10: Minnesota
Showing my Minnesota bias here a bit, but there’s a lot to love here. The lake with the anglers on it is a great subtle touch (and probably too subtle while driving). The state’s outline makes for a perfect divider. Got to mention the 10,000 lakes as well. I have to knock it down for the web address. At least it isn’t in your face about it. In fact, I got new plates for my car a couple months ago and didn’t even notice the dot com until I did my research for this countdown.
9: Rhode Island
This is fantastic. The anchor is nicely understated and the wave isn’t too showy.
8: Delaware
Similar to New York’s plate, only it doesn’t try to do too much. I like how “The First State” is the first thing you see. Looks like an old plate, but unlike Vermont with its dated green color, this one still holds up.
7: Mississippi
Get rid of the county name and you have a top five plate. The lighthouse is beautiful, and the setting sun illuminates everything beautifully. I also am crazy about the font for the state’s name with the curly esses.
6: South Carolina
Man these colors are gorgeous. I think the moon is a bit much, but the tree works well for me. The website is the least obnoxious of the plates that use it. For one it doesn’t cover anything up and is in a good font. But it also has a unique url that people might not find instantaneously with a simple Google search.
Death By Troggles 
I’m not sure you’re biased toward the Minnesota plate. I think I’d go even higher with it; I like it better than all of these with the possible exception of South Carolina (but seriously, that moon has to go). Rhode Island is cool, and Delaware is by far the best of the minimalist plates we’ve seen. I’m not big on the colors of the Mississippi plate, but otherwise it’s alright. Certainly, there are no clunkers, so I anxiously await what’s left, since I have intentionally paid no attention to what’s left (although I think I remember four of them regardless).
I kind of like the moon on the SC plate in a sort of ironic way because its similar to the crescent moon shape that’s been used in the MIddle East and SC is not exactly known as a bastion of tolerance. Other than that, though, it looks terrible.
I’ve got a lot of love for the Minnesota plate. I love the colors, and the state outline looks great as a divider.
I think I would have bumped it up several spots had they just left off the blasted “dot com”
Dudes, the moon and tree is part of the south carolina state flag.
And…?
Dude, it doesn’t matter where it comes from if it looks like a pile of donkey shit.
You put the palmetto there without a crescent moon and the SoCarolers will accuse you of sending it to some design team in New York or Those Angeleez that didn’t realize it’s significant and then you don’t get re-elected governor.
Heh heh. See, this I can buy.
Since Colonial days.