Summer is here and many of us want to go on vacation and what comes to mind is the famous ‘Mother Road’ or Route 66.
While Route 66 was deactivated in favor of Interstate 40 in the early 1970s, parts of the Highway still exist, some in large sections that run parallel to the modern Highway.
After a trip across the country, why not a poster to help you remember your vacation?
If you take a look at eBay you will see a lot of ‘Authentic Route 66 Signs’ when in fact few if any of these are real. Most are made from original molds and recast in tin or steel.
So some things to look for. We have all seen modern road signs and they are quite large. most 24 x 24. If you see an ‘Authentic’ Route 66 sign smaller than that, it is most likely a fake.
However some of the signs were smaller but they were 1930’s shield type and made of heavy gauge steel and very few survived and if they did they are in collections.
When you find a sign that is 24×24, look at it. It’s worn? Jagged? A ‘shadow’ sign post in the back from years of sitting outside? Also look around the mounting holes. Road Crews was tough on these signs as treating them as a collectible was the furthest thing from their mind.
The mounting holes should show signs of chips and scratches where the bolts holding the sign in place were installed and removed.
Don’t be fooled by the reflective paint, some signs had it, some didn’t.
When you look at the sign and the back, look at the edges, are they worn and dirty or are they shiny metal?
Other factors like stains, drip marks should run down, this is important especially on Kansas Sunflower signs. There are many out there, but they are a reverse 99 freeway. Note that Route 66 traveled only 2.3 miles, so while signs of Kansas do exist, they are rare.
So if you can’t inspect the sign in person, ask the seller to show you the back or the edges and the mounting hole closures.
Sometimes people will sell ‘NOS’ which is New Old Stock, but don’t be fooled, finding a cache of Route 66 signs in a deserted Department of Highways sign shop doesn’t happen anymore.
All of the above tips apply to most of the signs, some of the signs were mounted on the big green boards above the overpasses and may not have much sign of wear but over time, and items on the back aluminum rear must have a cloudy type. appearance.
If you do find an authentic sign, be prepared to spend some money, however, most can be had for between $300 and $1000 dollars and the competition on eBay can be fierce.
In my next article, I’ll go over how to spot a fake Route 66 reflector sign.
