Perhaps this is a sign that only a collector can love. Well, that’d certainly make me a collector. This is a very old, embossed 13″ x 10″ shield directing traffic to the left to proceed to (or stay on?) NY Route 55. The extremely oxidized and pitted face looks as if it may have had a very thin clear coat applied to it; I’m not sure. But it has a very cool “fossilized” vibe to it, and it displays quite beautifully in its own way.

My story with this sign begins in the summer of 2020, when my son and I took a short get-away in the Catskills. We headed up to a mountainous lookout along NY Route 55 and watched the twilight fade to unveil the Neowise Comet. We were both awed by it, and really bonded by the moment. A few months later, I recounted this story to my friend (and fellow-collector) Ed Tapanes when I saw this sign in his collection. A few more months went by, and the sign arrived at my door with a really nice note from Ed, who thought I’d enjoy it for both its coolness and the memories connected to my son. Thank you, Ed, I certainly do!

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^{Banner Photo: Neowise comet over Minnesota, photo by Andrew Krueger of MPR News}