The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles is closing applications Friday at 5 p.m. for its low-number MA250 plate lottery, and the commemorative plate has already become the most sought-after specialty plate in the state’s history. More than 44,000 people entered the lottery for the plate, which was introduced to mark the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
Governor Maura Healey, in a video posted last week, called the MA250 plate “the most popular specialty plate in state history.” The plate has also been issued on more than 71,000 passenger vehicles, a figure that puts it far ahead of earlier Massachusetts specialty plates and gives the state a rare branding hit tied to the Revolution.
Colleen Ogilvie, who spoke about the plate’s appeal, said drivers seem to like the chance to “express personality with their car” while also choosing something that helps them “show national pride.” That combination is built into the design. The plate includes the number 1776 circled by stars, a feature that Ted Kaye said recalls Revolutionary-era imagery associated with early American flags.
The MA250 plate also stands out in a registry with a long specialty-plate history. Richard Dragon said the anniversary plate is “dramatically different than anything else,” with some exceptions, including the state’s 1967 plate. He also said the dark blue state name on the plate is “certainly very legible.”
Massachusetts has been here before, though not at this scale. The state’s first specialty plate was the Environmental Trust plate, also known as the right whale plate, introduced in 1994. More than 19,000 had been issued. The Cape and Islands plate followed in 1996 and has had more than 32,000 issued. Last year, the state released a second version of the Environmental Trust plate, showing how specialty designs continue to have a market even when the theme is local rather than historic.
The demand for the MA250 plate also fits a broader pattern: when a design catches the public mood, the Massachusetts registry of motor vehicles can see interest surge. State sports teams have helped drive that kind of attention before when the Celtics, Red Sox and Bruins have been doing well. But this time the draw is not a championship run or a regional slogan. It is the Revolution itself, and the final chance to enter the low-number lottery is Friday at 5 p.m.
