NM License Plate

Manufacturer / MakerCreated by unidentified

Date1940

Mediumtin

Dimensions3 1/2 × 13 1/2 × 1/16 in. (8.9 × 34.3 × 0.2 cm)

ClassificationsTransportation

Credit LineAlbuquerque Museum, gift of Mr and Mrs. Richard Starkey

Object numberPC1996.70.2

DescriptionThis rectangular metal license plate commemorates the 400th anniversary of Francisco Vázquez de Coronado’s 1540 expedition into what is now the southwestern United States. The plate has a rusted background with lettering reads: “CORONADO CUARTO CENTENNIAL / 1540 – 1940 / C-86 / New Mexico.” It features four mounting holes, two at the top and two at the bottom, for attachment to a vehicle. The reverse is blank and indentations from the text on the front are visible. Issued in 1940, this commemorative license plate was distributed as part of New Mexico’s Cuarto Centennial celebrations, featuring events such as historical pageants, museum exhibits, and educational programs, which marked 400 years since Coronado’s colonization of the region for the Spanish. The event was widely observed throughout the state, with parades, exhibitions, and historical reenactments celebrating Spanish heritage and early European contact with Indigenous peoples.

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