have thought me an idiot to not sell them, as they were not given to me by him, and they were just "metal and paint". I sold them, and forgot about them, except for the picture I kept of them on my laptop.

In 2007 my Mom died, and less then a year later, my Grandmother. Wow, those plates would mean alot I thought, but they were gone, and I learned a valuable lesson.

Then, last summer, 2009 I was using my laptop, and saw the pics of the plates. A wave of emotion followed, and for some reason I took a look on eBay to see if I could find my old plates.

Being a realist, I knew I was dreaming, but, what the hell!

Within 3 minutes I was looking at the very plates I had sold, although a little more beat up then before, there they were. I contacted the eBay member, told him the story, offered him $100 more then his asking price, and bought them back.

The young man delivered them from LA to my house for another $50, and when he arrived, I discovered he was a member of the HAMB to boot.

Well, this past weekend I was looking at old pictures of my Mom and Grandparents, and found a picture of the very car the plates were on, with the plates in the photo.

I don't know why I am telling this story, but those of you who have stuck with me and read it must know why.

Thanks for listening!

 

I'm a plate & sign collector, too. I've also sold some items and later regretted it. Unlike your happy ending, I never got mine back. Glad you were able to.

Great story and thanks for sharing it.

 

Great story. I don't have anything from my Dad's Father and Mom but I do have an old print from my Mom's Dad and Mom. It hung on their livingroom wall as long as I remembered and Mom said it was there when she was a kid too!
Just a good sentimental story about remembering family. Thanks.

 

Amazing...!

 

thats a rad story! never sale what your family p***es down to you. i watch that show pawn stars, and its not cool to see people just get rid of stuff for money. thats really cool of you to buy them back!

 

man...that's way cool...car-ma or what?

 

Very cool I would call that fate.

 

Sounds like it all worked out as it should be.

 

I read on and know exactly what you mean thanks.

 

Damn! How awesome is that you should blow up that picture and frame it along with the license plates that would make a great conversation piece of Family history! Congrats!!!!!!!

 

cool story glad you got the plates back

 

Thats an awesome story. But I do have a question. I dont know much about plates from California. But I do know that some are worth more than others. What made these plates worth this kind of money?

 

Couple of days ago I was washing the daily and I notice the front plate&mount is missing. I think really hard about where it may have torn off.........wait a minute , 6 weeks ago I remember a s****e sound turning around in a driveway 20 miles away , "maybe that's when it happened?"

Well tonight on the way home from the bike shop I stop by the driveway and look there it is....All of its bent and broken glory

Me so happy I hate driving with illegal equipment "only in my daily" and did not look forward to any visits with the DMV

The universe is ever so connected

HURST RACING TIRES

 

You are supposed to have those plates!!!!!!!

 

Holy ****! You got $650 for a set of plates?!?! I would have sold them too! holy ****.

 

Cool story with a cool ending !

 

Cool story.

 

Man not to hijack, a similar story but different.

I found the old plates on my Dads old 58 Chevy - the one we grew up with as kids and have plenty of pix of with as kids.

Dad sold the car in the mid 70s, we never saw the Biscayne again.

Fast forward to 2007 - I buy a 57 Bel Air longroof wagon....and being the sentimental bloke I am,....start searching for the old mans's plates.

Sure enough, I find them online and couldnt believe it, I snapped em up and put em on the wagon !!

Great story man, thanx for sharing !

Rat

 

"Thats an awesome story. But I do have a question. I dont know much about plates from California. But I do know that some are worth more than others. What made these plates worth this kind of money?"

Simple - supply & demand plus the availability of a LOT of money on the "Gold Coast". Look at the real estate values.......

 

Man, that's a great story!! I collect plates and signs, too. If someone contacted me about a plate that I had, I would be obligated to sell them back, and deliver them!!

Ax

 

1947 California Plates were used on cars from 1947 to 1951, so a lot of people want them and there are vey few around. people here can register thier 47-51 car with these plates on it.

a person would have to be wacky to pay $650.00 for a pair though.

 

Cool story! Thanks for sharing!

 

Very cool!

 

So you sold them for $650.00 and then paid $100.00 over the listing price on E-**** and a $50.00 delivery fee. So how much money did you make off of letting someone else use them for a few years.

 

Kismet. That's a great story.

 

Thats a great story. It's funny how some things just seem to work out.

 

I still have the original missouri "show me state" plates from my first car. 1958 dodge 2dr coronet. my family came out west to build Liberty ships during WWII one day i'll get some pics scanned from my old photos. would be nice to find out what became of my first love! i geuss i could still ***le it in Mizzura!

 

That's one of the best stories ever and you're $500 ahead.........

 

Very cool story. Thanks for sharing and glad you got them back..