CA black plates....just picked up a car....

Speaking as one wacko California car guy- yes your old plates have some value here. At the larger car shows there will always be 2-3 venders selling plates and stickers and they will have boxes and boxes of them. So, they are not exactly rare. The going price depends on condition and whether they have been "cleared" by DMV or not. Clearing means that someone has taken the time to go down to DMV to check their computer to see if that number is available for re-issue. The chances are not good because they are now re-issueing black plates. People will not spend much money on non-cleared plates because they are taking a chance on whether or not DMV will OK it. The laws regarding this stuff is constantly changing and my experiences are within the last two months. California is a very unfriendly place to do business with when it comes to old cars. If you had a pair of California black plates that are in very good condition and have been "cleared", then they may be worth $200. If not, then maybe $20-30. If you see a car with restored plates out here, you can be assured that he has gone to a lot of trouble and expense. You should consider just hanging them in the garage. Welcome to California.