Number plates materials
number plates have been made from various materials over the years. Initially they were made of metal , painted black with digits pressed into the metal which also removed the black paint so the shiny metal showed through appearing silver digits on black backgorund. Later plastis letters and numbers were rivetted onto a metal background giving a three dimesional number plate. Plastic number plates arrived in 1973 and have changed little since then. White for the front and yellow for the back with black characters. The are made from three components, the reflective onto which the digits are printed and then a self adhesive clear acrylic for strenght.