From different colors to different sizes, New Jersey license plates have gone through a lot of changes over the years.

Judge me all you want, but I'm not a fan of New Jersey's license plates.  The yellow and black clash too much and are plain in comparison to states like New York, whose plates have pretty designs on them.  Although there is meaning to the color scheme, which you'll find out about later on, it just doesn't do it for me.

The Garden State's license plates weren't always black and yellow.  You've probably seen the old blue and yellow plates around, but there are some vintage ones that you've most likely never come across.  In fact, some of these plates look absolutely nothing like the ones from today.

Unless you visit an auto show, chances are you'll never see license plates from the 1920s or 1950s.  So, I thought it would be cool to take a look at New Jersey's license plates over the years.  You'll notice some aspects from earlier plates are still used today, only with improvements.

Now, onto the important question:

Why are New Jersey license plates yellow and black?

The yellow and black color scheme is a nod to New Jersey's state bird: the American Goldfinch.  The goldfinch's color is bright yellow (but for the purpose of a prettier license plate, I wish it was something more subtle...like white or blue).

What do you think of New Jersey's license plates?  Are you a fan?  Check out our state's plates from the past, and let us know how many you remember!

A Look at New Jersey License Plates From Years Past

Feeling nostalgic? Let's take a look at some old New Jersey license plates. How many of these did you have?

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