Editing U.S. Route shield (section)

===Original version===
[[File:US 27 Michigan 1926.svg|100px|thumb|right|Example of an original U.S. Route shield, with the state name of "Michigan" and route number of "27" displayed in the original block font]]

The original design of the shield was presented in the January 1927 edition of the ''Manual and Specifications for the Manufacture, Display, and Erection of U.S. Standard Road Markers and Signs'', the precursor to the ''[[Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices]]'' (MUTCD), published by the [[American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials|American Association of State Highway Officials]] (AASHO).{{#tag:ref|AASHO was renamed the [[American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials]] (AASHTO) on November 11, 1973.<ref>{{cite web |author = Federal Highway Administration |date = December 4, 2012 |url = https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/byday/fhbd1113.htm |title = November 13 |work = Highway History |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |access-date = August 18, 2013 }}</ref>|name=AASHTO|group=lower-alpha}} The background of the shield was specified as white while the text legend and borders were black. The shield was specified with a height of {{convert|16|in|cm}} and a width of {{convert|16.5|in|cm}}. The surface of the shield was itself in the shape of the shield, that is, the metal was ''cut out'' in the shape of the shield. A border of {{convert|3/8|in|cm}} formed the outline of the shield, with a crossbar of the same width dividing the crown from the main body of the shield.<ref name="1927-MUTCD">{{cite book |author = American Association of State Highway Officials |author-link = American Association of State Highway Officials |author2 = Bureau of Public Roads |author2-link = Bureau of Public Roads |title = Manual and Specifications for the Manufacture, Display, and Erection of U.S. Standard Road Markers and Signs |date = January 1927 |edition = 1st |location = Washington, D.C. |publisher = American Association of State Highway Officials |url = https://ceprofs.civil.tamu.edu/ghawkins/1927-AASHO.htm |access-date = June 4, 2010 |via = [[Texas A&M University]] |oclc = 19617464 }}</ref>

The name of the state erecting the shield was displayed {{convert|2|in|cm}} high in the crown, above the crossbar. Immediately below the crossbar were the letters "U S", also {{convert|2|in|cm}} high. Below this was the route number, {{convert|5|in|cm}} tall. A variant of the shield, intended for city use, measured slightly smaller at {{convert|11+23/32|x|11+11/32|in|cm}}. This version of the shield featured a simplified legend, with "U S" moved to the crown of the shield and the state name omitted. The manual also allowed for the city variant of the shield to be stenciled on culverts and bridge posts.<ref name="1927-MUTCD"/>

A standardized block typeface was used to simplify the painting process, to allow illiterate signpainters to be employed.{{Citation needed|date=June 2010}} Much like the modern [[FHWA Series]] typefaces, several levels of condensation were available, from Series A (the narrowest) up to Series F (the widest). Because the standardized font was often made available to the states in die-punch form, shields were usually [[embossing (manufacturing)|embossed]].