Discontinued NYC MetroCards listed for thousands on eBay
By Alexa Herrera
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NEW YORK (WCBS) — Plastic New York City MetroCards that used to cost $1 are now being sold on eBay for thousands of dollars, just days after the cards were discontinued.
The blue and yellow cards that previously got riders onto the subway were retired after more than 30 years in use. On Jan. 1 the MTA officially switched to the contactless OMNY system.
The classic cards are already making a comeback online, with listings from $4 to $5,000 on eBay.
Some sellers are listing the original cards, while others are selling special editions, including a student MetroCard from 1989 and a collection of The Notorious B.I.G. cards from 2022. There are numerous others listed with pictures of artists, TV shows and other brands printed on them.
For many New Yorkers, the end of the MetroCard feels like closing a chapter.
A group of riders even gathered in Washington Square Park on Dec. 31 to mourn the end of the cards with posters, cakes and clothing dedicated to the cards.
The card was first introduced in 1994 to replace subway tokens and became a staple for New Yorkers, who kept them in back pockets, winter coats and just about anywhere else.
To usher the MetroCard into retirement, The New York Transit Museum has a special exhibit open called “Farewell MetroCard” to honor the card and its history.
A group of riders even gathered in Washington Square Park on Dec. 31 to mourn the end of the cards with posters, cakes and clothing dedicated to the cards.
The card was first introduced in 1994 to replace subway tokens and became a staple for New Yorkers, who kept them in back pockets, winter coats and just about anywhere else.
To usher the MetroCard into retirement, The New York Transit Museum has a special exhibit open called “Farewell MetroCard” to honor the card and its history. The tap-and-go system, which stands for One Metro New York, also accepts payment from a contactless credit or debit card, smartphone or smart watch. Like MetroCards, the physical OMNY cards are reloadable.
The old cards can still be used for riding the subway and buses, but no additional money can be added to them.
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