Anyone else on here collect the 3-D Artwood state welcome sign magnets they sell in truck stops, souvenir shops, and the like? Pictures of my collection so far is below (29 states).
Reason I'm posting is I'm having so much trouble trying to collect the remaining state welcome sign magnets. Internet searches produce next to nothing. They are almost never posted on eBay. The manufacturer in Canada only deals with wholesalers. A retailer promised to get me the remaining states, required a larger pre-payment, and then went out of business.
If anyone in the Western states knows of these 3-D Artwood magnets and could get them for me, I'd be willing to pay for your trouble, plus shipping and handling. Or if someone reading this also collects them, I have a few extra state welcome sign magnets if someone reading this is interesting in trading.
These are the state welcome sign magnets I still need: WA, OR, ID, MT, WY, ND, SD, NE, IA, CA, NV, UT, AZ, OK, IL, LA, MS, AL, FL, AK, and HI
Thanks for any assistance!
Chris Hulse
Swoyersville, PA
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1273.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy403%2FChristopher_Hulse%2FIMG_1481b_zps07285d0c.jpg&hash=72070428078ed1f2044a4481419c4aeda83c9130) (http://s1273.photobucket.com/user/Christopher_Hulse/media/IMG_1481b_zps07285d0c.jpg.html)
I started seeing them when I was on vaca last August and picked up a few. I saw this website that claims to be able to get all 50. http://www.angelfire.com/planet/treasuremtn/ArtWood.html
What types of truck stops were you having luck getting them at? I have really only found them at tollway service plazas and a few road side attractions.
Hey, thanks for the reply! I was beginning to think no other road geeks were fascinated by these magnets, which I was finding hard to believe. ha ha
Anyway, that is the website that got me in touch with the retailer I made reference to in my original post. He sounded genuine over the phone, and backed up his claim about being able to get me the rest. Then, over the course of a year -- he started having medical issues and never ended up sending me what I paid for. So it ended up being a dead end :banghead:
I see you live in Illinois, which is one of the state magnets I need... so if you ever run across one and could get one for me, I'd be willing to pay you for your trouble. Also, I have an extra magnet of WI, KS, PA, DE if you ever get an extra and want to trade.... let me know.
Thanks again!!
That's quite a nice collection you have there! I never thought of collecting those at any time, even when I was younger...SMH
I will keep my eyes out, and maybe we can trade. All I have so far is New York, Vermont, Maine, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Ohio
Quote from: Henry on June 11, 2013, 11:53:05 AM
That's quite a nice collection you have there! I never thought of collecting those at any time, even when I was younger...SMH
Thanks Henry! Much appreciated... never too late to start a collection, ya know. : - ) That way we can trade if you get some I don't have... everybody wins! ha ha
Too bad these are not sold as magnets.
http://www.state-ends.com/georgia/000400/000400_s_3.jpg
http://www.state-ends.com/georgia/002500/002500_s_5.jpg
Quote from: roadman65 on June 16, 2013, 09:47:39 PM
Too bad these are not sold as magnets.
http://www.state-ends.com/georgia/002500/002500_s_5.jpg
http://www.state-ends.com/georgia/000400/000400_s_3.jpg
403 forbidden?
Just curious... do they update these when the state welcome signs change? Several in your collection are of old-style signs (e.g. MA and NH).
And WV, MO, KS, MI need updated...I did see the MA one still up on I-95 at the NH line and I-195...
Quote from: Roadsguy on June 17, 2013, 08:45:35 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on June 16, 2013, 09:47:39 PM
Too bad these are not sold as magnets.
http://www.state-ends.com/georgia/002500/002500_s_5.jpg
http://www.state-ends.com/georgia/000400/000400_s_3.jpg
403 forbidden?
Hmmm! Well until I figure it out, go to that site's pages and look at the US ends for those highways which are GA ends at FL borders.
I got ya an IA one....
Be sure to update your Wisconsin magnets with a tiny "Open for business" on the bottom. Extra points for making it look at last-minute as the real thing.
On a more serious note, I really love the welcome to Minnesota sign. It's really striking in person. Manitoba is a close second.
And the Michigan ones are old - they aren't "pure".
Quote from: Roadsguy on June 17, 2013, 08:45:35 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on June 16, 2013, 09:47:39 PM
Too bad these are not sold as magnets.
http://www.state-ends.com/georgia/002500/002500_s_5.jpg
http://www.state-ends.com/georgia/000400/000400_s_3.jpg
403 forbidden?
404 not found?
if this is some weird meta-joke about Georgia's interstates and the hidden designations they have ... well played.
Hello! I collect these too. Just letting you know there is Alabama (8 available) on eBay right now as buy it now until they're gone. Ebay item number 371126035528. I dont have any that you dont have, but you said you have duplicates (if you still have them) of two i need. WI and KS. Id be interested in purchasing them. Kind regards. Craig.
Thanks Craig! Cool to know there's another collector of these cool magnets out there. I know Bill who is also on this thread has been collecting them, too....
I did actually see the AL sign myself on eBay, which prompted me to send a message to the eBay seller of the magnets (you saw he had GA, too - right?). Well, EXCITING NEWS (if they're telling the truth). According to their reply back to me, they have other states on order from the manufacturer in Canada and they should have them in stock around October 1st.
So I'll keep my eyes peeled in about a month and a half and hopefully they will be available to us. I did have some guy out west promise me a ton of magnets I needed 2 years ago, then took my money with nothing to show, so I'm a little leary of someone else saying they have all the states available, but I'll hold out some hope...
Craig, I do still have duplicates of KS and WI -- hit me up with a PM or email message and we'll figure something out if you want them...
Otherwise, looking forward to October 1st (I know what a nerd I am... LOL)
Neat! I never thought to look for those. I wonder if we (La.) have them? I've stopped in our welcome center on the way home from trips, but never really asked much about what they offer.
There is a vendor on e-bay who will make custom magnets
For those interested, Colorado and California now available. Go on eBay and search on "State Welcome Sign Artwood Fridge Magnet"
This evening, they just posted the Arkansas, Alaska, and Arizona welcome sign magnets on eBay. (And no, I'm not getting a kickback. LOL Just helping friends out.)
If you ever decide to branch out, the Johnny Appleseed Rest Area on Route 2 in Leominster, Mass., has welcome sign magnets for just about all the 351 cities and towns of Massachusetts.
Funny thing you mention that place -- I've actually been there. I picked up like 4 or 5 of them when I was there. I just had forgotten where it was... I want to say (it was a few years ago) they had a form where you could order all the magnets and have them shipped home.
Funny, too, is that company who makes the State Welcome Sign Magnets (Polar Magnetics in Canada) may also make town signs too -- although I've only ever seen one. The town I got married in (Falmouth) had a sign magnets nearly identical to the Massachusetts one (pic shown here). Kinda cool, also because the lighthouse that is on both is the lighthouse I got married at.
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1273.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy403%2FChristopher_Hulse%2F2sign_zpsec82495e.jpg&hash=8e4453e138b0ba3bf4adb74e22ebab59f828d572)
I picked up a CO magnet at a tourist store last week. It doesn't say welcome though. The women at the official visitor center sent me there. Magnet was made in Canada.
Hi Chris! First, I never got to thank you for the KS and WI. THANKS!!! and its great being able to get the other states finally thru eBay. I'm sure your as excited as I am. LOL... Second, have you noticed, as I have, that there are a few that have different versions? So far I've come across two different Delaware and two different Pennsylvania. One Delaware has a smaller road sign and the background has a beach, lighthouse, pink tree and rooster. The other is a larger road sign and the background has pine trees. One Pennsylvania has a background with a silo and a horsedrawn plow. The other has a background with a cow and a red covered bridge. Makes me wonder if there are others with slight differences in design. Kind regards, Craig.
Yes, I am as excited! LOL As soon as he posts ones I don't have, I purchase one... so far I'm up to 38...
I did not notice there were difference with a few states... thank you for pointing that out... very interesting! I just went through all the states I have and compared them against a page I found that illustrates all 50 (which seem to be consistent with the versions this guy on eBay is selling... link to that page below)... the only other state that seems to have two different versions that I see is Virginia. The Virginia version I have has 2 horses (one more prominent and detailed in the foreground) as well as the new Cape Henry Lighthouse to right of the sign. The "newer" Virginia version only has 1 small horse behind the sign and no lighthouse.
I would love to know why they changed some of the versions. The only reason I can think of is they may not have had permission to use the lighthouses in DE and VA. I got married at a lighthouse (the one shown on MA's magnet, ironically) and when the Coast Guard granted permission to me the letter explicitly stated that the lighthouse could not be used "in any products you may be advertising". Perhaps the Coast Guard found out the DE and VA lighthouses were being used and they had to change to a new version? You'd think they'd change to the new versions of the DE and VA welcome signs as well if they did a re-design?.... oh well.
I'm sure you have noticed the guy on eBay selling these seems to be going in alphabetical order and tends to post new ones on Mondays or Thursdays. Happy collecting! Hope you get all 50!
Link to a page showing all 50 magnets:
http://blgiftsimports.com/swm-2-level-state-welcome-sign-magnet-detail.htm (http://blgiftsimports.com/swm-2-level-state-welcome-sign-magnet-detail.htm)
Finally completed my collection! It only took three years!!
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1273.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fy403%2FChristopher_Hulse%2Fmagnets_zpsnqfaqru1.jpg&hash=9b8c3f9718827be4d4c33693d652c45ea5699d53)
Cool.
The same vendor that has been adding the 50 states of the Artwood has a similar one now from decowood.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/North-Carolina-State-Welcome-Sign-Decowood-Fridge-Magnet-/261765234675?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cf26c7ff3
I wonder what legal authority exists to prevent people from using lighthouses in commercial works.