Style #3, White Scotchlite on Stainless: 1951-1958

This style of baseplate is identical to the previous one except for the addition of the glass bead impregnated white reflective material to the numbers (scotchlite). This material greatly improved night visibility of the plates. Variations within this style are only of size. Around 1951, registrations exceeded 5 digits for the first time, and plate base size was increased to 11" to accommodate the additional digit. In 1956, the entire country was supposed to go to standardized 6" x 12" plates, catching poor Delaware in the middle of its permanent system with its supply of expensive stainless bases running short. It was not until 1957-58 that Delaware was able to completely switch to the larger 6" x 12" size, still in white on black, and discontinue drawing from its supply of smaller bases. Delaware was the last state to complete this switch. At the same time this national change was taking place, a number of other changes were occurring locally within the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles, and it is at this point that true confusion reigns, from a collector's point of view.

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