Hemp & Company/King-Seeley Get License Plates Contract 1940
During the years of World War II, when metal was at a premium, fiberboard made from pressed soybeans was used to produce license plates for cars. Macomb’s own Hemp & Company was contracted by the state of Illinois to produce automotive license plates, rather than using prison labor. The contract was exclusive and highly lucrative.
According to manufacturing records, Hemp & Co. produced Illinois truck plates from 1938 to 1939, and passenger plates from 1949 through 1964. In 1965, King-Seeley acquired the famous toy manufacturer Structo of Freeport, Illinois. The Strutco Division of King-Seeley took over the manufacturing of vehicle license plates for the State of Illinois.
The 1954 Illinois plate featured a dark green background with white embossed characters, measuring roughly 9.75 to 11.5 inches long, depending on the serial length, and stood out as the historic debut year for the “Land of Lincoln” slogan.
The “Land of Lincoln” slogan was significant because it was the first year the name Illinois was completely spelled out on the tag. The Secretary of State at that time was Charles F. Carpentier, who believed the additional lettering might increase tourism to Illinois.
In 1964, Hemp & Co. was bought by King-Seeley. The early license plates made by Hemp & Co., especially the year 1954 (19 and 54 were printed alongside the registration number), are highly sought after by collectors. They have the Hemp & Co. stamp and a single plate can sell for as high as $40 to $100, depending on condition.
King-Seeley license plates are cited in political and legal history textbooks due to a massive bribe and kickback scandal involving Illinois Secretary of State Paul Powell. During the 1960s, King-Seeley remained the exclusive recipient of the license plate contract.
Investigations later revealed that the company was allegedly paying Powell $20,000 per year in kickbacks to guarantee they kept the contract without competitive bidding.
In 1968, a purchasing agent and an outside contractor (Metal Stamping Corporation) conspired to redirect the license plates contract away from King-Seeley. Powell agreed stating “he didn’t care who made the plates as long as he didn’t lose any money in the transition”.
When Powell died in 1970, investigators found $800,000 in cash stuffed into shoeboxes and briefcases in his hotel room and office - a portion of which was tied back to illegal political favors, including the license plate manufacturing contracts.
Collectors, in addition to the early wartime fiberboard plates and the 1954 Land Of Lincoln plates, continue to seek out the plates made by King-Seeley from 1964-1971. These plates have value because they were connected to the most infamous political corruption scandals in Midwestern history.
Credits: Judicia Law, Chicago Tribune
