Belt Auction

I have a sign from Gates Rubber Company, its used for selecting you own v-belt. Whats it worth?

I have a yellow sign from the "Gates Rubber Company" that reads "Select Your Own V-Belt..." and has a tool on front to measure your V-Belt. The sign looks pretty old. I've checked Google but I was unable to find it, I didn't scrap it because I know its worth more than the price of scrap, I would like to know what its worth, If anyone can find out I would appreciate it. Thanks!

Public Comments

1. Without seeing it, I'm guessing it dates to the late '40s or '50s. Metal signs were around before this, but the early post-WWII years were the heyday for them. They started to disappear in the '60s in favor of cheaper plastics, and as signage in general gave way to media advertising. Condition is the key factor, but others are size (bigger is usually better), whether it's painted, rolled steel or baked enamel on steel, and whether or not it's double-sided. The best would be a large sign of at least 3' x 5', double-sided, baked enamel with no chips, holes, rust or faded paint, and least would be a small, 6" or so by 1'-2 ', one-sided rolled steel with condition issues. A small sign in really rough shape might be worth only $5 to a collector who doesn't have one, until they can find a better example. A top-notch piece can bring well over $1,000.