1959 Virgina gill net fishing boat license plate
While standard vehicle plates from the era look completely different, historical archives from All About License Plates verify that the \"GNL\" designation specifically stands for Gill Net License. [1]
From 1924 through 1964, the state of Virginia issued these heavy porcelain or painted square metal tags to watermen to attach directly to their boats, nets, or gear posts to prove they paid their commercial fishing fees. [1]
The Breakdown of Your Plate:
- 1959: The exact year of the commercial fishing season the license was valid.
- 1474: The unique registration or permit number issued to that specific local fisherman. [1]
Because Virginia Beach borders the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean—hubs for historic commercial fishing—local watermen regularly used these exact tags. Over the years, many were lost in the water or ended up stashed away in old coastal barns, garages, and boathouses. It is a fantastic piece of local Virginia maritime history
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