Washington State Personalized License Plates

Washington State Personalized License Plates

These plates belonged to my mother. She was Japanese and her friends called her Michi, but her American name was Mishal (like Michelle). I'm still researching to find out what years these yellow plates were available.

I'm having trouble remembering...these were either originally issued in the late 1970s or early 80s? She had a Datsun 280zx. Mom could not drive a stick shift, so Dad had to pay extra to find a new one that was automatic. The car was white, black trim, with a blood red interior..straight inline 6 cylinder, sunroof, rear window had louvers, chrome mud flaps..and all the cars of the era had auto bras. It was a very sharp car.

FUNNY STORY
Mom told me this story..She was shopping at the mall and walked to the parking lot to leave.. she saw an African-American gentleman sitting in her car. She immediately asked him, "What are you doing in my car?". His reply was, "You wish lady!". She then bent over and looked and realized that this car did not have her yellow plates and only looked similar to her car. Embarrassed, she quickly apologized and found her car.

**UPDATE** I asked an expert on Washington state license plates and he said..

"The yellow base was available as an option for personalized plates starting in the late '70s, and stopped being offered in 1997. You can narrow down the issued year a bit with a few clues: is the state name embossed or screened? If screened it's after 1982. The serial number dies also can narrow it down: prior to 1986 they were wider than what's used today. "

I sent him a photo. Definitely embossed plates. I was saying I was thinking 79 or early 80s. He suggested...

"79 or '80 would make perfect sense on those. Potentially up to 1982 as well. Not really any other way to tell, unless you want to try pulling up some of the tabs to see what years the early ones were from."

I pulled the tabs as suggested and ot looks like 82 was the first year. It looks similar to what I remember..added photos.