Today, in Art Mysteries: Who Put Up Those “Ca$h for Your Banksy” Signs?

If you’ve taken the #14 bus over the past month, you may have seen this stencil:

• Mad One

If you call the number, you’ll be asked for your name, and directed to a Google Voice mailbox to leave a message. Who is behind this? The sign offers up no declaration of authorship. Could it be street artist/elusive personality Banksy him/herself? Another possible theory: The signs look a lot like the work of less elusive street artist Hargo (aka Geoff Hargadon), whose “Ca$h for Your Banksy” and “Ca$h for Your Warhol” signs play upon the recession standby “Ca$h for Your ________” while mocking the commercialization of art.

• Judith Charles Gallery
• THE ORIGINAL: One of Geoff Hargadon’s signs.

Hargo’s worked with NYC’s Judith Charles gallery, where one of his Banksy signs was spotted just last year. The signs around Portland are slightly different, and, notably, the phone number doesn’t match. Hargo is based in Somerville, Massachusetts, and the area code for these new signs points to Los Angeles. It’s also entirely possible we just have a Banksy and/or Hargo copy-cat in our midst.

Thanks to Blogtown tipper Mad One, who also took the above photo. More of his “Ca$h for Your Banksy” sightings after the jump.

• Mad One

• Mad One