In 1925, the AMA became the official sponsor of the Gypsy Tours. Over the years, many types of souvenir merchandise were produced: watch fobs, pins, key fobs, belt buckles, badges, license holders, ashtrays, bolos, etc. Most of these items shared one common characteristic: the colorful AMA logo and the words "Gypsy Tour".
In 1957, the AMA renamed the Gypsy Tours the AMA Tours, and official merchandise dated from 1958 through 1990 lacks the word "Gypsy". In 1991, the Gypsy Tour was revived by the AMA and merchandise dated from that time onward once again sports the words "Gypsy Tour".
The triangular AMA logo, with its tri-colored, green, yellow and red variation of the yin-yang symbol in its interior, and abbreviated AMA letters at each corner of the triangle, was known as the triad, and was the official AMA logo until 1976. However, the size, shape and placement of the colored interior tear drops frequently varied. There seemed to be no consistent artistic formula for the logo.
The new, 1976 logo did away with these inconsistencies. The new logo was rectangular, red,white & blue, and also signaled a change in the AMA's name from the American Motorcycle Association to the American Motorcylist Association, which was spelled out in full in the new logo.
In 1991, when the AMA revived the Gypsy Tour, the old AMA logo was revived as well. In these newer versions of the logo, used on pins and patches sold on the AMA website, the "M" has been moved from the lower left corner to the upper corner of the triad. (This change to the logo was made prior to 1976, as the patch on the right below shows; it still retains the word Motorcycle in the AMA name.)
In 2003, the official AMA logo was changed once again. The current logo is shield shaped, and contains the tag line "rights, riding, and racing".
Now, here is the gallery of AMA Gypsy Tour souvenir merchandise. It is the intention of the webmaster to collect, if possible, an image of at least one item for every year since the beginning of the AMA Gypsy Tour.
1928 (Gypsy Jaunt)
1929(American Motorcycle Assn Gypsy Tour)
1930(Annual Rally & Gypsy Tour)
1932 (No wording). The image of the tandem of a motorcycle "driver" and rider in an attached sidecar had been used consistently since 1918 to decorate Gypsy Tour merchandise. However, after 1932, the tandem image was not seen again on official merchandise for another sixty years, until 1993. Now, the tandem image invokes nostalgia for the earliest years of the Gypsy Tour.
1934 (Annual Rally & Gypsy Tour)
1937 (Gypsy Tour)
1938 (Gypsy Tour)
1939 (Gypsy Tour)
1940 (Gypsy Tour)
1941 (Gypsy Tour)
1942 (Gypsy Tour). No Gypsy Tours took place in 1942 because of World War II. But in anticipation of the 1942 Gypsy Tour, souvenir merchandise had already been manufactured far in advance, before the country was fully at war. Therefore, some examples of 1942 Gypsy Tour souvenirs do exist. The prominent blue "V" likely stood for victory, which was ultimately achieved, but not until 1945.
1948 (Gypsy Tour)
1949 (Gypsy Tour)
1950 (Gypsy Tour)
1951 (Gypsy Tour)
1952 (Gypsy Tour)
1953 (Gypsy Tour)
1954 (Gypsy Tour)
1955 (Gypsy Tour)
1956 (Gypsy Tour)
1957 (Gypsy Tour)
1958 (Tour Award)
1959 (Tour Award)
1960 (Tour Award)
1961 (Tour Award)
1962 (Tour Award)
1963 (Tour Award)
1964 (Tour Award)
1965 (Tour Award)
1992 (Gypsy Tour)
1993 (Gypsy Tour)
1995 (Gypsy Tours)
The text on the reverse of the 70th anniversary commemorative buckle reads as follows: The Gypsy Tour probably has its origins with the Motorcycle & Allied Trades Association, M & ATA, the organization that became the AMA in May of 1924. Traditionally an overnight event during one weekend each year, the first AMA-sanctioned Gypsy Tours, which numbered over 200, were held on June 20 and 21, 1925, and included field meets and informal motorcycle competition. After fading in popularity during the 1950’s, the event was revived by AMA clubs and the AMA congress in 1991. This buckle commemorates the 70th anniversary of AMA-sanctioned Gypsy Tours, a great opportunity for motorcyclists to gather for a good time. “Gypsy Tour Days are those in which sales competition, names of machines and all trade sentiment is forgotten, everybody meeting on the good fellowship basis.” A.B.Coltman, AMA, 1925.
1996 (Gypsy Tours)
If you have an old Gypsy Tour item that you would like to see added to this webpage, please email a photo to: webmaster@weirsbeach.com.
1931 & 1952 (Gypsy Tour entry blanks - not much change in 21 years!)
