Pennsylvania Boat Registration in the 50's and 60's

Motor boats in PA actually were issued metal plates (like car license plates) back in the day.  Boat #1 and Boat #2 up untill 1963 both sported an anually issued plate.

Beginning in 1955, motorboat plates began to strongly resemble motorcycle and the previous motorbike plates, and used the same state map design and expiration date embossed along the top edge as did motorcycle plates.  Motorboat plates even began to use the stacked letter code M/B, which had been used to designate motorbike plates in the 1930s and 1940s.  However, in most years, motorboat plate colors were completely different than Pennsylvania license plates used on land vehicles.  Motorboat plates were last issued in 1963. 

1955 –	white on red		1958 –	white on red		1961 –	yellow on navy
1956 –	white on olive green		1959 –	navy on yellow		1962 –	white on light purple
1957 –	white on navy		1960 –	black on white		1963 –	white on red

Regular motorboats Regular motorboats had the stacked letter code M/B, which had been previously used on motorbike plates in the 1930s and 1940s, above the stacked two-digit year, along the right edge of the plate.  The expiration date, always March 31 of the following year, was embossed along the top edge, and the state abbreviation Penna was embossed along the bottom.  Serial numbers were all-numeric, apparently starting from 1, and could have up to five digits.

Motorboat dealers Motorboat dealer plates had an "X" serial prefix, but otherwise looked just like regular motorboat plates.