MetroCards were first introduced in 1994 as a means to replace clunky subway tokens.
See MetroCard recreations as NYC retires iconic fare card
The New York City MTA is transitioning from the MetroCard as a form of payment, and the internet is using art to remember the yellow plastic cards.
NYC MetroCards may have been laid to rest last week, but the flimsy plastic cards, used for decades to pay for public transportation in the Big Apple, are making a big comeback on resell sites.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) officially discontinued MetroCards – first introduced in 1994 – on Dec. 31, making a full switch to contactless, tap-and-go payments. Though MetroCards are no longer available for purchase through the MTA, brand-new and well-loved MetroCards are selling for anywhere between $6 and $5,000 on resell sites like eBay.
While the majority of resell listings are for the bright yellow and blue MetroCard most are familiar with, some listings offer cards that may be more collectible. As of Jan. 5, eBay listings included a set of four original MetroCards, in unsealed packaging, from the cards’ debut in 1994; a Notorious B.I.G. collaboration from 2022; and a green Student Pass that expired in 2002.
Despite being out of circulation for more than 20 years, New York subway tokens are listed for very little on resell sites like eBay, averaging anywhere between $10 and $50 for a handful. First introduced in 1953, the MTA phased out the tokens in 2003.
Some New Yorkers can’t let go of their MetroCards
While some may be looking to make some extra cash on their expired MetroCards, others are holding theirs close.
Thomas McKean is a New York City artist known for his elaborate MetroCard collages and sculptures. In a recent interview with filmmaker Nicolas Heller (known online as New York Nico), McKean displayed countless MetroCards he’s stored over the years, some of which will be used whole for 3D artwork and others that will be cut up into small strips to make NYC iconography like a checkered taxi cab.
“I just think it was this almost like a magical object,” McKean told Heller. “It brought New Yorkers together that everybody had one in their wallet and we had that in common.”
Why did the MTA get rid of MetroCards?
The MTA announced in early 2025 that it would be phasing out MetroCards, replacing them with a contactless top-and-go payment system. MTA riders can now pay with digital wallets, contactless debit and credit cards, and OMNY Cards, first introduced in 2019. Instead of swiping like the MetroCards, OMNY Cards are just held to a digital card reader for processing.
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
