Button copy signs on Green Background Sign

[khardy]

Hi Folks,

We have several old US Highway button copy signs in our back yard.  The ones we have do not indicate the state on the shields.  I believe these were on the large green information signs we see on or over the roadway.

Does anyone know when the large green signs were first used and possibly where?

Here are a few examples of our button copy signs we have partially restored.






Cheers!

[US71]

Nice signs.

[Scott5114]

The only state all four of those highways pass through is Texas, so if they're all similar enough that you think they're from the same state, that would be it. Unfortunately it would be next to impossible to determine exactly where in the state they would have been posted.

That 66 is probably worth a lot of money, though I have no idea how the sign collector market treats restorations.

[khardy]

Hi,

Yes all those signs are from Texas.  What I was wondering is when did the use of the large green backboard signs come into use?  I think the signs I have are from around the 1970s.  Most of our button copy signs were from nearby Houston.  I am not certain, but I think button copy came into use in the late 1950s and had continued use till the 1990s.  Most were replaced by the year 2000 with a few exceptions that still exist on the highways.

Cheers!

[Scott5114]

You're correct. The modern green-background large freeway sign was established during the planning for the Interstate System in the mid-1950s. Button copy was, I believe, used in Texas until the 1990s, but I don't think it was used on route markers that late. Jake B, if you see this, can you help nail down the range slightly?