In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.
— Benjamin Franklin
It has come time to clean out my recently deceased grandmother’s home. It is funny to sort through a person’s lifetime of accumulated stuff. I find it particularly funny for my grandmother because she was not a huge accumulator of things. Her condo was always immaculate and uncluttered. So when I come across oddities, I always wonder the story behind the keepsakes.
One unusual find are these two Washington State Tax Tokens.
Washington State has never had its own state income tax. Whenthe area was established as a territory in 1853, through becoming a state in 1889, and even until the early 1930’s Washington’s primary source of income came through property taxes.
This was particularly troublesome during the Great Depression. At that time in history, many folks were unable to pay the 2% tax levied on their properties. Many people were also out of work, and the need for government funded social services increased. As a result, citizens voted to limit property taxes while also introducing a state income tax.
However, the income tax measure was quickly struck down by the state’s Supreme Court. Justices declared the tax levy unconstitutional. This left the government in need of another revenue stream for state funded services.
In response to the state’s growing financial crisis, the legislature passed the Revenue Act of 1935. For the first time Washington taxes would be raised primarily via excise verses property. Excise taxes come from transactions or sales, and this tax system still fills Washington State coffers today.
But what happens when the amount of tax to be collected is less than the denomination of printed/minted currency?
The Washington State tax tokens were adopted in 1935. These tokens were used to pay sales tax at stores for purchases of less than $0.10. Each token is made of aluminum and is about the size of a US 5 cent (nickel) piece. I have seen their original value reported to be 1/10 to 3/10 of one cent. I am not sure which of these valuations is correct.
I am also unsure of when these tokens were removed from circulation. Some internet sources point to the end of the 1930’s, while other sources indicate the last year of the token’s use was 1951. One contributor to a local museum’s Facebook page recalled accepting these tokens in payment at her movie theater job in 1949. She mentioned collecting one token on purchases of $0.10 or under, two tokens on purchases 11 to 20 cents and three tokens on purchases 21 to 30 cents.
I do know that the tokens circulated long enough to produce different versions. The two I have from my grandmother are not the same. Variations can be seen in the photos below.
And now for a few more photos.
I am glad to add these tokens to my stack. Their collectible value today is only about $5 each. However, they are invaluable to me. Tiny treasures from my grandma that keep her close as the passing of time takes me further from our time together.
Wow! Very cool history lesson. Stacking silver makes me feel like a genuine old timer! 😁👍👍
How old would you feel collecting aluminum like these? 🤣
A-loo-min-eum? At least 100!
I’m embracing the geeze sweets-pie
💪👴
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Very interesting. Probably worth something.
Only worth about $5 each. Which is great considering they were once only 1/10 of one cent. But nothing to get excited about.
Still cool
I'm glad you found these. They're an interesting piece of history, and more importantly, something to remember your grandmother by.
!LUV
!BBH
!PIZZA
I like that they are something that is easy to keep. It’s funny she had a few random coin looking tokens, all together in a drawer. None of them were precious metals. But there were these, some “one dollar” token from the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair and a token for a free drink from a gas station that closed in 1977.
But then I wonder why did she save these? Especially when she didn’t save other things really.
It's a good question. I wonder if maybe she forgot, or if she held onto them for sentimental reasons possibly?
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I dont quite undersdtand how this worked. Who would give such a token to whom? And who sold them initially?
It seems like a rather ineffective way to handle this tax thing. The cost of making those must have exceeded the value they represent. Rather weird.
From what I saw online. They were made by the state. I am not sure how the state distributed them. But it looks like people would get them from stores. You could give a business a penny and they would give you 10 of these tokens in return, which you could then use to pay tax on small purchases.
🤷🏻♀️
The system didn’t last long, so obviously it wasn’t stellar. 🤣
Thats the impression I have, too.
So you had to buy those tokens from a shop, and if you purchase a good you give them back to the shop on top of the price. And then the shop does what with them? Sell them again to someone else? And of course they hand all the money from it to the tax office, right? Which would work just as well without those tokens...
Ma be they got rid of them soon because the noticed its just a epic waste of time and money. :)
That is some unique ones and love the history, never seen ones like that before and Wonder the worth. And I absolutly LOOVE your picture of your grandma ❤️ she looks beautiful and strong.
Sending lots of hugs and love your way sis 🤗❤️💋🤗
They are worth very little. Made of aluminum. Online they mostly sell for around $5. Though a few folks were trying to hustle more money via eBay auctions.
Very interesting @dfinney, I had never heard of Washington state tax tokens…..
Also strange why they would mint the Obverse and the Reverse a quarter turn different!🤔
Apparently 11 or 12 states had these. Some were square. Some made of wood. All of them only usable within their own state.
That’s very interesting, I was hoping that they were .90 fine Silver!😇
Very unique, I will have to look for them next trip to the local Coin shop !😇
Very intriguing! They are indeed, a valuable keepsake for you! I am glad you found them and have them to keep. Thank you for sharing the story. I look forward to hearing about the gold plated penny! Take care!🤗💜
I might have exaggerated the gold penny. 😄 All I know is some supplier gave it to my husband on a visit to an airshow… IN SINGAPORE!
Very cool! 😍👍😀
❤️ wonderful find and extra special to you !BBH
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I was at grandma’s again a couple of days ago and found ANOTHER ONE! This one was attached to a little card with its history.
So funny grandma had a stash of these around the house. 😄
That is incredibly fascinating! They really are a priceless memento for you. I'm happy you were able to locate and retain them. I appreciate you telling the story.
I'm interested in learning more about the gold-plated cent.
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A Token that is linked to your Grandmother.
Just as most of my Canadian silver coins link me to my father and Chinese coins to my mother's side.
❤️
That's a really cool memento of your grandmother, especially since you know the story behind them! I've never heard of such a system of tax tokens! How interesting!
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What an interesting piece. Wonder how much they go for!
Only about $5. They are aluminum, so cheap.
Ahhh I see. Figured they may hold some collectors value
Those are really neat and so is the story that goes with them. Funny that she kept them when she was not a collector of things, but who knows what her life was like when they were in play. Obviously attached to long ago memories. They look like they might make a fun necklace.
I found another one in a different drawer two days ago! 😂😄 This newest one was attached to a commemorative card!
They must have fascinated her for some reason. I like them.
nice stuff
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Thanks.
I dearly love all things old and having a backstory. Especially from the WWII era and shortly thereafter! So this is a pretty awesome find, in my book. Thank you for sharing!
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Those really are cool! I'm glad you found them!
Grandma's treasures, oh how I wish I had a few of them.. Strolling flea markets several weeks a month, I see familiar items as well as on auctions where I find out how valuable her collection was... and now that I'm older, I appreciate the art as well.
Cherish these treasures dear, I hope you have a lot of joy sorting them and I really enjoyed the tax story!
Sorry that I'm late commenting, I read it when you published it but real life took over lol.
Sending much love from Spain and hope you have a great weekend so far! <3
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