I may sound like a crotchety old man waving his cane at those young whippersnappers, but back in my day there were 50 car tags for 50 states.

Riding in the back of my parents’ station wagon, I could quickly identify the origin of each car on the road with one quick glance at the car tag.

If you knew the secret code, at least for Alabama cars, you could figure out the car’s home county, which made for competitive license-plate games for the Hillyer clan.

Today’s children have it harder, as each state has its own catalog of specialty license plates that can be purchased for a fee.

If you think I am kidding, go to the courthouse and ask the clerks in the tax collector’s office for a list of the tags that Mississippi has available. They will more than likely, pull out a large three-ring binder filled with hundreds of pages of specialty car tag designs that were at one time or another approved by the legislature.

If you are a professional firefighter or a professional hairdresser, there is a car tag for you. Interested in promoting soil conservation, supporting veterans or showing that you care for animals? There is a car tag for you, too.

Large high schools in Madison, Jackson, on the Gulf Coast and even in Memphis, Tenn., have specialty car tags.

Mississippi issues license plates for each state university, the University of Alabama, Auburn University and the New Orleans Saints.

Good that the fees from such car tags stay in the state. For instance, a portion of the money from Alabama tags go to the Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital. Fees from Auburn plates go to Habitat for Humanity. If you get a Saints tag, some of your money is going to the Infinity Science Center on the coast.

In all, there are 186 specialty car tags that Mississippi issues. Many of them are restricted. A Purple Heart tag, for example, can only go to a veteran who has received the medal.

If enough people fill out order forms there will be one more addition to the state’s catalog with the new Natchez Tricentennial license plate, which is arguably the most attractive design in the bunch.

A portion of the fees from the issuance of tricentennial tags will go to the Natchez Tricentennial Commission.

Recently I heard someone joke about the issue, saying the state might as well issue blank car tags and hand out crayons so that everyone could come up with their own design.

As funny as that may sound, the recent announcement of the new tricentennial tag has left me — and maybe a few other people — in a difficult position.

Where do my allegiances lie?

For the last decade I have been driving the city streets sporting a Mississippi State University specialty car tag. As a MSU alum, I appreciated that some of the fees were going back to my alma mater.

As much as I like the Natchez Tricentennial license plate and as much as I want to show my city pride, is it enough to shun my Mississippi State Bulldogs? And what about the many other organizations and good causes that I may want to support?

Maybe a blank tag with a series of state-issued magnets that could be switched depending on the mood of my day is not such a bad idea.

Until then I will have to make a decision. Which will it be?

I can’t decide.

 Ben Hillyer is the design editor of The Natchez Democrat. He can be reached at 601-445-3540 or by email at ben.hillyer@natchezdemocrat.com.