Lot #506: USA New York City Transit Authority Fare Token Coin - 1970s-80s - NYC - "One Fare"

Obverse: Features the authority's title encircling a central circular field. The lettering follows the outer rim, reading NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT AUTHORITY. At the very center, the initials NYC are prominently displayed. The typeface is a clean, industrial sans-serif characteristic of city infrastructure during the mid-70s. Reverse: Confirms the utility of the token. The outer ring of text reads GOOD FOR ONE FARE, while the central field repeats the NYC monogram found on the obverse. This New York City Transit Authority 22 mm token is a classic artifact of the "Solid Brass" era of the NYC subway system. Produced between 1975 and 1986, it served as the daily currency for millions of commuters. This 22 mm brass token replaced the smaller 1970 "Y"-cutout version. Its introduction coincided with a fare hike to 50 cents in 1975. To prevent commuters from using the older, smaller tokens, the Transit Authority increased the diameter and weight for this series. These tokens were produced by the Roger Williams Mint in Massachusetts. They remained in circulation until the mid-80s when they were eventually superseded by the "Bullseye" (S-cutout) tokens. They are an evocative symbol of the era of graffiti-covered trains and the expansion of the outer-borough lines. Dimensions: Brass. 3.9 g. 22.25 mm. Pickup category timeslot {A}