Metrocards were first introduced in 1994 as an alternative to bulky subway tokens.
See how the MetroCard was redeveloped as New York City abolished its iconic fare card
New York City’s MTA is moving away from MetroCard as a payment method, and the internet is using art to remember the yellow plastic cards.
New York City’s MetroCard may have been discontinued last week, but the flimsy plastic card used for decades to pay for public transportation in the Big Apple is making a big comeback on resale sites.
On Dec. 31, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) officially retired the MetroCard, which was first introduced in 1994, in favor of contactless tap-and-go payments entirely. MetroCards are no longer available for purchase through the MTA, but new and popular MetroCards sell for between $6 and $5,000 on resale sites like eBay.
The majority of resale listings are of the bright yellow and blue Metrocards, which are the most well-known, but some listings offer more collectible cards. As of Jan. 5, eBay listings included a set of four original Metrocards in unopened packaging from when the cards debuted in 1994. Notorious BIG collaboration from 2022. And a green student ID card that expired in 2002.
Although New York subway tokens have been out of circulation for more than 20 years, they are listed for very low prices on resale sites like eBay, with the average price for a handful ranging between $10 and $50. First introduced in 1953, the MTA phased out the token in 2003.
Some New Yorkers can’t give up their MetroCards.
While some people may be looking to make some extra cash with their expired Metrocards, others are putting it on hold.
Thomas McKean is a New York City artist known for his elaborate MetroCard collages and sculptures. In a recent interview with filmmaker Nicholas Heller (known online as New York Nico), McKean showed off the countless MetroCards he has kept over the years, some of which will be used whole for 3D artwork, while others will be cut into smaller strips to create New York City iconography, such as checkered taxis.
“I think it was like a magical object,” McKean told Heller. “New Yorkers came together because everyone had a wallet in their wallet, and that was the common denominator.”
Why did the MTA eliminate the MetroCard?
The MTA has announced it will phase out MetroCards in early 2025 and replace them with a contactless, top-and-go payment system. MTA passengers can now pay with digital wallets, contactless debit and credit cards, and the OMNY Card, which was first introduced in 2019. Instead of swiping the OMNY card like a MetroCard, you simply hold it against a digital card reader for processing.
Greta Cross is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Story ideas? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
