Beyond the Bumper: The Wonderful World of Vintage License Plate Toppers

Forget the plain old license plate. Car owners back in the day craved a little extra pizazz, and that's where license plate toppers came in. These weren't government-mandated things, mind you. Think of them as miniature billboards for your car, advertising everything from your favorite gas station to the place you loved best.

But toppers weren't all about commerce. Police chiefs, fire marshals, even doctors and nurses, sported toppers to announce their professions (maybe hoping to score a friendly wave from the local patrol car?). Public safety messages, political campaigns, even the US Forest Service's pleas to prevent forest fires - all found their way onto these miniature metal signs.

And of course, as Americans hit the road in greater numbers, toppers became a way to show off your travel adventures. Cities, attractions, and especially national parks got their own toppers, a vibrant reminder of the places you'd been and the memories you made.

I have only come across a couple of these and both have sold for some good money due to their scarcity and ties to a beloved city.

Examples of vintage license plate toppers that I found at my local weekly car show here on Cape Cod. They dress these cars up oh so nicely wouldn't you agree?