The 1958 Colorado skier license plate holds a unique place in automotive and state history. This one-year-only design featured an embossed skier graphic, paying homage to Colorado's growing reputation as a winter sports destination. One of the state's slogans "Colorful Colorado" is also prominently displayed at the top, a saying found on the Welcome signs around the state starting in the 1950s, when road trips were popular across the US. In the 1950s, this plate stood out as a creative blend of art and function, capturing the essence of the Centennial State's mountainous charm while also acting as an advertisement or a sort to come visit the state.
Interestingly, the 1958 skier plate wasn’t just about aesthetics—it also showcased Colorado's innovation in license plate design. The plate used a mix of letter and number prefixes to identify counties, with county codes stacked above the numbers or letters on the left side. A notable detail is the embossed skier's placement on the right side of the plate, which required a more compact layout for the registration characters (the numbers in the middle). While the skier graphic is now an iconic addition to the plate's design, its placement created challenges for displaying the county codes. Depending on the number of vehicles registered in each county, some counties used only numbers, others used only letters, and a few combined both—resulting in a confusing system. It's then no wonder why Colorado's skier plate design was only used for a single year and the plates changed to a simple green background with no graphic in 1959.
The production of these 1958 skier plates reflected a time when Colorado was experimenting with new materials and designs. For example, Summit County (#61) used a reflective background for its plates, a forward-thinking feature for improved visibility. Additionally, certain series were restricted to specific counties, adding an element of regional pride to the skier plate and are sometimes more desired by collectors and local decorators a like, who want a plate from their home county.
For collectors, this plate remains highly sought-after not only for its beautiful design but also for the stories it tells about mid-century Colorado. Whether displayed as part of a collection or used as unique wall decor, the 1958 Colorado skier plate is a true piece of history that captures the adventurous spirit of the state.
