Each of the 49 states of the United States of America plus several of its territories and the District of Columbia issued individual passenger license plates for the year 1959.[1][2][3][4]
Coded by county of issuance:
0-12-345
00-12-345| Alaska | Embossed blue numbers on golden yellow plate with border line; embossed territorial/state flag at left; "ALASKA" embossed in blue block letters centered at top; "58" embossed in top right corner | None | 12345 | 1 to approximately 74000 | 1958 base plates revalidated for 1959 with white tabs. |
| American Samoa |
| Arizona | Embossed white numbers on blue plate with border line; "ARIZONA 59" embossed in white block letters centered at top. | "GRAND CANYON STATE" | ABC-123 | AAA-001 to approximately BDY-999 |
| Arkansas | Embossed black numbers on white plate with border line; "ARKANSAS 59" embossed in black block letters centered at top | "LAND OF OPPORTUNITY" | 1-12345
10-1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
| California | Embossed black lettering on yellow base; "CALIFORNIA" embossed at top left with "56" incused into black embossed box at top right. | None | AAA 123 | unknown | 1956 base plates revalidated for 1959 with black-on-white stickers. |
| Canal Zone | Embossed yellow lettering on black base; embossed and centered "1959 at top and "Canal Zone at bottom | None | 12345 | unknown | Sample plate shown |
| Colorado | Embossed white lettering on green base | "Colorful" | 1-1234
10-1234 | County-coded registration |
| Connecticut | Embossed white numbers on blue plate with border line; "CONNECTICUT" embossed in white block letters at bottom, offset to left | None | 12345
AB123
AB1234
123-456
AB-1234 | Varied by format |
| Delaware | Reflective gold numbers riveted on dark blue, Delaware at top, insert spaces bottom. Insert format continued as original. | None | 123456 | 4 to approximately 225000 | First plate in federally mandated 6 x 12 in size. 1958 base renewed with metal tabs for 1959. |
| District of Columbia | unknown |
| Florida | Embossed blue lettering and rims on white base; nickname at top with date and state name at bottom. | "SUNSHINE STATE" embossed at top between "19" and "59" | 1-234567
12-123456
1A-23456
12A-34567 | unknown | County coded (1 or 12) and coded by vehicle weight and type (A). |
| Georgia | Embossed white lettering and rims on black plate, with state name embossed at top center and nickname at bottom between halves of date. | "PEACH STATE" | 1-A-2345
12-A-3456 | Coded by county (1 or 12) and class (A) |
| Guam |
| Hawaii | Embossed white lettering and rims on red base. State name at bottom with slogan at top. Undated. | "ALOHA" embossed at top. | 1A-234 | 1957 base plate in use continuously through 1960 without updated registration on plate. |
| Idaho | None |
| Illinois | White lettering embossed on blue base; "ILL 33" at bottom. | "LAND OF LINCOLN" embossed at top | 123 456
1 234 567 | 1 to approximately 1-277-000 |
| Indiana | Royal blue lettering embossed on yellow base; "IND - 59" embossed at top. | LINCOLN YEAR incused in embossed blue box at bottom. | AB 1234 | County-coded |
| Iowa | Embossed black numbers on yellow plate with border line; "IOWA" embossed in black block letters centered at top; "59" embossed in top right corner. | "none | 1 12345
10 12345
| County-coded (1 or 10). |
| Kansas | Embossed blue numbers on yellow plate with state-shaped border; "KANSAS 59" embossed in blue block letters centered at top. | "THE WHEAT STATE" embossed in blue block letters at bottom, offset to right. | A/B-12345 | County-coded (A/B) |
| Kentucky | Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate; "KENTUCKY" and county name embossed in wide white block letters centered at top and bottom respectively; "19" embossed in top left corner and "59" in top right corner. | None | 123-456 |
| Louisiana | Embossed white numbers on dark blue plate with border line; embossed white pelican in the center; "19 LOUISIANA 59" embossed in wide white block letters at top. | "SPORTSMAN'S PARADISE" embossed in narrow white block letters at bottom | 123 456 | 1 001 to approximately 910 000 |
| Maine |
| Maryland | Embossed blue numbers and rims on white plate with border line. | None |
| Massachusetts | Embossed white numbers and rims on red base. White box at top with incused "59 MASS" in red. |
| Michigan | Black on white, "MICHIGAN 1933" on bottom. | "none | 1-234-567 | Issued in front and rear pairs. |
| Minnesota | Embossed blue numbers on reflective white plate with border line; "MINNESOTA" embossed in blue block letters centered at bottom; "19" embossed in bottom left corner and "58" in bottom right corner. | "10,000 LAKES" embossed in blue block letters centered at top. | 1A 1234
MA1234 | First number corresponds to congressional district of issue. "M" plates were mail-order issues. 1958 base plates revalidated for 1959 with green tabs. |
| Mississippi | White with embossed green lettering and trim. The county name was stamped on the bottom of the license plate. | None | 123-456 | unknown |
| Missouri | None |
| Montana | Embossed black numbers on unpainted aluminum plate with state-shaped border; "MONTANA" embossed in wide black block letters centered below numbers; embossed "59" to right of state name. | None | 1·12345
10·1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10). |
| Nebraska | Black embossed lettering and rims on golden yellow base. | THE BEEF STATE embossed at bottom center | 12-3456 | County-coded |
| Nevada | Embossed blue numbers on white plate with border line; "NEVADA" embossed in blue block letters centered at top; "EXP" embossed in top left corner and "JUN 60" in top right corner. | None | A12345
AB1234 | County-coded |
| New Hampshire | White base with embossed green lettering and border. | None | 1-234 | County-coded |
| New Jersey | Black lettering embossed on straw-colored base. | None | ABC 123 |
| New Mexico | Red embossed lettering and sunburst design on yellow background. "NEW MEXICO" embossed at bottom and sunburst with "33" inside embossed at left. | None | 12-3456 | County-coded |
| New York | Embossed black lettering on gold base; "NY 33" embossed at bottom center. | "none | A-12-34
1A23-45 | County-coded. |
| North Carolina | Blue base with embossed white lettering "NORTH CAROLINA - 33" at bottom. | None | 123-456 |
| North Dakota | White lettering and border embossed on green base. "ND" embossed at left and "33" embossed at right. | None | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 149-000 |
| Northern Mariana Islands |
| Ohio | Embossed red lettering and rims on white plate; "1959 OHIO" embossed at bottom. | None | A·12345
AB·1234
12345·A
1234·AB
A·1234·B | Issued in blocks by county |
| Oklahoma | Embossed yellow numbers on black plate; "OKLAHOMA 1933" embossed at bottom. | None | 1-123456
10-12345 | County-coded |
| Oregon | None | 123-456 |
| Pennsylvania | Embossed yellow lettering and state-shaped border on blue base. "PA 58" embossed at top. | None | ABC 123 |
| Puerto Rico |
| Rhode Island | Embossed white numbers on black plate with border line; "RHODE ISLAND 59" embossed in white block letters above numbers. | None | AA1 to WW999 | Letters I, Q and U not used, and X, Y and Z used only on replacement plates. |
| South Carolina | Embossed white numbers on blue plate; "SOUTH CAROLINA 59" embossed in white block letters at top. | None | A-123-456 | Coded by weight class (A) |
| South Dakota | Black lettering and border on white base with stamped Mount Rushmore graphic at top. | None | 1-1234
1-A123
12-1234
12-A123 | Coded by county (1 or 10 prefix). 1957 base plates revalidated for 1959 with red tabs. |
| Tennessee | Embossed yellow numbers on black state-shaped plate with border line; "TENN. 54" embossed in yellow block letters centered at bottom. | None | 1-12345
10-1234
1D-12345
10D-1234 | (D) in registration indicates vehicles weighing over 3,500 lbs. |
| Texas | Embossed black lettering on white base. "TEXAS 59" embossed at top. | None | AB-1234 | Could be revalidated for subsequent years using metal tabs. |
| Utah |
| Vermont | Embossed dark green numbers on white plate; "54 VERMONT" embossed in dark green block letters centered at bottom. | None | 12345
A1234 |
| Virginia | Embossed white numbers on black plate; "VIRGINIA 1954" embossed in white block letters at top. | None | 123-456 | 1 to approximately 999-999 |
| Washington | Embossed white numbers on green plate; "54 WASHINGTON" embossed in white block letters at bottom. | None | 123-456 A
12-345 AB | County-coded (A or AB) |
| West Virginia | Embossed yellow numbers on black plate with border line; "W. VA. EXP.-6-30-54" embossed in yellow block letters at bottom. | None | 123-456 |
| Wisconsin | Embossed dark green numbers on white plate; "WIS" embossed in dark green block letters at top, offset to left; month of expiration and "59" embossed in top right corner. | "AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND" embossed in black block letters centered at bottom. | A12-345
AA-1234 | First letter corresponds to month of expiration. |
| Wyoming | Embossed black numbers and Bucking Horse and Rider on white plate with border line; "54 WYOMING" embossed in black block letters at bottom. | None | 1-12345
10-1234 | County-coded |