Tin Signs

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About Vintage Tin Signs

Tin signs came into widespread use in the 1920's, as a cheaper alternative to porcelain signs, used to advertise everything from gasoline to soda pop. Tin proved a good material to paint or to use with color lithography, and could also be stamped to achieve some texture.

The outbreak of WW2 halted tin sign production (in fact, many signs were melted down to be used in the war effort), and tin's reappearance after the war was short lived (replaced by steel and later plastic). Be careful when buying vintage tin signs: they were prone to rust, which can greatly reduce value, and are also easy to reproduce.

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Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Antique Advertising and Porcelain Enamel Sign Collector Alex Renshaw

An Interview With Antique Advertising and Porcelain Enamel Sign Collector Alex Renshaw

How did I get started collecting advertising antiques? My dad was a lecturer and tutor in graphics and art fr…  [more]

An Interview With Comic Character Advertising Pinback Collector Mark Lansdown

An Interview With Comic Character Advertising Pinback Collector Mark Lansdown

I started off collecting comics, and still do, but I’d been given a few early Disney pinbacks as a child an…  [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Advertising Antiques

Advertising Antiques

This classy looking British site features hundreds of high resolution photos of antique porcelain pre-war (enamel) …  [more]

Ad Access

Ad Access

Duke University's library has pulled together an impressive collection of over 7,000 ads printed in U.S. and Canadi…  [more]

Historical Marker Database

Historical Marker Database

If you're the type who pulls over when you see a 'historic marker ahead' sign, you'll love this site. Orchestrated …  [more]

Pittsburgh Signs Project

Pittsburgh Signs Project

This group artistic effort to catalog the signs of Pittsburgh captures many vintage signs (porcelain, neon, wood, t…  [more]

Plan 59

Plan 59

From the Nostlagia Factory in Virginia comes this celebration of 'mid-century automotive advertising illustrations'…  [more]

American Package Museum

American Package Museum

Ian House's gallery of early 20th Century American package designs. Browse the exhibits in slide show mode or view …  [more]

Falvo Collectables Gallery

Falvo Collectables Gallery

Ralph and Carol Falvo's excellent collection of automobiles, petroliana, jukeboxes, soda, and general store items. …  [more]

Jersey Vintage Ford Collectibles

Jersey Vintage Ford Collectibles

Sam Baker's excellent collection of vintage Ford porcelain and neon signs and related memorabilia from the 1920s an…  [more]

Found in Moms Basement

Found in Moms Basement

Paula Zargaj-Reynolds’ blog, an extensive collection of 20th century vintage advertising, is a visual feast. Scro…  [more]

Ephemera Society of America

Ephemera Society of America

Great reference on ephemera... includes examples and descriptions of various ephemera categories, selected special …  [more]

Truth in Advertising

Truth in Advertising

This gallery of cigarette magazine advertising from the 1940s and 50s contains no surgeon general's warning, just p…  [more]


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Clubs & Associations


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Top eBay Auctions    (get weekly Tin Signs email)

Status       Display       How this works
844: Embossed Tin Coca-cola Sign $300.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid
Rare Old Reading Beer Ale Porter Tin Sign $250.00 Ends Monday 4 bids
433: Tin Oilzum 2-sided Flange Sign $200.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid
341: Tin Columbia Grafonola Advertising Sign $150.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid
Original 1930 Coca-cola Tin Sign Dated No Reserve $113.49 Ends in 22 hours 16 bids
Rare Early Pepsi - Cola Tin Sign $102.50 Ends in 1 hour 2 bids
Large Tin Antique Coca-cola Sign $102.50 Ends Saturday 9 bids
495: Embossed Tin De Laval Milker Sign $100.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid
812: Tin Dr Pepper Die-cut Flange Sign $100.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid
824: Embossed Tin Whistle Sign $100.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid
Veedol Antique Pin-up Tin Litho Sign Uncommon $81.00 Ends Thursday 6 bids
Old Faithful Bozeman Montana Tin Beer Sign $69.00 Ends Monday 7 bids
460: Lot Of 2: Tin Oh Boy Gum Signs $50.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid
845: Embossed Tin Coca-cola Sign $50.00 Ends Thursday 1 bid
Superman #24 *extrmly Rare* Tin Sign 1943 $39.99 Ends Saturday 1 bid
Old Tin Railroad Sign Pullman Company Rr Railway $36.55 Ends in 16 hours 5 bids
Nugrape Tin Sign -1950's $36.00 Ends Thursday 3 bids
Acme Paints Johnsonburg Pa Tin Sign Embossed $29.99 Ends in 15 hours 1 bid

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