PENTIUM License Plate: One in a million, or 2
Original PENTIUM California License (number) plate
This California license plate came through the museum on its way to a collector in Sweden. I get many items in that are unusual and rare but this was the first processor relates plate I have seen. The best part? It came with some history.
It was ordered as a vanity plate by a salesman at Intel around 1995. He was later hired by AMD as a sales person but his car still said “Pentium” which obviously was a bit of a problem. As a token of commitment to his new company he gave it to his manager at AMD, despite the fact that he was offered $3000 for it from an employee at Intel. It likely sat on a desk for some time until it was sold on eBay (for the low price of $100) where it was spotted by a collector in Sweden who asked me to purchase it for him.
It now resides with the collection of CPU Collection.SE
March 7th, 2013 at 10:12 am
I still have my POWERPC plate.
March 10th, 2013 at 11:38 pm
Do you have a picture of it? Would be very cool to see.
September 2nd, 2014 at 6:44 pm
Great story, but not accurate! I have owned the PENTIUM plates in California since March1993… I gave 3 plates away and have figured out which one you purchased.
I signed on for the plates in March 1993 the day Intel announced “Take 5, Intel renames X86 Pentium” the exact headlines from EBN. I have never worked for AMD or Intel, and Intel did infact offer me $50 in about 1994… Sad that my AMD connection sold the plates and only got $100!
September 2nd, 2014 at 6:47 pm
Yah Great to find out where is really came from, Thanks for the call and chat again.