Pan Am Tail Fin Bottle Opener

Disappointed when the MTA filled in the "Y" cutout of their classic subway tokens, Ward Wallau was inspired to find a fun way to incorporate the unaltered tokens into cufflinks. He wanted to prove to the MTA that the original tokens were worthy of celebrating and repurposing and, after 11 years of "no," Ward became the first licensee of the New York City MTA. Since that time, this "authenticity hound," has assembled and grew his team of artisans, production staff, and authenticators in Berkeley, California, where they re-imagine nostalgic artifacts as unique gifts that tell a story. Ward loves breathing new life into things that already exist, be it letterpress blocks, a wooden seat from Wrigley Field, or a bat broken at a Major League baseball game. "This business is ever-challenging, dynamic, and satisfying," he says. "It's not a good day if you don't learn something new!"

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