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This is an initial production E plate from Angola prison industries. It has the Bayou State logo and the dates. There were likely around 106,000 E plates initially produced in 1973 at the prison industries shop. These were disseminated in late 1973 and used until the end of 1975. At that point a renewal sticker extended it through the end of 1977. After the initial production run was used up, additional batches were made without the dates. These undated plates started at 122E---, according to Eric Tanner.
In order to avoid the end of the year crush of renewals, Louisiana instituted a staggered registration system in early 1978. This one was extended through November 30, 1978. Pro-rated plates were sold such as to create a spread of 1978-1979 expirations, and up through April 1980. Both year and month stickers were needed to implement the staggered system. Starting in 1982, new registrants began receiving stickers with both the month and year. So the left hand sticker navel was only used four years, 1978-1981. Plates that were first sold during this four year period commonly still had the month sticker, and were used that way for decades.
About 1979, another production run of plates was punched out which did not have the Bayou State logo. The old Sportsman's Paradise slogan returned. This occurred at 155E501 according to Eric.
After October 1983, a dated 1984 subtype was used for the World's Fair year. These were blue on neutral. The 84 date was screened onto the left corner, and that sticker navel was eliminated. The state name moved to the top of the plate, just for that one year. As with all rolling changes, they were only available to new registrants. The switch to the blue was at 232E The black plates continued to be renewed for additional terms, but eventually were eliminated either through attrition or replacement during the 2005-2007 term.
The troop E number block was 232E--- through 250E---. After the Worlds Fair plates were exhausted, generic blue plates continued with the Sportsman's Paradise logo three to four more years, October 1984 through at least December 1987. Then a "USA" subtype became available in 1988. It was Louisiana's first "graphic" plate. In addition to being multi-color, it also had two pelican families in the upper corners. The pelican family was taken from the state's flag. The high point of the series, according to Eric Tanner, is 405E139, reached in the final "USA" sub-type.
Apparently the USA plates were phased in for new registrants as needed, when older plate stock was used up. It may not have happened at the same time in all parts of Louisiana. South Louisiana was being devastated by an economic crash at the time, and contrary to the norm, did not sell as many plates as expected. North Louisiana was less affected, and may have started using USA plates sooner.
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