Seattle street signs for sale, used, but for ten bucks you can’t complain

Date:July 12, 2007 / year-entry #253
Tags:non-computer
Orig Link:https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20070712-01/?p=26033
Comments:    13
Summary:The city of Seattle has begun a nine-year program of upgrading its street signs, and the city has decided to make the old signs available to the public for purchase. When you see the signs on your street replaced, you can go to the Buy a Sign page to buy the old one. It looks...

The city of Seattle has begun a nine-year program of upgrading its street signs, and the city has decided to make the old signs available to the public for purchase. When you see the signs on your street replaced, you can go to the Buy a Sign page to buy the old one. It looks like signs in average condition are going for $10, whereas signs in below average condition go for $5.

Unsold signs will be turned to scrap. Signs for famous streets such as Pike and Pine will be auctioned off on eBay.

If street signs aren't your thing, you can buy old parking meters for $10–$15 (listed under "Miscellaneous").


Comments (13)
  1. Spike says:

    Wow, they’re also selling "Used video tapes" for 2.5 cents each!   It’d be worth buying a few hundred just to see what’s on them.

    Would be better than watching reality TV.

  2. Anonymous says:

    … and stick them up at random places around the city to confound tourists!

  3. JS says:

    I bet you wily Microsofties will snap up all the Orcas signs before the rest of us get a chance.

  4. Tim says:

    I’m glad the latex gloves aren’t used!

  5. Miral says:

    Actually I can see the appeal in buying a parking meter.  Not so much a street sign, though.  But then I love gizmos :)

  6. T says:

    I’m impressed that a tax comes with its own logo and marketing campaign

  7. Gabest says:

    You american friends have a lot to learn. Here old street signs just get stollen after a while because they are made of aluminium.

  8. Me says:

    "but for ten bucks you can’t complain"

    I can’t believe Ray typed that, I thought she complained about everything.

  9. James Schend says:

    You american friends have a lot to learn. Here

    old street signs just get stollen after a while

    because they are made of aluminium.

    Gabest, what does being made of aluminum have to do with anything? Do you mean people frequently steal aluminum things, moreso than other metals? If so, why?

    I mean street signs get stolen in the US, too, but mostly just to be hung up in college dorm rooms. Then again, we make them out of steel, so who knows.

    (I know copper’s valuable, and fiber optic cable is worth tons, but I never really thought of aluminum as theft-worthy.)

  10. Dupe says:

    > I can’t believe Ray typed that, I thought she complained about everything.

    Especially over commentators changing his gender.

    I wonder if Redmond does the same? I’d like to pick up a genuine "Microsoft Way" sign.

  11. Me says:

    Nope. I didn’t change it’s gender, she was born that way.

  12. Gabest says:

    James Schend: It is valuable, sells on the price as copper (1-2 dollars / kg currently). There are very poor people on the country who would do anything…

  13. Gisle Forseth says:

    This is SO American. :-)

    If it can be sold, sell it. If can’t be sold, sell it anyway.

Comments are closed.


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