Public service announcement. Never, ever go to the examiner blog for any reason, ever.
But since you were nice enough to post most of the article and graphics, I can mention that it’s very easy to create a realistic-looking 77 sticker that will fit in the corner of a license plate of a 1971 gremlin that you buy in 1977. Or so I’ve heard.
A guy I grew up with used to do that for the sticker on his motorcycle plate.