Sign Collecting

Started by Max Rockatansky, July 12, 2016, 11:54:25 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Max Rockatansky

The trick is to wrap them in packs of five with bubble tape or with some card board.  If the vinyl signs are packaged together they don't get nicked up.  The real tricky part of the painted stuff since you have to put something in between each sign, even if it is a couple layers of paper.  I want to say when I moved from Florida to California I had maybe something like 150 signs?  Given that I only had about 1,500 pounds of house hold goods and a 4,200 pound car I'd say maybe the signs made up 500 pounds of the shipping weight?  Probably helps that I don't have much in the way of furniture that would otherwise drive the cost of a move up.


MNHighwayMan

#126
I did pretty much the same thing, except I put newspaper in between each sign, leaving enough of a margin with the paper to fold around the edges, and then used duct tape to bundle them all together. I think I did five per stack, or maybe it was four, I don't remember. I won't forget moving those in the trunk of my car, though - the back end was definitely weighed down a bit :biggrin:

Max Rockatansky

Funny, I remember actually factoring that in with the gross vehicle weight years ago when I moved from Arizona to Florida.  I want to say that the over all weight for all the occupants was about 950 pounds.  Between me, the dog, all the stuff I packed, and the signs it came out to probably a shade below 900.  I had to adjust the weight distribution a couple times from the trunk to the rear passenger seat since it had the rear of the car slightly covering the rear tires.  Of course that move wasn't a paid one so I went a lot more on the cheapo side getting things moved and shipped out than this last go around.

Alex

#128
Screen shot from an old html page I created with the sign collection back in 2010. Several reproductions in there.



The Garden State Parkway sign was from Garden State Highway Products.
So were the I-4 FL, I-95 DE and I-215 NV, which we ordered through Jake at the time.

Jake designed the red US 19, blue US 90, the Delaware Turnpike trailblazer and the FL 327 keys shield for me, and I did the Bee Line and East/West Expressway (which she mistakenly made into a grape instead of an orange). Those and the off color US 41 all ordered from Kim at Creative Sign Designs in Tampa.

Jake also designed the CA 5 bear shield, the red US 541 Florida cutout, and the US 122 embossed cutout for Delaware.

The rest are from a variety of sources like Ebay, other sign collectors, Joe Koehler, trades with friends, found in woods, etc.

Have added several more since then, like I-93 VT via Jake, VA 89 cutout as a gift, and several finds from the Webster flea market. Probably should recatalog them all photo wise at some point. Here are a few more:



CA 78 from Andy, the I-40 AR and US 70 (plus a I-540 AR) from a seller via a contact on the forum.



I-74 bought from Jake, BL I-15 bought from Jeff Francis, I-10 (date stamped from 1972) from the city of Mobile after inquiring about it in 2003.



OK 75A from First Monday's at Canton, TX, 67 keys from Jake

Got this and a DEL 9 cutout for Christmas gifts a few years ago (they were bought at an auction in Dover):



Had to impose a moratorium in acquiring new signs once I moved them all to the attic to do some house renovation... Except for a few, they pretty much still sit up there.

Max Rockatansky

I really did that FL 275 with the C stuck on it.  Its hard to even find a state road shield with the "C" anymore on the road since most of them have been replaced by the MUTCD County Route Marker.  There are a handful of Florida State Road shields that I really want and they would be all from the Orlando area...really 50 is the one to have for me.  The only luck I've ever really had with Florida was finding this I-4 which also happens to be sitting above me in as I write this on the couch:

IMG_5190 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Arizona had some of those off-color shields that were meant to signify travel directions, I also and just happen to have a US 80:

IMG_5241 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Ironically I bought the US 80 above from Jake of all people.  I have a huge affinity for all the Arizona highways since when I left I had driven every mile of state highway in the system....I've yet to complete the stubby AZ 24:

https://flic.kr/s/aHskTSUZmW

MNHighwayMan

#130
Two more additions came today, the first is a Minnesota US-63 marker:



Second is a MN-247 marker with some weird kerning between the digits:



The divider between the top and bottom fields is not nearly as squiggly/curvy as the picture makes it seem–for whatever reason the camera (and/or the angle?) exaggerates the very slight overlap between the colors. It looks much straighter in person.

Max Rockatansky

We're those the two that were just on eBay?  If it is the same US 63 I'm seeing then I'm pretty sure someone tried to flip it at least once.

MNHighwayMan


Max Rockatansky

Nice, yeah been kind of dry week for me.  I've been kind of eyeing that I-66 but I would prefer that price hit $70 or lower for it really to get me interested.  That's one of two Interstates that I still want, problem is that I don't want to pay a premium for the "66" that a lot of these sellers seem to think it commands...ain't US 66.

MNHighwayMan

#134
Yeah, 66 seems to demand a premium no matter what 66 it is. Kind of silly, although if I found a MN-66 on there I'd be sure to pay it since the route was turned back to Blue Earth County last year.

Max Rockatansky

Probably just speaks more to who is actually selling the signs.  I would kind of expect people most people to recognize the number and casually think that it something to do with US 66....I'd hate to see what someone would want for a CA 66 if it ever came onto the market.  Ironically I actually got my AZ 66 sign for a reasonable price and it was even the off color brown/white combination.  I even found one of those Illinois Department of Transportation US 66 cut-out replicas from the 1970s for $29.99.

TheArkansasRoadgeek

I would love to venture into this hobby, but would like to not become a hoarder, any tips for me? What type of sign is easiest to buy? Interstate, State Highway, US Highway. Should I be like some within the thread and set a goal for a specific type of signage, say... Highway?
Well, that's just like your opinion man...

US71

Quote from: TheArkansasRoadgeek on April 22, 2017, 10:24:58 PM
I would love to venture into this hobby, but would like to not become a hoarder, any tips for me? What type of sign is easiest to buy? Interstate, State Highway, US Highway. Should I be like some within the thread and set a goal for a specific type of signage, say... Highway?

What interests you, mostly. 
E-bay is tricky, "junk" stores are a crapshoot, but usually better prices. 
Like Alice I Try To Believe Three Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Max Rockatansky

Probably the best advice I can give is to get a list in mind at what you want and more so what you are willing to pay for it.  Ebay usually has a great selection but usually crappy prices from scrappers looking to make a fast buck or people who really don't understand what they have isn't as valuable as they think.  Really the best luck I've had is getting to know antique store owners ironically through Ebay and passing the word on as to what I'm looking for.  There are several that I've made deals with over the years for a bunch of signs in one shot, that's largely how I accumulated most of my Arizona stuff.  The most I've ever bought a sign for over was $183 dollars and I've only ever paid over $100 three times.  Patience pays off big, even more so if your wallet is tight up for extra cash.

TheArkansasRoadgeek

What we should all start doing is hassling the DOTs to start offering there decommissioned signs up! Haha :-D :awesomeface:

I would love to collect some old retro AR state signage the ones where the state cut-out was outlined.
Well, that's just like your opinion man...

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: TheArkansasRoadgeek on April 22, 2017, 10:52:42 PM
What we should all start doing is hassling the DOTs to start offering there decommissioned signs up! Haha :-D :awesomeface:

I would love to collect some old retro AR state signage the ones where the state cut-out was outlined.

Actually it is usually pretty common for scrapers to be employed to remove and dispose of old highway signage.  Some states are more willing to give out signs to private hands like Michigan and California while others like Florida largely don't let go of anything.  If you see a crew pulling down signs and they have something you want I've found it never hurt to just ask or even offer a couple bucks.

US71

Quote from: TheArkansasRoadgeek on April 22, 2017, 10:52:42 PM
What we should all start doing is hassling the DOTs to start offering there decommissioned signs up! Haha :-D :awesomeface:

I would love to collect some old retro AR state signage the ones where the state cut-out was outlined.

They're not cheap unless you get lucky.
Like Alice I Try To Believe Three Impossible Things Before Breakfast

TheArkansasRoadgeek

Quote from: US71 on April 22, 2017, 11:06:42 PM
Quote from: TheArkansasRoadgeek on April 22, 2017, 10:52:42 PM
What we should all start doing is hassling the DOTs to start offering there decommissioned signs up! Haha :-D :awesomeface:

I would love to collect some old retro AR state signage the ones where the state cut-out was outlined.

They're not cheap unless you get lucky.

Just signage in general or that particular selection? Yes, I would assume the market has a price for every era of signage, but as far as selection goes how does the pricing differ? US 71, what kind of collection do you have going? Any new additions?
Well, that's just like your opinion man...

Max Rockatansky

^^^

I know you weren't replying directly to me but I'll throw my two cents in anyways.  Just go on eBay once a day and search by; "highway sign," "road sign," and "Arkansas Highway Sign" to get a good run on what you're looking for.  The good stuff is usually on the first two pages for Highway Sign and Road Sign.  Typically I pay $20-$40 dollars for a 24x24 US Route Shield of modern MUTCD design.  Cut-out shields are going to likely cost you $100 at minimum on a lucky day but more likely someone will want a minimum of $200.  Expect to see $200 plus on embossed US Route shields if they are the real deal, popular routes will be way higher.

Specifically with US 71, I couldn't find anything this morning to link over to you but it does come up really frequently.  Arkansas Highway signs aren't exactly uncommon but I haven't really kept my eye out for anything but AR 7.

MNHighwayMan

#144
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 23, 2017, 08:06:22 AM
Expect to see $200 plus on embossed US Route shields if they are the real deal, popular routes will be way higher.

Or states where few survive. I have a embossed cutout MN US-53 shield (I posted a picture a couple pages back in this thread) and I paid a little more than $500 for it. (Tax refunds are a glorious thing... :))

Edit: I'm realizing that should go in the "You know you're a roadgeek when..." thread: you spend a portion of your tax return on highway signs. :-D

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: MNHighwayMan on April 23, 2017, 08:13:04 AM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on April 23, 2017, 08:06:22 AM
Expect to see $200 plus on embossed US Route shields if they are the real deal, popular routes will be way higher.

Or states where few survive. I have a embossed cutout MN US-53 shield (I posted a picture a couple pages back in this thread) and I paid a little more than $500 for it.

Yeah, at least....but then again there are sometimes deals that come up.  There was a couple embossed Michigan Trunk Lines that came up from a seller I frequently buy for, if they stay affordable I might consider throwing a bid in. 

Probably the oldest US Route I have is this steel square US 202 with white paint from Maine:

IMG_5329 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

If memory serves this design was popular in Maine sometime around the late 1950s/early 1960s.  I paid $80 for that sign, but given I lived on US 202 in Connecticut I probably would have paid more given that I had a personal connection to it.  The seller wasn't someone who frequently sold highway signs, it wasn't a popular route, and it was a odd enough design that someone might not realize it was a rare design...kind of all came together for a decent price.  :-D  Really weird thing is that you usually see a black background on the Maine signs and not white, there is a couple other examples in the shield gallery.

MNHighwayMan

#146
That's a steal for $80, especially if it's particularly meaningful to you, despite the condition.

In the vein of old-style US route markers, I got these two MN US-371 markers in two separate purchases a couple years ago



The cutout isn't embossed except for the border - the letters and numbers are painted (?) on. And the other is in excellent condition given that it has to be more than fifty years old–my guess is that it was never actually posted and survived in someone's garage/attic for a long time. Minnesota did use that style US marker for a short time between the cutouts and the beginning of the modern US marker in 1961.

Max Rockatansky

Yeah there is no way that embossed US 371 was outside for very long considering how good of shape it is in.  Even the embossed signs from Arizona and New Mexico usually have almost all the paint gone by now despite the dry climate.  That 202 is pretty beat up but somehow the shield crest managed to stay intact all this time, considering how bad the weather that's pretty lucky it still exists at all. 

MNHighwayMan

Now for really old, I have eight 1930s-style MN state route markers, which look like these:



There was a brief deluge of them from one particular seller on eBay two or three years ago, and I managed to get one of each number (2, 6, 29, 30, 31, 34, 36, 64). Supposedly they were used to side a barn, or something like that. Most of them are missing paint or have some other paint on them (the white paint). The 34 and 31 examples I have probably retain the original paint the best.


US71

Quote from: TheArkansasRoadgeek on April 23, 2017, 01:35:26 AM
Quote from: US71 on April 22, 2017, 11:06:42 PM
Quote from: TheArkansasRoadgeek on April 22, 2017, 10:52:42 PM
What we should all start doing is hassling the DOTs to start offering there decommissioned signs up! Haha :-D :awesomeface:

I would love to collect some old retro AR state signage the ones where the state cut-out was outlined.

They're not cheap unless you get lucky.

Just signage in general or that particular selection? Yes, I would assume the market has a price for every era of signage, but as far as selection goes how does the pricing differ? US 71, what kind of collection do you have going? Any new additions?

Modern signage $50-60, sometimes higher,
not counting shipping (usually $15-20)

cut-outs , a couple hundred dollars and up.

this most of my collection , but I have a few I've not yet posted.
Like Alice I Try To Believe Three Impossible Things Before Breakfast



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.