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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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