For the right price, you could own a piece of New York City history.
The New York City Department of Transportation is auctioning a single “Champions Way” street sign from the Knicks' championship parade last month.
The sign, which features orange lettering on a blue background, is one of 30 that were installed along the “Canyon of Heroes” route the Knicks paraded through in Lower Manhattan on their way to City Hall during last month’s ticker-tape parade. It’s being auctioned through the city’s online surplus auction website, with bidding starting at $100, and proceeds benefiting the city.
“The Knicks brought home a championship after a 53-year drought and now is your chance to own a unique piece of the festivities,” Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn said in an announcement of the auction. “NYC DOT was proud to join the celebration and bring an extra touch of civic pride to the Canyon of Heroes during this special day in the history of our city.”
The 36-inch-by-9-inch sign was handcrafted at the DOT’s sign shop in Maspeth, Queens, where workers produce more than 70,000 street signs every year and maintain more than 1 million signs, according to the city.
It was created to adorn the streets along the parade route for the celebration, which drew massive crowds to Lower Manhattan, with people packed on the sidewalks shoulder to shoulder. Fans climbed onto every possible surface to get a glimpse of the players, with some even climbing onto traffic light poles where the signs were affixed, making for some of the more memorable photos of the day.
Bidding went live at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, and will close at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 12.
Just a few hours into bidding, the price was at $390, with 12 bids having been placed.
