History Honestly, Would You Pay $349 For A Club Plaque?

Yeah, I know they're rare, fairly difficult to get, have sentimental value
for many car guys & gals and bring back good memories. Still, isn't
350+ not just over the top but insane? I love hot rod and street machine
history and have let things go through my hands for practically nothing,
just for the love of a few dollars, my big mistake and my own fault.

I started going to swap meets in 1970 and have never once seen a club plaque
for sale. I found one generic one in 2007 for $7.00 at Chicago's famous
Maxwell Street Flea Market. In the next ten years or so I've picked up three
more...another generic and what I believe to be an actual real deal plaque.
Garage sales? Forget about it. So I keep (foolishly) checking ebay and craigslist.
One of the ones I bought came from a craigslist ad at $20.00. One of my big
faults (of many) is that I'm simply a cheapskate. As a kid in the '60s I still have
recollection of how inexpensive things were. I think of the generic plaques at
$1.98, baby moons for $3.98, Cragar black plastic steering wheels with chrome
spokes for $4.50, etc. At 11 years old I wanted that stuff but sure didn't have a
need for it and didn't ask my mom to front me the cash. These days I see the ads
for the plaques and either want to choke or write the seller and ask if he's f*****g
crazy. A quick answer to my question is "Hey, don't buy it. Nobody's got a gun to
your head". Really, though, am I the only one who feels things sure get
out of hand?

I wonder what became of all that stuff that Honest Charley, J.C. Whitney and
Warshawski's used to sell. How I wish I could go back to Warshawski's on
South State Street in Chicago one last time. What an experience that mad house
was. I'd bring enough cash to buy one each of every plaque, from Pacers, to
Rodbenders to Sinners to Have Goodies - Will Travel.

 

Don’t know what to say. Being able to remember buying one gallon of gas with the last quarter I had in my pocket “back then” makes me also cringe when I see the prices of things. On the other hand, back then I was lucky to make a dollar an hour working on the farm.

On it goes…….

 

I wouldn't pay $.35 for a club plaque , not now or then !

 

Go to O'Brians Truckers... https://www.obrientruckers.com/12-000-traditional-plaques.html You can buy any plaque made for now-defunct clubs.

 

Yikes! I hope I didn't upset you. I like them as wall hangers or "garage art". I don't
want them to turn around and sell, and I'd certainly never put a car club's plaque
on my ride, these are simply for my personal enjoyment. I can
appreciate your feelings, though.

 

I'm hip to O'Briens. Is $40.00 for a repopped plaque worth it to me? Not really.
I wonder what the actual cost to manufacture one is. Yes, I realize there are
other factors involved in the business.

 

Like anything automotive related & has some age prices continue to increase, like vintage license plates, some are inexpensive but the rare ones command a bigger price, the 1932 South Carolina plate with the motto "Iodine State" or the copper plates.

I paid more for our club plaque than the one I picked up at the swap meet and the other at a yard sale.
local ones from defunct clubs. HRP

 

To each their own, but I think $40 for a plaque I want would be an easy decision. Nostalgia for the prices of old is fine, but to experience them will take a working time machine.
I know a guy in his 70s who really, really wants a 32 roadster. He's wanted one most of his life. He talks about it, too. Often. His problem is he's holding out for a decent one at about $500. He's sure it's out there, he just hasn't found it yet. I wonder how many nice 32s he's seen in his life that could have been bought for well under $10K. Or $5K. Or less.

 

plaques kinda have a market as does anything people collect 350 steep yeah but that varies with age rarity and cool factor , like the clubs on the first scta regristry ,, think the plaques are crazy look up what they get for wool chain stiched club jackets ,,the cost of cool i guess ,, all over what id spend ,, cutting into my parts budget ,, early speed stuff only ,, zillions of hours on line hunting ,, but the hunt is half the fun somtimes ,, and have rarely paid "but it now" but im very patient ,, in the meantime ill cave in on vintage literature ,, been goin after fawcett publishing hot rod books well written and chock full oh 51-58 builds and fairly cheap ,,,, i guess its hunt wait negotiate wait hunt more ,,, or cave and "buy it now" and pay the cost of cool for being impatient ...
fabricator john
miss you dad

 

^^John, I'm with you. The hunt is a big part of the fun and while it's not a letdown
actually getting the item, the thrill of the capture isn't all that long lasting. I
suppose there are extenuating circumstances that make someone drop a ton
of dough on some "collectible" piece but I myself have no great ties to the past.
I just like the things I like. Last week I had three Sun tachometers, now I have
four because I picked one up at a garage sale for $7.00 the other day. They won't
get used, or sold. I have them, I'll drop dead, my wife will pitch them in the trash.
But if I see another this weekend I'll but it too.

 

Nope wouldn't pay that much.

Thats money for tools or parts or the beginnings of the next project....

 

I turned down a nice 32 Ford 5 window, asking price $600, because I didn't like the Corvair suspension it had. That was in 1972. Last $500 32 Ford I saw was a bare 2 door sedan body shell about 2 years ago. I predict your friend will have a long wait.

 

I don't collect club plaques myself but could see someone paying $350 or more for a rare one if he wanted it bad. People pay big prices for some collector's items and "petroliana" and vintage hot rod stuff is far from the worst. What do you suppose a club plaque or license plate off the Hirohata Merc would go for if it could be authenticated?

 

Have acquired some by chance which one was made on hard board and hand painted - just a cool one from my area. It's the one in the middle Ramblers - Dallas.

 

I have some I paid a few $$ for and others not pictured that I paid more, just matters what you like, Who cares what the others think....

 

Not a plaque, but I have been craving a Nunavut Polar Bear License Plate. I already have two polar bears from the NWT, but wanted to complete the set. They're $200+ on Ebay and I certainly could buy one, but that's a lot for a small thing to hang on the wall and not much fun. Well, after 20 years, I got one- from my closest neighbor 1/4 mile away. Traded my services organizing his other really old and extensive plate collection. Now I have a set and three two good stories. It's really about the hunt.

 

Well if it was a silver quarter, nowadays it would be worth enough.... to buy one gallon of gas.

 

A friend who was an original founding member of the local club the Iron Angels gave me his club plaque in the 80's when I was working for him in his parts store and that was about 15 years before local guys got permission from the remaining original members to re-erect the club. I've never run the plaque and most likely never will join the club. I'll probably gift it to one of my former students who is a member some day.
I don't see any plaque without a lot of serious historical background as to who owned it and what well known car it was originally on as having more than about a 50.00 price tag. From there it comes down to the OMG I have more money to blow than that other dude and I want that for my collection.
My friend Vince Alcott (sp?) the dude who sold taillight lenses and other small items out of his converted Grayhound bus at Turlock and other swapmeets in the SW during the winter months had a a serious plaque collection mounted on the walls of that bus back when he had it on the road.

 

I hear you. If you like something and really want it go ahead and buy it if you
have the means. What someone spends is of no concern to me. I wondered how
many of you would drop that kind of bread, that's all.

 

Not being a wiseass here but I could care less if it came from the Hirohata Merc
or Barris' Ala Kart. If they were in the same club as Freddie Flattop or Rockin' Johnny
and twenty other guys, their plaque isn't worth fifty cents more. That's like paying
$25,000 more for a car because Steve McQueen had his hands on the steering wheel
a few times over the course of a year. Americans are too starstruck and there are way
too many guys willing to take advantage of that. I qualify my statements by saying
it's just my opinion.

 

People complain about paying Dennis O'brien $ 40.00 for a reproduction club plaque. Consider this fact. Dennis has several thousand original club plaque patterns that he had to buy and pay for. Then consider the time, effort, and money involved in making the reproduction plaques. Dennis also makes new plaques for new clubs that want them. Be thankful that he is willing to use his time to please other people. I want a particular club plaque, "Ramblers " San Francisco, but Dennis doesn't have the pattern to make me a reproduction. When I was a teenager in San Francisco, Joe Carlomagno, a member of the "Ramblers" was a neighbor, and really introduced me to hot rods. I used to go to the car shows, Mel's drive in and drag racing at Half Moon Bay with Joe and other club members. I sure miss those days, but I have great memories of them.

 

Sure. If there’s something I want bad enough, I can afford it, and the provenance dictates the price. Doesn’t really matter what it is, club plaque, t-shirt, jacket, etc. Some of that excites me a lot more than a $250 ‘32 grill shell emblem or a pair of $2500 ‘39 zephyr tail lights or a $5000 set of magnesium wheels.

 

The Best Way To Fight Inflation Is To Not Buy Anything...Simple...

 

the guy on the left had to ride in a smelly car, help rob a game room and destroy a cop car all while trying to keep from getting drug behind a car to get his

 

And then went on to make Let It Ride and Krippendorf's Tribe. They should have made him give the plaque back!

 

Cost is relative, things that were expensive when I made $30.000 didn't seem bad when I made $60.000.

 

I know quite a few guys who have plaque collections. Everybody has their poison. Only one i ever wanted, is one that comes with a club. NOW, i have one....ACEScc! haha

 

Uh, it was only a movie.

 

As P. T. Barnum said......"A fool and his money are easily parted." But, then again, I have never seen a Brinks truck at a funeral/burial.

 

For those of you who feel I stuck my thumb in your eye, I don't care
what you do with your money, save it or spend it as you see fit. If
you pay big bucks for a plaque you dig then more power to you. I'm
just surprised by what I consider to be some insane pricing.

To address something Nick The Bandit wrote. I needn't consider Dennis
O'brien at all. We all pretty much need socks but I'm not going to thank
my lucky stars for "Joe the Sockmeister" each time I buy a pair. Dennis is
obviously filling a need created by rod and custom guys. He wasn't forced
into it, he saw an opportunity and took advantage of it, along with the
associated costs involved. If he's making money at it, I applaud him. I have
no need for his new plaque service and I've never belonged to a car club. I
just saw them as a kid and thought (and still do) that they're kool. Now if
Dennis was selling off slight mistakes (instead of pitching them), or decided
to have a blow out sale of generic plaques, I'll have my credit card ready.

I didn't post my original question to irritate or start an argument with anyone.
It's a topic of conversation on an item I'm interested in. I'm not calling anyone a
fool to spend the money and I'm not casting dispersions on high priced sellers.
Got it? I'm still interested in your thoughts and pics.