1930's Missouri Tax Tokens

Description

Here are two Missouri sales tax tokens from the 1930's.  Missouri was one of the first states to issue these tokens during the Great Depression. S2me states implemented a sales tax to raise revenue. The sales tax was usually 1-2% of the purchase, and with purchases under a dollar, it was difficult to charge tax because it is impossible to give change in tenths of a cent. If the seller rounded down, then no tax would be charged, and if he rounded up, then he would lose money and the government would gain more than the sales tax. Thus, if someone purchased an item worth ten cents and the sales tax was two percent, then the seller would charge eleven cents and give the customer sales tax tokens totaling eight mill for change. They would use these tax tokens instead of losing a penny.  The winning bidder gets both tokens.  Postage is free on this auction.