25 Advertising Signs Designed Dealers Compete Over
Vintage advertising signs represent design history, brand evolution, and the aesthetic moments when companies invested in beautiful graphics to catch attention. Metal signs, porcelain signs, and neon signs from the early-to-mid 1900s attract collectors willing to bid aggressively at auctions and antique markets.
The competition for quality signs has pushed prices upward steadily. Dealers recognize that signs move faster than almost anything else.
Porcelain Coca-Cola Advertising Signs
Vintage porcelain Coca-Cola signs from the 1920s through 1940s command premium prices depending on size and condition. A single-sided porcelain sign in good condition sells for $500 to $3,000; rare variations or larger formats significantly more; These represent the most collected advertising signs in America.
Tin Motor Oil Company Signs
Vintage tin signs advertising motor oil brands like Valvoline, Quaker State, or Pennzoil from the 1930s through 1960s sell for $150 to $800 depending on condition and rarity. The graphics typically feature bright colors and art deco design elements.
Enamel Gasoline Station Signs
Double-sided porcelain gasoline station signs from defunct brands like Sinclair, Texaco, or Frontier gas carry significant value. A quality vintage gas sign in good condition sells for $300 to $1,500 depending on brand recognition and design.
Neon Beer Signs
Vintage neon beer signs—particularly those from closed breweries or defunct brands—attract collectors of neon and bar memorabilia. A functioning vintage neon sign sells for $200 to $1,000; custom or rare designs significantly more.
Painted Tin Cig Advertising
Vintage painted tin cig signs, particularly those featuring period-specific imagery and vibrant colors, sell for $200 to $1,000 depending on size and condition. These represent prime examples of early advertising graphic design.
Porcelain Enamel Soap Advertising
Vintage enamel soap advertisement signs—particularly those from brands like Sunlight, Ivory, or other major manufacturers—sell for $100 to $500 depending on size and condition.
Thermometer Advertising Signs
Vintage thermometer signs featuring brand advertising (particularly Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper, or motor oil brands), especially those with working mercury thermometers, sell for $100 to $400.
Metallic Cig Box Advertisements
Large painted metal cig box advertisements—particularly those designed to be displayed in general stores—sell for $150 to $600 depending on size and graphic quality.
Feed and Grain Store Signage
Vintage feed and grain company tin signs, particularly those featuring agricultural imagery or farm animal graphics, sell for $150 to $500. These appeal to rural collectors and agricultural historians.
Porcelain Automobile Manufacturer Signs
Vintage porcelain signs from automobile manufacturers or dealerships—particularly those from closed brands or featuring discontinued model years—sell for $200 to $1,000 depending on condition and rarity.
Ice Cream and Candy Shop Tin Signs
Vintage tin signs advertising ice cream brands, candy companies, or soda fountains, particularly those with bright graphics and period design, sell for $150 to $600.
Mail Pouch Cig Signs
The iconic Mail Pouch Cig barn signs and smaller advertising signs sell for $100 to $400 depending on size and condition. These represent a specific moment in American roadside advertising.
Painted Wooden Trade Signs
Vintage painted wooden signs from defunct businesses—particularly those with hand-lettering or artistic painting—sell for $100 to $500 depending on subject matter and condition.
Double-Sided Hanging Signs
Vintage double-sided hanging metal signs from general stores, repair shops, or service businesses carry significant value. A quality example sells for $200 to $800 depending on subject matter and condition.
Porcelain Battery Advertising Signs
Vintage porcelain signs advertising battery brands or battery service, particularly those featuring graphic design elements, sell for $100 to $400.
Enamel Hardware Store Signs
Original enamel signs from hardware or tool companies—particularly those advertising tools or equipment—sell for $150 to $500 depending on size and condition.
Linen Lithograph Advertising Posters
Large vintage linen-backed advertising posters, particularly those from the early 1900s and featuring vibrant graphic design, sell for $200 to $1,000 depending on subject matter and artist reputation.
Painted Barn Advertisement Signs
Vintage painted advertisement signs designed for barn application—particularly those featuring large-scale graphics or product illustrations—sell for $150 to $600.
Porcelain Dentist or Pharmacy Signs
Vintage professional service signs from dentists or pharmacists, particularly those featuring period-specific typography or graphics, sell for $100 to $400.
Sidewalk A-Frame Signs
Vintage wooden or metal sidewalk signs from closed businesses, particularly those featuring hand-painted graphics or period advertising, sell for $75 to $300 depending on condition.
Electrified Advertising Clock Signs
Vintage electrified signs featuring working clocks and brand advertising—particularly those still functional—sell for $200 to $800 depending on condition and subject matter.
Canvas Banner Advertisements
Vintage canvas banners featuring hand-painted advertising or product graphics, particularly those rolled and stored in good condition, sell for $100 to $400.
Painted Metal Route Signs
Vintage metal signs advertising specific brands or products, designed for application to delivery vehicles or storefronts, sell for $50 to $250 depending on rarity and condition.
Embossed Tin Toy or Novelty Advertising
Embossed tin toys or novelty items featuring advertising graphics—particularly those with moveable parts—sell for $100 to $400 depending on type and condition.
Window Display Signs
Vintage signs designed for window display—particularly those from department stores or retail establishments—sell for $50 to $200 depending on size and subject matter.
The Premium on Authenticity
Advertising signs appreciate because they document moments when companies invested in beauty and design to sell products. Reproductions exist in volume, making original condition and authenticity paramount; Dealers competing for signs understand that a single quality piece appreciates annually in a way that reproductions never will.
More from Go2Tutors!
- The Romanov Crown Jewels and Their Tragic Fate
- 13 Historical Mysteries That Science Still Can’t Solve
- Famous Hoaxes That Fooled the World for Years
- 15 Child Stars with Tragic Adult Lives
- 16 Famous Jewelry Pieces in History
Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN.
