Florida’s new 'Support Education' specialty license plate design comes in second in ALPCA’s 2018 Best Plate Award Worldwide - michael towner

​The winner of the 2018 Automobile License Plate Collectors Association' s annual Best Worldwide Plate Award was Maryland with its redesigned Treasure the Chesapeake optional license plate. The plate has been redesigned three times. Austin Boudreaux (Junior member) stated, "The background of the plate is very peaceful, pleasant and visually appealing. The digits were visible right where they were placed." This is the second time Maryland has won this award. The first time was in 1984 with their 350th Anniversary plate.

​The original version of the Bay Plate, as the locals call it, was first issued in 1990 and replaced with the current design in 2003. After 14 years, the Chesapeake Bay Trust and Maryland's Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) decided it was time for a new design, although it was still very popular. They requested designs from Maryland-based artists. The best of the 250 alternative designs were then voted upon by the people. The winning design was the work of Tina Cardosi through her company TM Design Inc. and the plates went on sale on October 29, 2018.

The old version

​Although Maryland won with 714 points which was a comfortable margin above the competition. Nevertheless, plates from several other jurisdictions garnered a significant number of votes. Florida came in second with 564 points, Oklahoma was third with 519 points and Japan was fourth with 492 points. It is interesting that the top 3 plates were all redesigns of plates raising funds for worthy causes. Iowa came in fifth.
This was the highest rate of participation by the members of the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.

3. Japan

4. Oklahoma

5. Iowa