201:
1338:
108:
1350:
209:
20:
93:
In
October 1929 the global economic crisis struck the United States. As unemployment skyrocketed, income tax revenue plummeted and defaults on property taxes spiked. Meanwhile, calls for state spending on relief measures for the indigent and the unemployed expanded beyond the states' capabilities.
84:
Indeed, in 1921 there was a concerted effort to implement a 1% national sales tax in the USA by attaching it to the 1921 national revenue bill and 1922 legislation providing for a soldiers' bonus. Although the proposals for a national sales tax were defeated by an alliance of farmer and labor
254:
by Merlin K. Malehorn and Tim
Davenport. The books is colloquially known among collectors as “the M&D" based upon the surnames of the authors and the so-called "M&D" numbering system of that book remains in common use by tax token specialist collectors. Additional types and varieties
89:
implemented a 1% sales tax of its own in that same year, using the revenue so generated as a replacement for a corporate income tax. Improving economic conditions throughout that decade of the 1920s would leave West
Virginia's use of a sales tax unique among the 48 American states.
42:. They were created as a means for consumers to avoid being "overcharged" by having to pay a full penny tax on purchases of 5 or 10 cents. Issued by private firms, by municipalities, and by twelve state governments, sales tax tokens were generally issued in multiples of 1 mill (
98:
early adoption of a sales tax in 1929 was followed by a wave of sales tax adoptions, spurred on by the deep financial crisis. In 1933, 11 more states, including New York, Illinois, California, and
Michigan, adopted sales taxes.
191:
of sales tax collection, which averaged out the tax on small sales. By the end of the 1930s token use was eliminated in most of the issuing states, with sales tax tokens lingering in
Missouri until late in the 1940s.
573:
81:— a transaction tax on the sale of specific items — was broadly used, however, and the idea of a general sales tax was neither unknown nor obscure to political decision-makers in the United States.
1207:
1202:
1197:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1177:
1172:
1167:
1162:
1157:
1152:
1147:
566:
247:
by
Michael G. Pfefferkorn and Jerry F. Schimmel, was published in 1977 with a press run of just 500 copies. A small number of bootleg copies were later photocopied and spiral-ring bound.
204:
A number of states issued colorful plastic tax tokens made in quantities running into hundreds of millions. The denominations on the token are numbers of "mills" (tenths of one cent).
559:
243:
In addition to a number of early check-lists of available tokens, there have been two comprehensive catalogs published for collectors of sales tax tokens. The first of these,
931:
1078:
991:
611:
582:
774:
749:
220:
issued is counted in the hundreds, with mintages of some of these types ranging upwards into the tens of millions. Consequently, tax tokens are regarded by
1261:
1091:
255:
discovered after publication of this latter book, complete with "pseudo-M&D" numbers, have been described and illustrated in various issues of
764:
216:
Tax tokens were issued in a variety of materials, including cardboard, brass, bronze, aluminum, pressed cotton fiber, and plastic. The number of
1267:
1038:
769:
759:
754:
669:
924:
606:
1390:
847:
1217:
1139:
948:
940:
596:
200:
432:
976:
917:
817:
1114:
802:
176:
In addition to the fractional cent tokens used elsewhere, a closely related system of state-issued paper sales tax stamps and
1018:
999:
887:
797:
645:
633:
852:
1328:
971:
857:
485:
Chits, Chiselers, and Funny Money: A History and
Catalogue of United States Sales Tax Tokens, Receipts, and Punchcards.
1119:
981:
961:
1129:
1063:
956:
867:
710:
187:
Sales tax tokens were generally regarded as a nuisance by consumers and were replaced in fairly short order by the
1385:
1249:
966:
812:
232:
1255:
1314:
1308:
1284:
1243:
1237:
837:
792:
217:
1302:
1296:
1290:
1225:
842:
827:
822:
225:
121:
cent) and good for the "tax on purchase of 10 cents or less" under the state's 2% retail sales tax law.
261:
Historical coverage in this latter book was supplemented in 2013 with the publication of Monte Dean's
1380:
1375:
1370:
1354:
601:
95:
461:
Proceedings of the Annual
Conference on Taxation under the Auspices of the National Tax Association,
375:
Proceedings of the Annual
Conference on Taxation under the Auspices of the National Tax Association,
265:
a massive one million word tome reproducing nearly 3,600 newspaper articles and monograph excerpts.
188:
1231:
744:
107:
1342:
1053:
862:
832:
698:
170:
224:
as ubiquitous and often are of comparatively little value. On the other hand, certain types and
1109:
1028:
1023:
657:
651:
551:
502:
495:
474:
892:
274:
39:
208:
19:
1086:
627:
23:
A 1935 Missouri 1 mill token, known in slang as a "milk top" owing to its similarity to
1364:
1048:
692:
86:
250:
The
Pfefferkorn and Schimmel catalog was superseded in 1993 with the publication of
1068:
716:
221:
296:
1043:
807:
686:
235:, which has published a quarterly newsletter continuously since its foundation.
177:
150:
74:
66:
24:
909:
1124:
1058:
1013:
704:
639:
158:
78:
440:
Ohio Sales Tax Revenues; Stamps, Punch Cards, Tokens and Related Memorabilia.
359:
Ohio Sales Tax Revenues: Stamps, Punch Cards, Tokens and Related Memorabilia.
111:
An aluminum sales tax token from the state of Washington, valued at 2 mills (
1033:
898:
663:
146:
35:
231:
In 1971 collectors of sales tax tokens founded an organization called the
478:
162:
154:
138:
134:
506:
464:
371:
38:
on very small purchases in many American states during the years of the
130:
126:
142:
70:
499:
459:
Chester M. Edelmann, "Bracket Systems and Sales Under One Dollar,"
539:
207:
199:
106:
18:
532:
471:
United States Sales Tax Tokens and Stamps: A History and Catalog.
328:
United States Sales Tax Tokens and Stamps: A History and Catalog.
545:
297:"Sales Tax Tokens: US State issues during the 1930s Depression,"
181:
166:
913:
555:
312:
New York: National Industrial Conference Board, 1929; pg. 163.
252:
United States Tax Tokens and Stamps: A History and Catalog,
433:"A Brief History of Sales Tax Token and Scrip Collecting,"
125:
The twelve states that issued these sales tax tokens were
77:, made use of a general sales tax for national finance.
228:
are extremely rare, with as few as one specimen known.
540:"What are Sales Tax Tokens: Introduction and History,"
1326:
330:
Bryantown, MD: Jade House Publications, 1993; pg. 9.
1277:
1216:
1138:
1077:
990:
947:
880:
785:
737:
730:
679:
620:
589:
399:
Spring Valley, MN: Monte Christo Dean, 2013; pg. 3.
34:are fractional cent devices that were used to pay
612:Canceled denominations of United States currency
520:Sales Tax Tokens: A Study in Fractional Revenue.
473:Bryantown, MD: Jade House Publications, 1993.
925:
567:
494:Azusa, CA: American Tax Token Society, 1973.
372:"Bracket Systems and Sales Under One Dollar,"
8:
533:American Tax Token Society official homepage
583:Obsolete United States currency and coinage
522:Master's thesis. American University, 1953.
483:Michael Pfefferkorn and Jerry F. Schimmel,
69:in the summer of 1914, only two countries,
1262:America the Beautiful silver bullion coins
932:
918:
910:
734:
676:
574:
560:
552:
515:San Francisco, CA: Jerry F. Schimmel, n.d.
346:United States Sales Tax Tokens and Stamps,
1333:
487:Amherst, NY: Scorpion Publishers, 1977.
391:
389:
387:
385:
383:
340:
338:
336:
326:Merllin K. Malehorn and Tim Davenport,
285:
1268:American Liberty high relief gold coin
546:TAMS: Token and Medal Society homepage
447:Sales Tax Tokens and Scrip: Histories.
397:Sales Tax Tokens and Scrip: Histories.
322:
320:
318:
308:National Industrial Conference Board,
263:Sales Tax Tokens and Scrip: Histories,
212:Square-shaped Illinois sales tax token
291:
289:
7:
449:Spring Valley, MN: Monte Dean, 2013.
442:Spring Valley, MN: Monte Dean, 2012.
435:Spring Valley, MN: Monte Dean, 2014.
361:Spring Valley, MN: Monte Dean, 2012.
299:Brian Rxm website, www.brianrxm.com/
607:History of the United States dollar
492:U.S. State Issued Sales Tax Tokens.
469:Merlin Malehorn and Tim Davenport,
16:Type of token used to pay sales tax
463:vol. 43 (1950), pp. 307–314.
310:General Sales Tax or Turnover Tax.
245:Chits, Chiselers, and Funny Money,
14:
1348:
1336:
775:one-hundred-thousand-dollar bill
803:Compound interest treasury note
750:Large denominations of currency
454:Check-List of Sales Tax Tokens.
888:Black Eagle Silver Certificate
1:
456:New York: Emil DiBella, 1944.
941:Coinage of the United States
858:Treasury Note (19th century)
424:American Tax Token Society,
377:vol. 43 (1950), pp. 307-314.
786:Discontinued currency types
410:Sales Tax Tokens and Scrip,
1407:
868:United States postal notes
738:Discontinued denominations
233:American Tax Token Society
103:Launch of sales tax tokens
1391:1930s in economic history
813:Federal Reserve Bank Note
765:five-thousand-dollar bill
513:Sales Tax Tokens: Prices.
180:was used in the state of
770:ten-thousand-dollar bill
760:one-thousand-dollar bill
755:five-hundred-dollar bill
548:, www.tokenandmedal.org/
535:(No longer a valid link)
344:Malehorn and Davenport,
85:interests, the state of
838:National Gold Bank Note
793:Early American currency
65:Prior to the coming of
213:
205:
122:
28:
853:Treasury or Coin Note
843:Refunding Certificate
828:Interest bearing note
823:Hawaii overprint note
597:United States coinage
370:Chester M. Edelmann,
211:
203:
110:
22:
1311:(1976, 1992–present)
798:Continental currency
602:United States dollar
395:Monte Christo Dean,
1250:First Spouse (gold)
745:Fractional currency
511:Jerry F. Schimmel,
490:Jerry F. Schimmel,
863:United States Note
848:Silver certificate
833:National Bank Note
699:Three-dollar piece
214:
206:
123:
29:
1324:
1323:
1252:(2007–2016; 2020)
907:
906:
876:
875:
726:
725:
719:(1850–1933; 2009)
670:Twenty-cent piece
658:Three-cent silver
652:Three-cent nickel
542:www.taxtoken.org/
518:David Stolaroff,
1398:
1386:Great Depression
1353:
1352:
1351:
1341:
1340:
1339:
1332:
1309:Silver Proof Set
1297:Special Mint Set
1104:
1103:
1099:
1096:
1008:
1007:
1003:
934:
927:
920:
911:
893:Brasher Doubloon
818:Gold certificate
735:
677:
576:
569:
562:
553:
426:ATTS Newsletter.
413:
406:
400:
393:
378:
368:
362:
355:
349:
342:
331:
324:
313:
306:
300:
293:
275:Hard times token
257:ATTS Newsletter.
120:
119:
115:
51:
50:
46:
40:Great Depression
32:Sales tax tokens
27:caps of the era.
1406:
1405:
1401:
1400:
1399:
1397:
1396:
1395:
1361:
1360:
1359:
1349:
1347:
1337:
1335:
1327:
1325:
1320:
1273:
1256:Palladium Eagle
1212:
1134:
1101:
1097:
1094:
1092:
1073:
1014:1¢ (large size)
1005:
1001:
1000:
986:
943:
938:
908:
903:
872:
781:
722:
675:
616:
585:
580:
529:
445:Monte C. Dean,
438:Monte C. Dean,
431:Monte C. Dean,
421:
419:Further reading
416:
407:
403:
394:
381:
369:
365:
357:Monte C. Dean,
356:
352:
343:
334:
325:
316:
307:
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294:
287:
283:
271:
241:
198:
117:
113:
112:
105:
63:
58:
48:
44:
43:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1404:
1402:
1394:
1393:
1388:
1383:
1378:
1373:
1363:
1362:
1358:
1357:
1345:
1322:
1321:
1319:
1318:
1312:
1306:
1300:
1294:
1293:(1947–present)
1288:
1287:(1936–present)
1281:
1279:
1275:
1274:
1272:
1271:
1270:(2015–present)
1265:
1259:
1258:(2017–present)
1253:
1247:
1246:(2006–present)
1241:
1240:(1997–present)
1238:Platinum Eagle
1235:
1234:(1986–present)
1229:
1228:(1986–present)
1222:
1220:
1214:
1213:
1211:
1210:
1205:
1200:
1195:
1190:
1185:
1180:
1175:
1170:
1165:
1160:
1155:
1150:
1144:
1142:
1136:
1135:
1133:
1132:
1127:
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1117:
1112:
1107:
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1074:
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1071:
1066:
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1056:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1016:
1011:
996:
994:
988:
987:
985:
984:
979:
974:
969:
964:
959:
953:
951:
945:
944:
939:
937:
936:
929:
922:
914:
905:
904:
902:
901:
896:
890:
884:
882:
878:
877:
874:
873:
871:
870:
865:
860:
855:
850:
845:
840:
835:
830:
825:
820:
815:
810:
805:
800:
795:
789:
787:
783:
782:
780:
779:
778:
777:
772:
767:
762:
757:
747:
741:
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732:
728:
727:
724:
723:
721:
720:
714:
708:
702:
696:
690:
683:
681:
674:
673:
667:
661:
655:
649:
646:Two-cent piece
643:
637:
631:
624:
622:
618:
617:
615:
614:
609:
604:
599:
593:
591:
587:
586:
581:
579:
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564:
556:
550:
549:
543:
536:
528:
527:External links
525:
524:
523:
516:
509:
488:
481:
467:
457:
452:Emil DiBella,
450:
443:
436:
429:
420:
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350:
332:
314:
301:
284:
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197:
196:Collectibility
194:
189:bracket system
104:
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15:
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10:
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6:
4:
3:
2:
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1355:United States
1346:
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1301:
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1143:
1141:
1140:Commemorative
1137:
1131:
1128:
1126:
1123:
1121:
1118:
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1111:
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742:
740:
736:
733:
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718:
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712:
709:
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697:
694:
693:Quarter eagle
691:
688:
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684:
682:
678:
671:
668:
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662:
659:
656:
653:
650:
647:
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588:
584:
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563:
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557:
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547:
544:
541:
538:Robert Frye,
537:
534:
531:
530:
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109:
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100:
97:
91:
88:
87:West Virginia
82:
80:
76:
72:
68:
60:
55:
53:
41:
37:
33:
26:
21:
1315:Prestige Set
1303:Souvenir Set
1278:Special sets
1244:Gold Buffalo
1226:Silver Eagle
717:Double eagle
519:
512:
491:
484:
470:
460:
453:
446:
439:
428:(1971-date).
425:
409:
404:
396:
374:
366:
358:
353:
345:
327:
309:
304:
262:
260:
256:
251:
249:
244:
242:
230:
222:numismatists
215:
186:
175:
124:
92:
83:
64:
31:
30:
1381:Sales taxes
1376:Token coins
1371:Numismatics
1343:Numismatics
1317:(1983–1997)
1305:(1972–1998)
1299:(1964–1967)
1264:(2010–2021)
1110:3¢ (bronze)
1087:2¢ (billon)
1034:5¢ (silver)
1029:3¢ (nickel)
1024:3¢ (silver)
949:Circulating
808:Demand Note
713:(1795–1933)
707:(1795–1929)
701:(1854–1889)
695:(1796–1929)
689:(1849–1889)
687:Gold dollar
672:(1875–1878)
666:(1792–1873)
660:(1851–1873)
654:(1865–1889)
648:(1864–1873)
642:(1793–1857)
636:(1793–1857)
295:Brian Rxm,
178:punch cards
151:Mississippi
75:Philippines
67:World War I
25:milk bottle
1365:Categories
1232:Gold Eagle
1044:$ 1 (gold)
705:Half eagle
680:Gold coins
640:Large cent
628:Half disme
171:Washington
159:New Mexico
79:Excise tax
61:Background
1285:Proof Set
899:Funnyback
664:Half dime
634:Half cent
500:75-306100
281:Footnotes
226:varieties
147:Louisiana
96:Georgia's
36:sales tax
1291:Mint Set
1079:Canceled
992:Obsolete
731:Currency
479:29631646
465:In JSTOR
269:See also
239:Catalogs
163:Oklahoma
155:Missouri
139:Illinois
135:Colorado
73:and the
1329:Portals
1218:Bullion
1100:⁄
1004:⁄
881:Related
507:9741054
348:pg. 10.
131:Arizona
127:Alabama
116:⁄
56:History
52:cent).
47:⁄
895:(1787)
630:(1792)
590:Topics
505:
498:
477:
412:pg. 6.
408:Dean,
169:, and
143:Kansas
71:Mexico
1208:2020s
1203:2010s
1198:2000s
1193:1990s
1188:1980s
1183:1970s
1178:1950s
1173:1940s
1168:1930s
1163:1920s
1158:1910s
1153:1900s
1148:1800s
1130:$ 100
1049:$ 2.5
711:Eagle
621:Coins
218:types
1125:$ 50
1069:$ 20
1064:$ 10
503:OCLC
496:LCCN
475:OCLC
182:Ohio
167:Utah
1120:$ 4
1115:$ 2
1059:$ 5
1054:$ 3
1039:20¢
982:$ 1
977:50¢
972:25¢
967:10¢
1367::
1019:2¢
962:5¢
957:1¢
382:^
335:^
317:^
288:^
184:.
173:.
165:,
161:,
157:,
153:,
149:,
145:,
141:,
137:,
133:,
129:,
49:10
1331::
1105:¢
1102:2
1098:1
1095:+
1093:2
1009:¢
1006:2
1002:1
933:e
926:t
919:v
575:e
568:t
561:v
118:5
114:1
45:1
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