This is a collection of images of vintage NJ signs and highway shields that have been saved from the scrap heaps and found their way into the hands of collectors, myself included, over the years (i.e., not road photos). Regarding the highway shields, I am mainly showing specimens from before the 1961 MUTCD spec (with some interesting exceptions). These images are mostly culled from across the web, including from this site, AAroads, Alps Roads, Worthpoint, eBay and elsewhere. Collectors Ed Tapanes, Ben Kranefeld and Scott Hubbard sent me their shield images directly, which is much appreciated!
US Routes
Cast Aluminum / Iron (pre 1950)
Embossed Cutout
This US-NJ 122 shield is stamped by Grimm Stamp & Badge Co., St, Louis, MO.
White Square (1948 MUTCD spec)
This is actually an Idaho US 30 sign, but New Jersey did use this, or a very similar spec for a while, and I assume a NJ US 30 sign would look the same. Included for reference.
23″ Green Diecut (approx. 1957-62)
State Routes
16″ Cast Aluminum (1920s-40s)
A New Jersey Highway 6 sign was sold online in recent years, but I don’t have any images of it.
16″ Embossed Porcelain
So far, I have only seen this 16″ shield in this format. Made by Safety Signal Corporation of Montclair.
18″ Cast Aluminum (1940s?-50s)
Almost half are NJ 69. The state had a hard time replacing these, and in 1967 re-designated the route to NJ 31. Interesting that one of these is painted black – not sure if a collector bothered to switch it, or if this was original paint…
20″ Green Diecut (approx. 1957-62)
One out of three is NJ 69.
Black Square (1961 MUTCD Spec)
A couple interesting finds from the 1961 spec. The rare wooden NJ 69 is one of the last of this number, from just before the route number was re-designated. See the write-up by Steve Alpert from the screen grab off his site above.
Toll Roads
The GSP shields you probably never saw…
Construction of the Garden State Parkway began in 1946, but the majority of the road was constructed between 1953 and 1956. The first GSP shield featured a green silkscreened map of the Parkway on a yellow reflective background. This design is probably unfamiliar to most New Jerseyans, as it did not last for long. The NJ Highway Authority’s 1956 Annual Report shows the more familiar, modern design on the cover, so I assume these first-gen signs were obsolete by 1956.
The left photo is from Malcolm McPherson, who found his shield in Neptune Township. This is the first one I saw online years ago. The middle photo is from Scott Hubbard, who not only scored this near mint shield, but was able to land a matching SOUTH banner a couple years later – the only such banner known to exist. The third photo is of the shield I bought from a reader of this website in Clifton. All are 18″ diameter.
The reflective paint that was used on the early signs is very cool. The yellow, reflective layer has a rough texture with a glittery look in direct light. This is silk-screened over by opaque dark green
This is a NW-facing view of the then rural intersection of Main Street with NJ route 37 in Toms River in the 1950s. This is the only photograph I know of that shows the first version of the Garden State Parkway shield in service. White sheet metal route shields (also a short-lived spec) for NJ route 37 and US route 9 can also be seen. Flying Goose signs guiding toward the Philadelphia area Bridges are on the far corner (see a complete collection of these below). The signals appear to be mixed. The signals on the right are unmistakably corner-hinged Hornis.
2nd generation GSP prototype?
This sign is a real mystery. My best guess is that it was a prototype for the more modern design that was never used. It may be the only one of its kind. Unfortunately, I can’t recall where I found this image.
What’s on the back?
This “modern” GSP sign was once in my collection. I had bought it without knowing there was writing on back by traffic engineer J.A. Artale from 1962. I managed to contact Mr. Artale through email, but I did not get an explanation from him regarding the writing on the sign. It was quite a long way back, after all.
County Routes
19″ Cast Iron (Monmouth County)
16″ Embossed Porcelain* (early 1950s)
A high ratio of Hunterdon County signs out there…including at least three NOS.
* The Mercer County 571 sign is painted steel, not porcelain.
Flat White Square (1960s – 70s?)
There is a very faded white square SOMERSET COUNTY 527 still in service near my house.
Other Collected Sign Gems
Here are some of the more remarkable NJ signs that have been collected.
Cast iron directional sign to Phillipsburg. A unique style I have not yet seen another example of.
I’m not certain where this really neat cast iron Danger-Cross Roads sign was posted, but the photo comes from a New Jersey ad. At 24″x36″, I assume this has to weigh 100 pounds or more.
Recently offered on Facebook, this is the only Keystone Auto Club of NJ sign I’ve ever seen.
I remember seeing these beautiful porcelain Essex County Highway System guidepost signs well into the 1990s.
A rarely seen wooden guidepost sign that was likely posted in the Rocky Hill section of Montgomery Township. Sure passes for cast iron from a distance…
Fifty-fifty…either way, it’s cool. Ben Kranefeld has NJ Route 50 signs from two periods. On the left is an 18″ cast aluminum sign from the 1940s-50s, and on the right is a more familiar 24″ white-circle-in-black-square sign adhering to the 1961 MUTCD specification.
Although not Ben Kranefeld’s, on the left is a fantastic, very old cast STOP sign that he spotted in the front yard of a South Jerseyan during one of Ben’s road trips. On the right is another circular cast STOP sign from South Jersey. Photo sent by the owner, named Dan.
In September, 2023, a New Jersey collector named Dave shared with me his fantastic, unique find…an original hexagonal sign post which had long been abandoned, leaning 45 degrees and sign-less on Route 35 in Woodbridge. When Dave saw workers maintaining the sidewalk nearby, he asked them to extract the post for him to take and that’s what happened. It’s missing the finial, but this is a first one I’ve ever seen collected. Note the stamp from the old Foran foundry in Flemington.
Ben’s Philly Flying Goose Sign Collection
Ben Kranefeld has managed to score a complete set of “Flying Goose” style signs once used for the approaches to the four Delaware River Port Authority bridges between NJ and Philadelphia. These are not easy to find, especially in near mint condition. Neither Ben nor I were aware that the Commodore Barry Bridge signs had a orange goose, as the remaining few in the wild are all faded to off-white.
Beneath the geese is a wonderful sign leading towards the Burlington Bristol Bridge!
Brothers Pizza on NJ Route 33 in Hamilton has a beautiful 18″ NJ Route 33 sign (1940s spec) on the wall in their dining area. A visitor to this site named David kindly sent me this photo.
A lot of about a dozen cast iron guidepost signs from the Cumberland/Salem county area surfaced in 2020. This is my favorite sign of the bunch, with misspelled Mullica Hill.
Garden State Signals 
