In 1997, the largest parades each had more than 20 floats, celebrity guests, marching bands, dancing groups, motorcycle squads, and a total of many thousands of participants. Also in 1998, the Krewe of the Americas, completely made up of non-New Orleans residents, paraded for the first time, on Mardi Gras afternoon itself, a sacrilege to natives who long considered this Comus' day. The throws fly thick and fast from the floats of these super krewes, but they lack the tradition of the old krewes. The exact origin of throws has been lost to time, but at some point in the 1920s, Rex began throwing trinkets to parade-watchers. Other krewes eventually followed suit, and now throws are mandatory.
Doubloons are another popular souvenir.
Usually made of aluminum, these oversize coins show the krewe's coat of arms on one side and the year's parade theme on the other. They are collectors' items for natives, many of whom have every krewe's doubloons from many different years. Other throws include stuffed animals, plastic krewe cups, and especially the highly prized, hand-painted Zulu coconuts. But even though it seems Mardi Gras is moving ever further away from its traditions, we have to remember that Comus has in the past disappeared for several years and that it always rose again.