Most Expensive Old Gas Station Signs Ever Sold

Vintage Porcelain Enamel Musgo Gas Station Sign on Pole

Old Advertising Signs Go For Top Dollar

When folks think about how much old porcelain enamel gas station signs are worth, the next thought might be what are the most expensive vintage signs that have been sold.

The answer is, “A lot!” A recent 2022 sale hit the $1.5 Million dollars mark!

Factors That Determine What A Porcelain Enamel Sign is Worth to a Collector:

When the values get to the “most expensive’ stratosphere, there are only two factors: condition and rarity. These old signs are either so rare they are almost one-of-a-kind, or they’re very rare and in mint condition.

According to a Greenville Journal Community News article, this Musgo gasoline sign sold at Richmond Auctions on Sept. 7th, 2022 for $1.5 million.

Richmond Auctions CEO Jordan Richmond announced the sale in a press release. The sign was a 48” double-sided porcelain Musgo Gasoline sign. It is so rare and in such mint condition that it was a one-of-a-kind collectible for the advertising sign market.

“The sale sets a new world record for the most expensive antique advertising sign sold at auction. Before this auction, the previous record was $400,000, said the company in a press release.

“Richmond Auctions was thrilled to have the opportunity to sell this one-of-a-kind collectible,” said Richmond Auctions founder and CEO Jordan Richmond. “This unique Musgo Gasoline sign was discovered without touchups, restoration, or enhancements, something unheard of for a collectible of this nature. The $1.5 million price tag speaks to the great condition and uniqueness of this item.”

As a note about this sign’s rarity it is categorized as a ‘NOS’ – New Old Sign, that was found in an attic and had never been used.

This extremely rare Shell Porcelain Pump Plate got its top price because of its condition and it is thought there are less than six still in existence.

This is an SSP (single-sided porcelain) sign measuring 17″x12″. Its condition is a rated 9.25 near-mint. It was also sold by Richmond Auctions, in August 2022.

It’s not just old gas station signs that draw big bucks for petroleum advertising. If the piece is right, aviation collectors will pay sky-high prices for vintage airplane fuel signs. This near-mint condition, 4-foot-diameter porcelain sign for the Smith-o-Lene brand soared to $134,200 in a 2016 auction.

It isn’t just vintage gas and oil signs that are in demand. In the 1920s the Goodyear Tire Company custom-made tin signs with fragile, milk-glass lettering for garages around the country. This circa-1924 sign, from a garage in Minden, Nevada (near Reno), was another big sign, measuring 96″ x 45″ x 10″. It was a backlit sign made by Flexlume Corporation Buffalo. Even though it was a non-working sign it still sold for $100,000 at a 2015 Mercum Auction.

Photo source: Mercum Auctions	Photo source: Mercum Auctions
One of the ‘price drivers’ of this Goodyear sign were these two pieces of provenance, an original street photo of the sign as it was displayed and an original letter from Goodyear concerning the sign.

Harley motorcycle fans will pull out their wallets for more than just pricey antique bikes. This rare 1930s Harley-Davidson porcelain-and-neon sign proved that point.

Once more, from the 2015 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction, this 1930’s Harley-Davidson Bar and Shield logo double-sided neon porcelain dealership sign found collectors ready to pay the big bucks. Found in near-perfect condition. This sign is considered to be the nicest survivor known of the iconic logo sign. The dealer plate is an exact replica of an original which was added by the previous owner. Size 60″x45″x6″

This 6′ Idaho Chief Gasoline sign is another near-mint sign TAC rated at 9 & 8.5. It is a double-sided porcelain, (DSP), with excellent color and gloss. The display field is clean with a touched-up area from 12 to 2 o’clock and is about 3 inches.

The trend of these high-dollar signs is obvious – it’s the condition. Collectors spending this kind of money don’t just want to own ‘any sign, they want the best display choices.

This rare New Old Stock SSP (single-sided porcelain) pump plate, 12″ diameter, rated 9.75, sold for $85,000.

The Beacon Lighthouse is an icon of Early Gasoline Advertising and this piece is a fantastic example. Its color and gloss are outstanding throughout with just a small chip in the top right corner and a chip at one of the mounting holes.

This is a great example of this early California Gasoline advertising piece. Its size is 48″ x 30″. and its TAC condition rating is 8.5. It was sold by Liveauctions.com in 2017.

Sign collecting buffs went wild at a 2015 Barrett-Jackson auction where automobilia mega-collector Ron Pratte sold his entire collection of classic cars and auto advertising.

This 1950s Chevrolet dealership neon sign known as “Chevy Boy” is one of only two ever produced. Complete with the boy’s blinking eye light bulb. This sign is TAC-rated as 9.5 near-mint condition and features articulated neon around the wheels. It’s another ‘Big Boy’ sign at 120″x102″x11″

It was sold in 2015 at a Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Ariz.

This sign is a very rare NOS, (New Old Stock), SSP (single-sided porcelain) pump plate. As a sign that was never displayed, its color and gloss show its near-mint, (9.5 TAC rating), condition, with virtually no wear. Measuring 12″ in diameter, it was sold through Richmond Auctions in August 2022.

More Vintage Porcelain Sign resources:

How to find what an old gas station sign is worth

Find the value of old porcelain signs

How to Spot Fake Porcelain Signs

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