TAMS AND BRASS CHECKS AND RED LIGHTS

Just a bit more insight on the book – Brass Checks and Red Lights – by Fred Mazzulla as referenced by Bob Leonard in the February 2 issue.

I happen to have a copy of the book tucked away in my library. It's been there since 1963 when the then recently published effort was distributed to attendees. It came into my possession when I attended the banquet of the Token and Medal Society on Friday evening, August 9, 1963, during the American Numismatic Association convention in Denver. I'll not speculate on the veracity of the author or the contents of the volume.

The TAMS banquet was held at the Denver Press Club that evening, with the program arranged by Harold Schmal of Phoenix, and Dr. Phillip Whiteley of Denver, as banquet co-chairmen. The speaker for the evening was none other than Fred Mazzulla . . . as I remember, his presentation was more than a bit raw . . . in reflection, it was not favorably received by most in attendance.

There were, by the way, upwards of 100 members and guests in attendance . . . this was the first "official" TAMS social function . . . founded at the Michigan State Numismatic Society fall convention in 1960 . . . back in those days . . . nearly 62 years ago . . . TAMS's annual gatherings became, and for some years were, one the social highlights of the annual ANA conventions.

While Dave Bowers and myself are the only individuals still alive who were among the 13 in attendance at the TAMS organizational meeting held at the Detroit Leland Hotel, I'm unaware if there's anyone else out there who was in attendance at the referenced 1963 banquet session in Denver. TAMS, for anyone interested and unaware, was founded as – The Society of Token, Medal & Obsolete Paper Money Collectors – a real mouthful. A year later, meeting in Atlanta during the 1961 ANA convention, the "Obsolete Paper Money" aspect was spun off into the new Society of Paper Money Collectors, then being established.

At that time quite a discussion arose concerning the new identity that would be assumed by the fledgling "token" organization. The California contingent, led by those trumping for the "exonumist" term that had been developed by Russell Rulau, pitched for the American Exonumist Society. Others pumped alternatively for the Medal and Token Society, or the Token and Medal Society. Seasoned token enthusiast Max Schwartz and William Louth, of the Medallic Art Company, strongly voiced an appeal, reminding those in attendance; "A tam is something you wear on your head; a mat is something you wipe your feet on." The "tam" option was the clear winner . . . at the 1962 gathering during Cleveland ANA convention, Max and Bill showed up dispensing yellow emblazed green TAMS for everyone to wear.

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
WEDDING TOKEN OR BROTHEL TOKEN? (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n04a13.html)
NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: FEBRUARY 2, 2025 : More on Brass Checks and Red Lights (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n05a12.html)
NOTES FROM E-SYLUM READERS: FEBRUARY 9, 2025 : More on the "Wedding Coins" (https://www.coinbooks.org/v28/esylum_v28n06a09.html)

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