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The American Tax Token Society (ATTS) was established
formally in January 1971, after several months of effort by
some individuals who felt the need for the organization. The late Jerry Bates
had conceived that such a society should be created. Jerry Schimmel, Mike
Pfefferkorn, George Frakes, and others were instrumental in
turning the concept into reality.
Sales
tax tokens (and other exonumismatic and philatelic pieces used
in the process of collecting sales taxes) were used in several
states, primarily in the Midwest, South, and Southwest, in the
1930s and 1940s.
Although in some cases they were legal until the early
1960s, for the most part they were discontinued shortly after
World War II.
Except for occasional political pieces opposing a
proposed sales tax in one of the few states still lacking one,
the collecting field is closed in the sense that no more
tokens are being issued and none are in public
circulation.
However, there continue to be new discoveries of
unknown pieces, major die varieties, a wide variety of
historical materials, and other items. With a few exceptions, the quantity of any given token
is almost uncirculated condition is so great that tokens for a
general collection remain within easy financial
reach.
The
purpose of ATTS is to gather and disseminate information about
sales tax tokens, scrip, cards, stamps, and related
material. As is
true with many exonumismatic subjects, members of ATTS
specialize in a variety of activities. Some collect
only types, others study varieties, a few focus on a specific
state. There are members who enjoy
searching old newspaper files for articles about issuances,
and there is a modest amount of trading, buying, and
selling.
The
Society publishes a quarterly Newsletter in which historical, technical,
and organizational information is provided along with
advertising and editorials. The newsletter
averages about 100 pages each year. Membership numbers
approximately 120, scattered throughout the continental U.S.,
Alaska, Hawaii, Great Britain and Canada. A
5-member board exercises oversight with elections every three
years .
We are a not for profit organization as defined
by the IRS and as such donations are tax
deductible.
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