Pleasure-Commercial (PC)

Brief Note on PC Tags

PC tags were first authorized in March 1953. Back then, station wagons bore Commercial (C) and commercial vehicles were not allowed on certain roads in the U.S., most notably the Merritt Parkway in Connecticut. The Delaware legislature created this tag type to solve this problem. Because PC tags did not start until 1953, the earliest base plate they were issued on was the stainless base with reflective numbers.

Here is a newspaper clipping from The Morning News (Wilmington, DE) from January 26, 1953 (click to enlarge):

Years	Picture	Info	Highest Number Known
1953 - 1958 ("Stainless")	From eBay	Dimensions: 5.5" x 9.5" Material: steel Relief Features: bolt slots top and bottom; tab slots on bottom	PC 9999 (due to size constraints)
	From eBay	Dimensions: 5.5" x 11" Material: steel Relief Features: bolt slots top and bottom; tab slots on bottom	PC 14435
	From eBay	Dimensions: 6" x 12" Material: steel Relief Features: bolt holes top and bottom; tab slots on bottom	PC 16599
1958-1959 ("Restamp")		Dimensions: 5.5" x 9.5" Material: steel Relief Features: bolt slots top and bottom; tab slots on bottom	This base was largely for replacement plates to use up the remaining stainless blanks before switching to a more permanent blue and gold plate.
	No photos known for this variety	Dimensions: 5.5" x 11" Material: steel Relief Features: bolt slots top and bottom; tab slots on bottom
	From Snookie Vent	Dimensions: 6" x 12" Material: steel Relief Features: bolt holes top and bottom; tab slots on bottom
1959-1962	From eBay	Dimensions: 6" x 12" Material: steel, then aluminum Relief Features: bolt holes top and bottom; tab slots on bottom Notes: Thinner DELAWARE, straight-leg "R"	PC 20185
	From eBay	Dimensions: 6" x 12" Material: aluminum Relief Features: bolt holes top and bottom; tab slots on bottom Notes: Thicker DELAWARE, curved-leg "R"	PC 28021
1962-1968		Dimensions: 6" x 12" Material: aluminum Relief Features: bolt holes top and bottom Notes: "THE FIRST STATE" added	PC 44878
1968-2002	From Plateshack	Dimensions: 6" x 12" Material: aluminum Relief Features: bolt holes top and bottom Notes: Gold border added. Made by Demco in Milford. Silk-screened but numbers riveted on for replacement plates.	PC 220905
2002-present		Dimensions: 6" x 12" Material: aluminum Relief Features: bolt holes top and bottom Notes: Production switched to Waldale Manufacturing in Canada in mid-2002. Thin font variety ("Waldale 1")	By this time, PC tags were being issued by blocks (by 100,000s). The significance of each block is unknown. Observed ranges: PC 1 - PC 99999 PC 100000 - PC 199999 PC 200000 - PC 246031 PC 300000 - PC 399999* PC 400000 - PC 499999 PC 500000 - PC 510801* PC 600000 - PC 614629 PC 732939 - PC 788356* PC 800000 - PC 803903** PC 957387 - PC 998866* *Only a handful of numbers observed in this block **PC 870104 and PC 892521 are known but do not fit into sequence
	From Chris Turner	Dimensions: 6" x 12" Material: aluminum Relief Features: bolt holes top and bottom Notes: Slightly thicker font variety ("Waldale 2")
		Dimensions: 6" x 12" Material: aluminum Relief Features: bolt holes top and bottom Notes: Even thicker font, made to match Demco font ("Waldale 3"). Plates had beveled edges starting in circa 2011.
		Dimensions: 6" x 12" Material: aluminum Relief Features: bolt holes top and bottom Notes: Starting in circa 2011, separated P and C, and plates had beveled edges