Getting old signs

Mergingtraffic · June 30, 2009, 01:09:09 AM

I've been reading on some of the posts that people have quite a library of old road signs. how do you get them? One person mentioned they get them from their DOTs. How would you go about doing that?

Interesting!
(I know there are some on ebay etc)

agentsteel53 · June 30, 2009, 01:37:41 AM

I get all mine off eBay and other private collectors. What are you looking for? I have lots of contacts ...

CMHroads · June 30, 2009, 12:02:43 PM

^ Know where I can get any Ohio shields or Interstates (any)? I'd also love a NC-12.

BigMattFromTexas · June 30, 2009, 08:38:08 PM

I was lucky when i got my old us 277 shield

ctsignguy · June 30, 2009, 10:13:29 PM

There is a place i can go to to locate squared Ohio shields and neutered I-shields for anyone interested, but i wont be able to go there for a few weeks... (forget ODOT themselves...they wont give ANYTHING out anymore...when even Joehler's powers of persuasion fail....)

numbers will depend upon what they have in the bins

US71 · July 01, 2009, 12:33:19 AM

Quote from: doofy103 on June 30, 2009, 01:09:09 AM
I've been reading on some of the posts that people have quite a library of old road signs. how do you get them? One person mentioned they get them from their DOTs. How would you go about doing that?

I get mine mostly through e-bay. I've picked up 2 or 3 at flea markets and "junk" stores.

CMHroads · July 01, 2009, 11:59:13 AM

ctsignguy-

Very interested. What kind of prices does your "place" ask for them?

ctsignguy · July 01, 2009, 07:20:52 PM

no more than $10 usually....$20 if there is something special about the sign (like high-intensity sheeting)

CMHroads · July 02, 2009, 03:10:41 PM

^So, do you go get them and offer them up for sale or what? Or do you take "orders" and look to see if they have any? I'm sure you don't want to give up your place's identity so I won't ask. Thanks. I'd take about any Ohio shield or I shield. Favorites include Oh-7, 161, 541, 39, 213, 11, 43. Interstates include 70, 270, 670, 71, heck, any!

Ian · July 03, 2009, 01:44:19 AM

Quote from: ctsignguy on June 30, 2009, 10:13:29 PM
There is a place i can go to to locate squared Ohio shields and neutered I-shields for anyone interested, but i wont be able to go there for a few weeks... (forget ODOT themselves...they wont give ANYTHING out anymore...when even Joehler's powers of persuasion fail....)

numbers will depend upon what they have in the bins

Count me in on that aswell!! Ohio has a neat shield design!

Also, what states do end up giving away older signs??

I'd also like to get a Quebec shield (most likely an autoroute shield) since they have a neet design.

Also agentsteel, know of any contacts for older New England, PA, NJ, DE shields

?

ctsignguy · July 03, 2009, 01:46:57 PM

ok, everyone , lets take a deep breath here.....

as far as OLDER shields are concerned, other collectors (of whom a few reside here), may be your best bet... eBay is too iffy and you may find yourself in competition with other collectors (although, there is a gent (bloodhound1999) who has 11 older Michigan cutout diamonds up for around $20 each as starting bids, i am certain more than a few of them can be had for minimum ....so talk among yourselves, decide which ones you want, make sure the other guys know, so you dont bid each other up....

as far as CURRENT signs are concerned, THAT is more problematical. Many States right now are in money crunches which also affects DOTs....and if this keeps going, i suspect the day of being able to pick up a sign or few will be quickly gone as states look to save money by recycling/refacing old signs as opposed to making new ones. a couple of places some of us have had success at in the past are now essentially closed to all of us....Maine, New Hampshire and Rhody now send out their old signs for recycling/refacing

also, dont forget eBay as a factor as well...a few of us are known quantities at the garages and shops, and might not be questioned too much, but people that the sign guys DON'T know might be regarded a bit more suspiciously...for all they know, this new guy might not be a collector at all, but a guy out to score some cheap scrap metal, or worse, sell the signs on eBay for easy bucks. (Don't laugh, it HAS happened.....a NEW Maine Turnpike sign appearing on eBay a year or two ago resulted in TWO State sign shops closing to collectors!)...

they are VERY aware of eBay, and I always swear to them that anything i take will NEVER appear on eBay...

The other thing to keep in mind about DOTs....dont email them asking for stuff....first, emails to or from state employees are public record, subject to be examined anytime by anybody higher up, or for legal purposes...and too many emails about obtaining old signs, however innocently meant, might endanger the jobs of these guys, many of whom like signs as much as we do! For us, it is a hobby, but for a DOT guy, it is his livelihood, and we should be mindful not to mess up his career just for our fun...

...besides, if you MUST email, you might get further asking about contacting any contractors who do sign work for the State (and in many states, SOME sign work is contracted out to construction firms who have their own sign shops and staffs....and these outside-made signs DO count!) Some will be more than willing to make a state sign for you at a small cost (My Man-in-the Mountain signs were made by the New Hampshire Prison Sign Shop, who does a LOT of NHDOT sign work...)

so, again, lets not be over-eager beavers here...if you are patient, goods things (and signs) will come...

CMHroads · July 12, 2009, 04:01:07 PM

^ Wasn't looking to get anyone into trouble. You just happened to mention a place you go and asked if there was any interest. So, I replied that I was interested. Maybe I misunderstood what you meant.

Anyway, I once emailed ODOT but never got a reply, but a spokeperson mentioned a contractor that did sign work, but I never followed up on that.

ctsignguy · July 13, 2009, 12:58:39 AM

Quote from: CMHroads on July 12, 2009, 04:01:07 PM
^ Wasn't looking to get anyone into trouble. You just happened to mention a place you go and asked if there was any interest. So, I replied that I was interested. Maybe I misunderstood what you meant.

Anyway, I once emailed ODOT but never got a reply, but a spokeperson mentioned a contractor that did sign work, but I never followed up on that.

no, my reply wasnt aimed at you.....but was an attempt to calm everyone down a bit....when people start wanting to email DOTs, i was trying to let them know that they need to be careful since any and all emails to a public agency are public record, and we dont want these guys to get into trouble over our little hobby

CMHroads · July 13, 2009, 12:12:32 PM

Ok, got it. Yeah, I've emailed ODOT about general things in the past and they seem more annoyed than anything so I no longer do that.

I have an old OH-151 sign that is a square. The white is now cream. My uncle found it in the woods behind his house years ago. Its not an antique or anything, just older. And I have a really beat up I-95 sign that someone through in when I bid on a yield and speed limit 40 sign. Its pretty big but has no mounting holes, only small holes along the perimeter. Maybe it had been on a BGS. So, yeah, my collection is small. I usually can't afford the signs on ebay. Too may bills to pay. But I do look now and then to see if they're any signs in better shape than mine.

Truvelo · July 16, 2009, 01:47:05 PM

When I was in Iowa last week I saw this trailer full of signs, not that I recommend anyone go and take them

Click to enlarge

Chris · July 16, 2009, 01:52:55 PM

Doubt if those signs fit in the trunk of an SUV

by the way;

"obey lane signal". Wtf is that about? Should we all install signs like "obey the signs", or "obey the traffic lights" or "obey the sign that says to obey the signs"?

mightyace · July 16, 2009, 03:41:36 PM

Quote from: Chris on July 16, 2009, 01:52:55 PM
Doubt if those signs fit in the trunk of an SUV

by the way;

"obey lane signal". Wtf is that about? Should we all install signs like "obey the signs", or "obey the traffic lights" or "obey the sign that says to obey the signs"?

I think that's for places where there are reversible lanes and there are lights with either a green arrow or a red X above them.

Scott5114 · July 16, 2009, 03:42:59 PM

I'm guessing it's somewhat like the "Watch your own signal" signs occasionally installed where there are two stoplights installed closely enough that it's possible that one could be mistaken on which signal is one that applies to them.

agentsteel53 · July 16, 2009, 04:10:05 PM

the world needs a "DO NOT OBEY THIS SIGN" sign.

Scott5114 · July 16, 2009, 05:36:35 PM

I think my favorite regulatory sign is Mexico's "NO MALTRATE LOS SEÃ'ALES" (DO NOT MISTREAT THE SIGNS).

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Getting old signs