Preserving the History of Transportation Token Collecting Since 1948
For more than 75 years, members of the American Vecturist Association have collected, studied, documented, and preserved the history of transportation tokens and the people who collect them.
The AVA Archives preserve that history.
The collection currently consists of 32 legal-size archival boxes plus three tubes containing original dies. The collection includes convention photographs and memorabilia, personal tokens, transportation-token catalogs, issues of The Fare Box, membership records, correspondence, research materials, historical documents, token dies, and other items accumulated throughout the history of the AVA.
Curator: Allen Dean
Explore the AVA Archives
Conventions & AVA History
Photos, programs, ribbons, memorabilia and convention tokens from throughout AVA history.
AVA Personal Tokens
The AVA Master Collection of personal tokens and duplicate personal tokens available to members.
Transportation Token Catalogs
Historic Atwood-Coffee catalogs and other transportation-token reference materials.
The Fare Box Archive
Issues of the AVA’s official publication dating back to 1948.
AVA Membership History
Historic membership rosters, applications and records.
AVA Correspondence & Records
Correspondence from AVA officers, leaders and collectors, along with historical Association records.
Transportation History & Research
Railway, trolley, transit and transportation-token research and historical materials.
Original AVA Convention Token Dies
Original dies preserved from past AVA conventions.
Complete AVA Archives Inventory
Researchers and AVA members who want to know exactly what is preserved in the collection can view the complete inventory of Boxes 1–32 and Tubes 1–3.
Can You Help Us Identify AVA History?
Some photographs in the AVA Archives date back many decades, and the people pictured in some of them have never been identified. As historical photographs are digitized, we hope AVA members will help identify collectors, convention attendees, locations and events.
Every identification helps preserve another small piece of AVA history for future generations.
Have a Research Question?
Looking for a particular AVA member, convention, token, photograph, catalog or piece of transportation history? The AVA Curator may be able to help determine whether relevant material exists in the collection.