Even in NY, you see a ton of the org empire plates - white/blue lettering peeling (beginning letter A-E) and sometimes it looks like a piece of aluminum on your front bumper they get so bad. Even now with the newer style (letter F-J) "older" yellow and blue plates i've seen they look like they are 40 years old, with no reflective coating, no paint, but bare aluminum, or they "flake". We are now up to K with yet another new style plate.
While in the city i noticed more then one car that people sprayed the plates with MORE reflective coating, to the point it almost looks like sand on the plate, if you look for it you can notice it no problem, and i'd assume that to beat the red light cameras and tolls.
Here are a couple letters of my current NY empire white and blue plate from 2009. You can see the peeling, but its not bad... yet. I just am very careful power washing the plates..