02/20/12

Kentucky

PASSENGER - 1988 Churchill Downs base (including 1997 interim design)

Passenger:  Up to 1974, Kentucky issued yearly dated plates.  In 1975, the state issued a dated plate, but this time renewed it in 1976 and 1977 with stickers.  In 1978, the state issued it's first true undated multiyear plate, a plain blue/white plate with "KY" in both top corners.  1983 saw the next multiyear plate, a plain white/blue plate.  In 1988, the state began issuing graphic multiyear plates, periodically replacing them entirely with a new design.  For all designs, including the older yearly plates, the county name appeared on the plate either embossed or on a sticker.  Kentucky has never used county coding in the plate number.  Because of all the counties for each base, the pages can get enormous to download.  Beginning with the 1988 Churchill Downs base, I have split the pages into the following bases, each being a link to my website page of that type:

Pre-1988 Churchill downs base

1988 Churchill Downs base (including 1997 interim design)

1998 cloud base (including 2002 interim design)

2003 smiley sun base

2005 "Unbridled Spirit" base

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1988 Churchill Downs graphic:  This design began in 1988 with "88" validation stickers.  At the top of the design is the roof of Churchill Downs, where the Kentucky Derby horse race is run each year in Louisville, Kentucky.  In the center of the plate is a horse and colt, which is the part of the design the State of Kentucky was sued for using.  Apparently, the photographer of the horses sued (or threatened to sue) the state for using his photographic design, causing the state to stop production immediately in 1997 ("98" expiration stickers).  The county name is placed in the center of the "roof" with a sticker of the same color, so as to appear to be part of the blue stripe.

ns (blue/reflective white) Clark County m $3.00 "PMR 084" (14497)
ns (blue/reflective white) Clark County m $3.00 "PMR 085" (14498)
ns (blue/reflective white) Clark County m $3.00 "PMR 086" (14499)
ns (blue/reflective white) Clark County m $3.00 "PMR 087" (14500)
ns (blue/reflective white) Clark County m $3.00 "PMR 088" (14501)
ns (blue/reflective white) Clark County m $3.00 "PMR 089" (14502)
ns (blue/reflective white) Clark County m $3.00 "PMR 090" (14503)
ns (blue/reflective white) Clark County m $3.00 "PMR 091" (14504)
ns (blue/reflective white) Clark County m $3.00 "PMR 318" (13157)
ns (blue/reflective white) Clark County m $3.00 "PMR 319" (13158)
ns (blue/reflective white) Clark County m $3.00 "PMR 337" (13160)

1997 plain blue/white interim base:  Due to the lawsuit by the photographer of the horses in the previous design (explained above), the state quickly came out with this plain design to give the state time to produce a replacement design for the Churchill Downs base.  The plate was entirely embossed, actually similar to the standard 6,000 lb. truck plate, but with the county name at the bottom of the plate.