I’ve never seen it used anywhere else. I find it rather elegant, especially the distinctive ovoid zero.
I’m curious about the typeface used on Swiss number plates. Does anyone know anything about it? Who designed it and when?
Yes I'd seen that, but there's a lot of supposition there: "Switzerland’s font seems to show multiple influences..." but it doesn't say anything we didn't already know about it from just looking at it.
It must have been designed somewhere at sometime. That's what interests me.
It is interesting how the text elaborates on the origin of the Q when there is AFAIK no Q on any Swiss license plate at all. The Q is simply an artistic interpretation from the font file designer.
And besides:
...it seems like a load of bull. If you look at the D and O, which the author of this believes to be different, the right half of the D is the same as that of the O - so the same design rather than the DIN's typeface vs. the French/British typefaces as suggested by the author of this site.
Here is a nice site which shows some of the typefaces evolution and former typefaces that were used. German only, but with a lot of pictures. The page linked to says the current typeface is in use since 1965. You can also see that the zero was not always in its egg shaped form.
But the best shot would be to ask the authority (ASTRA ) that is responsible for the type face per law. ( Art. 94 VZV )
Some nice letter along the line: I know who is responsible for the road sign type face (can easy be the deducted from its official name ' ASTRA Frutiger ') but who designed the license plate typeface? Should to the job.
As a designer, this is of course an interesting thread. I too quite like the CH license plate typography. Now if I could just get my hands on one of those beautiful white on dark grey military plates!
Hah. Yes, one of those would be good, as well as something really foreign, like Chinese or something, all of course mounted on a three-way revolving mount, à la James Bond.
Order it here . But obliviously they wont sell number only plates.