“Welcome to Queens” Street Signs Sell Out In Just 9 Minutes

In a remarkable show of local pride and collector enthusiasm, the New York City Department of Transportation’s limited-edition release of “Welcome to Queens” street signs sold out in just nine minutes after launching on CityStore this past Thursday. Only 50 of these handcrafted metal signs were made available, priced at $100 each and limited to one per customer. The signs were manufactured by hand at the NYC DOT Sign Shop in Maspeth, Queens—the same facility that produces more than 70,000 official signs each year for New York City’s 6,000 miles of streets.

The drop was part of NYC DOT’s monthly sign sale series, which began in June 2024. This release marked the second borough-specific edition following a Brooklyn-themed “Fuhgeddaboudit” sign earlier this year. The CityStore, operated by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), reported via social media that the Queens signs were completely sold out within nine minutes of going live—underscoring the intense demand for these authentic pieces of city infrastructure. Proceeds benefit the City of New York’s general fund.

DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez called the signs a tribute to the extraordinary cultural richness of Queens, referring to it as “the World’s Borough,” home to residents representing over 120 countries and speaking more than 100 languages. “New York’s greatest strength is its diversity, and no borough better reflects this diversity than Queens,” he stated.

Founded in 1683 as one of the original 12 counties of the Province of New York, Queens has grown into the most diverse urban area on the planet, with over 47 percent of its residents born outside the United States. Beyond its demographics, Queens is also home to many of New York City’s most iconic institutions and landmarks, including LaGuardia and JFK airports, the New York Mets at Citi Field, Aqueduct Racetrack, and the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where the U.S. Open is held. The borough famously hosted the New York World’s Fair twice, in 1939 and 1964, events that helped shape the city’s global reputation for innovation and inclusion.

The green-and-white “Welcome to Queens – The World’s Borough” design mirrors the signs currently installed on major thoroughfares such as the Long Island Expressway and Queensboro Bridge. For many, these signs offer a nostalgic yet tangible connection to a borough that is as rooted in history as it is central to New York’s identity today.

Previous NYC DOT sign drops have featured other iconic names, including Christopher Street/Stonewall Place, Broadway, Wall Street, East 161st Street and Shea Road, Cornelia Street, and Beastie Boys Square. As each release sells out more quickly than the last, Queens residents and collectors citywide are already keeping a close watch for what the agency will offer next.