New York Transit Token Key Ring

These key rings are crafted from either the quarter-sized (7/8") or dime-sized (5/8") authentic Y-cut New York tokens circulated from 1953-79.

Sale price$65.00
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Product Details


The horseshoe style key rings come in either a sterling silver bezel (featuring the dime-sized 50's era token) or silver-plated brass bezel (featuring the quarter-sized 70's era token). This key ring finding includes ball that screws on and off to add keys.


The lock style key ring is crafted from an authentic dime-sized Y-cut New York transit token and set in a stainless steel lock key ring.


The brass and leather style key rings are crafted from the quarter-sized 70's era NY subway token. It features an antique bronze fob and contrast stitched leather connector with a rugged brass ring.


All New York Token key rings are officially licensed by the MTA, and each style comes in a New York subway map-themed gift box with a Certificate of Authenticity.

Both horseshoe style key rings measure approximately 1" x 2-1/2"


The lock style key ring measures 1-1/4" x 2-1/8"

Authenticity

Officially licensed by the New York MTA. For more than 20 years now, the NYCTA, now known as the MTA, provided Tokens & Icons with thousands of transit tokens directly from its depository. Receipts and documents for each purchase of tokens are kept on file at Tokens & Icons' headquarters.  Tokens has also worked with subway maps, marble from the floor at Grand Central Station and even collaborated on a mini Metrocard for use as an accessory.  All items created have gone through a stringent approval process by the MTA. The entire collection is also offered for sale in the two NY Transit Museum Stores in New York. Given this longstanding relationship, you can be 100% confident with the authenticity of your purchase.

 

How Tokens & Icons Came to Be

Tokens & Icons was founded in 1991 when Ward Wallau was approved for a license with the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA). This occurred eleven years after he first approached them in 1980 when they filled in the "Y" of the quarter-sized "Y-cut" subway token.

After collecting a hundred of the "Y-cut" tokens, Ward thought they might be a logical way to reincorporate the tokens into New York's daily life and celebrate them as an icon of the city's rich transit history. With his first fifty pairs of authentic New York Subway Tokens, he received positive feedback and thus began his decade-plus endeavor to secure a license.

During the eleven years, Ward had intermittent contact with the NYCTA, and finally secured permissions from the NYCTA and the authentic tokens. He and Bulova Watch were the charter licenses. Bulova chose to replicate the tokens, yet Tokens & Coins (the original name of Tokens & Icons) was able to embark with the long sought after "authentic" token.

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