"2021 is the 50th year of the American Tax Token Society. The Great Depression reduced the revenues the states received and in 1933 states started instituting a sales tax. The sales tax was up to 3% but put a burden on small purchases and every cent counted. The solution was to issue sales tax tokens in fractions of a cent (mills) to make the tax fair on small purchases. In 1971 the American Tax Token Society was founded by numismatists interested in the sales tax tokens. A stamped Missouri 1 mill tax token was given to members to commemorate the 50th anniversary. A newsletter is issued every quarter. Dues yearly dues are $8.50 for the electronic and $17 for the print newsletter. Dues can be paid via paypal at jnlcalvert@gmail.com or mail a check made out to Jim Calvert, 769 Bracken Ln, Nipomo, CA 93444"

Congratulations on the ATTS milestone! -Editor

"I was contacted by an antique collector who believes he has a portrait of Neziah Wright (1804-1879). Wright was a partner in Rawdon, Wright, Hatch and Edson. The firm produced the first U. S. Postage stamps in 1847. In 1858, seven companies merged to form the American Bank Note Company. Wright was then treasurer of ABNCo.

"The collector would like to find other portraits of Wright as a painting, engraving or photo. He would also like to know who previously owned the painting. Any contributions will be appreciated."

Can anyone help? -Editor

"About fifty years ago Alfred Hitchcock was featured on a Hi-Fi, 33-RPM, Long Playing, vinyl album with the A-side having a collection of spooky Halloween sound effects, like hissing black cats, things that go bump in the night, and haunted houses on the proverbial dark and stormy night. On the flip-side was an opus, Music to Get Murdered By which painted a picture in sound, without words, of the creeping of a murderer, building up to a crescendo of screams and throat throttling. Those events were seen in one’s imagination, and so I remember it to this day, as a vivid ‘Hitchcockian’ drama.

"During the March Nummis Nova virtual dinner the discussion topic of Music to Collect Coins By arose. Wayne Homren immediately noted that the Newman Numismatic Portal has archived some music about coins. I wonder if anyone knows of tunes that feature not just generic money, or simple coin denominations like nickels and dimes, but collectible numismatic items? Could we put together an eclectic playlist of Music to collect coins by. Here are a few to get started:

• "Indian Head Penny by Guy Clark – I rolled off the San Francisco Mint in 1909, the last one they ever made, you should’ve seen me shine….
• So Much by Steve Warner – ...So I bide my time, spin my wheels like a mercury dime, It’s heads, it’s tails, plan C cannot fail...
• St. James Infirmary Blues by Irving Mills - ...Put a twenty-dollar gold piece on my watch chain, so the boys’ll know I died standing pat...

Thanks, Tom. Song suggestions, anyone? The two songs archived at the Newman Portal are the A and B sides of a 45 rpm record on the "S. V. D. B." label by Ben Jefmer. The songs are titled The Numismatic and If You’re a Coin Collector.

Nummis Nova is my Northern Virginia numismatic social group. Usually we meet for dinner at a restaurant, but because of the pandemic we've been meeting on Zoom. Here's a screenshot of our March meeting, which took place this past Tuesday. Clockwise from top left are Tom Kays, myself, Jon Radel and Mike Packard. Bill Eckberg also joined us briefly, connecting from Florida. -Editor