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| City of New York | City of New York | States of NY & NJ | State of New York | State of New Jersey | State of New Jersey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Introduction Page Index Purpose of a Toll Purpose of Toll Scrip & Tokens Urban Myth - Toll Elimination Urban Legend - Omero Catan |
Private and Early Toll Bridges, Plank Roads & Turnpikes |
Pre-TBTA Agencies: Triborough Bridge Authority Henry Hudson Parkway Authority Marine Parkway Authority New York City Tunnel Authority |
New York State Bridge and Tunnel Commission / New Jersey Interstate Bridge and Tunnel Commission Port of New York Authority Port Authority of New York and New Jersey |
Private and Early Toll Bridges, Plank Roads & Turnpikes NYS Thruway NYS Bridge Authority International Crossings |
New Jersey Turnpike Garden State Pkwy Atlantic City Expressway |
Private Bridges County Operated Bridges NJ & PA / NJ & DE Delaware River Crossings |
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| updated 11/2/2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Triborough Bridge & Tunnel Authority / MTA Bridges & Tunnels
The Triborough Bridge Authority, upon absorbing the New York City Tunnel Authority / Queens Midtown Tunnel in 1946; was now renamed the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (colloquially called "the TBTA") and remained so until 1994. Under the auspices of the TBTA, the public would see the openings of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge in 1939, the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel in 1950 (long planned as a bridge since the 1930's), the Throgs Neck Bridge in 1961 and the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in 1964; and the addition and opening of the lower deck of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in 1969. The TBTA now has a total of nine bridges and tunnels to administer to (actually ten if you consider the Manhattan span of the Triborough Bridge a separate crossing), and all of them but one are inter-borough (meaning from one borough to another) except the Cross Bay Bridge, of which both ends are within the borough of Queens). All TBTA crossings are within the city and state of New York. These crossings include those between:
Also, while not within the scope of this website; it should be noted that the TBTA also administered to and operated several other non-parkway / bridge properties, those being the: Jacob Riis Park Parking Field, Brooklyn Battery Garage, East Side Airline Terminal and the New York Coliseum. The TBTA name remains in use and still exists; however, in 1994 it became part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Bridges and Tunnels. It conducts business as ("d/b/a") MTA Bridges & Tunnels in keeping with the unified Metropolitan Transportation Authority theme, i.e.: MTA Transit (NYC Subways), MTA LIRR (Long Island Rail Road), MTA MNCR (MetroNorth Commuter Railroad), etc. The TBTA used three methods of toll collection after 1976:
Henry Hudson Bridge Toll Booth
Locations
March 15, 1987 - One Way Tolling at
Verrazano Narrow Bridge
While tolls for most of the bridges and tunnels of the TBTA were collected in both directions; commencing in April 1, 1986 tolls would be collected one way (eastbound / towards Staten Island) only at the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. In 1985, U.S. Representative Guy V. Molinari (R-Staten Island) co-sponsored a bill that would require the MTA (parent agency for the TBTA) to institute one way only collection of the toll at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge's and for the Staten Island-bound direction only. This bill was a result of Staten Island residents complaining about pollution from idling vehicles waiting to pay their respective tolls, and of which during rush hour; could stretch two to three-miles along the Staten Island Expressway. In December of that same year, the United States House of Representatives passed a bill that prohibited the MTA from collecting tolls from Brooklyn-bound vehicles, under penalty of a loss of highway funding. The following article was published in the December 24, 1985 edition of the New York Times: "The people who run the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge announced today that, under orders from the Federal Government, they would begin collecting tolls in only one direction on the bridge on or about April 1. According the TBTA Toll Tariff sheets, one way tolling actually begun on March 15, 1987. The MTA now charged a $3.50 toll for Staten Island-bound vehicles rather than charging a $1.75 toll in both directions. This $3.50 seemed especially punitive as an already and previously scheduled fare increase in January 1986 also took place, which had seen the toll raised from $1.50 to $1.75. Which each subsequent raise in toll rates, added double the burden at this particular crossing. Yes, people traveling in both directions received a free pass on the Brooklyn-bound leg of their journey, but many motorists as well as commercial vehicles traveling one way westbound, were burdened with an extra high toll that could not be recouped on a return trip. December 1, 2020 - Return to
Bi-directional Tolling at the Verrazano Narrows Bridge
With
the advent of
cashless electronic tolling, as well as "cleaner" vehicles,
and as the one way "cash" cost for a standard automobile to
cross the Verrazano Bridge was now $19.00 as
it had become in 2019; public outcry became loud enough to
demand legislative action to split the toll to bi-directional again.
Pollution from standing vehicles was not longer issue as it had been,
as cashless tolling allows for vehicles to be scanned at speed and
sending a bill to the registered address of the vehicle owner, as
E-ZPass users had been doing for decades prior.For the record, this $19.00 toll has the distinction of being the highest toll charged for crossing a bridge or tunnel in the United States (The Chesapeake Bay Bridge - Tunnel came in second place at $15.00 each way). The change back to two-way tolling was accomplished through a new bill passed in Congress in 2019, that had been sponsored by first-term U. S. Representative Max Rose (D-Staten Island). Taking effect December 1, 2020; drivers who use the Brooklyn-Staten Island span will pay $6.12 each way with an E-ZPass, instead of the current $12.24 to enter Staten Island, but will no longer have a free ride to Brooklyn. Staten Island residents will pay $2.75 both ways, and cars without an E-ZPass will be charged with a $9.50 toll by mail. At the time of first publishing this website in October 2019; the only paper issues that I had encountered for the Triborough Bridge & Tunnel Authority, were IBM style punch card tickets from the 1963 and an empty booklet cover from about the mid-1980's. When I contacted the Triborough Bridge & Tunnel Authority, my request worked its way through the chain of command, and landed on the desk of Ms. Nellie Hankins, assistant archivist of the TBTA. With her continuous and in-depth assistance, I was able to compile the following list of scrip and token issues and usage dates over the decades, as well as internal data regarding the procurement (contract issuance, ordering, deliveries) of later issues of scrip. Also, it should be noted; the naming of the scrip issues (First, Second, Third, et al) are not official TBTA terminology; but names I have associated with the various designs to more easily identify and categorize the various issues. "First" and "Second" Issues all appear to be printed by the Elliott Ticket Company of New York. The "Third" Issue or "Univac" Series, were printed by either Univac, IBM, Osceola Graphics and a possible fourth yet unknown printer. Examples of the "Fourth" Issue (large barcode) are known to have circulated but printer(s) are unknown. The "Fifth" and "Sixth" Issues, while known are printed by a currently unknown printer. Upon the absorption of the Queen Midtown Tunnel into the Triborough agency in 1946, the name of the agency was changed from Triborough Bridge Authority, to the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority. Therefore, all tickets bearing the new entity's name were issued no earlier than 1946. All denominational tickets of the First and Second Series appear to share the same dimensions: 3 7/16" L x 2" W, with the exception of the Garage & Servicing Ticket seen immediate below and of which appears to be larger format. It also appears at this time that all First and Second Series denominational tickets were printed by the Elliott Ticket Company. Also, when referring to First, Second and Third Series of scrip; one will find there were many denominations of tickets issued, due to the fact that the TBTA had a somewhat elaborate (and likewise confusing) toll schedule. Originally, the Triborough, Bronx Whitestone, Throgs Neck Bridges and Queens Midtown Tunnel (Major Crossings) were a higher rate than the Cross Bay, Marine Parkway and Henry Hudson Bridges (Minor Crossings). When the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel opened in 1950; this crossing was charged at a higher rate than the pre-existing Major crossings, despite being a "Major Crossing". Then, when the Verrazano Narrows Bridge opened in 1964, the tolls for that crossing were set even higher than those for the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. So in effect, the TBTA had a "four tier" toll schedule. And like other crossings around the United States, the toll amounts increased proportionally in relationship to the size of the vehicles; motorcycles were cheapest, then the two axle passenger automobiles, into two axle motor trucks (were assessed their rate based on weight: under 2 tons, 2 to 5 tons, and over 5 tons) through 5 axle (or more) tractor trailers. What this means for TBTA crossings, is that toll rates were actually shared by one type of vehicle at one crossing, and a different vehicle at another; i.e.: a passenger auto at the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel paid 25 cents, the same as 2 axle motor truck over 5 tons at the Cross Bay / Marine Parkway Bridges. This inevitably led to elaborate and lengthy descriptions for the locations of usage as printed on the ticket book covers. These descriptions are evidenced quite well on the Third Series scrip book covers due to the seemingly high survivability of those books. It would not be until 1982, that the three different "Major" crossing fares [TBB, BWB, TNB, QMT] / [BBT] / [VNB] were completely restructured into a "two tier" schedule - all Major Crossings were now charged at the same rate - across all classes of vehicles. This allowed a specific denomination of toll scrip to be redeemed at any or all the Major Crossings by the respective class of vehicle irregardless of the location. In other words; a three axle truck at the Throgs Neck Bridge was the same toll rate as a three axle truck at the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. At this same point in time; the TBTA regulated the sale of the new Major and Minor "List" tokens to passenger cars only, whereas scrip was predominantly sold for commercial vehicle. When the Verrazano Narrows Bridge went to one way tolling (westbound only) in 1987, a driver used two scrip tickets instead of one, however the doubled one-way toll adhered to the single two-way tolls charged at the other Major Crossings, so printing new denominations of scrip was not necessary for payment of the toll at the Verrazano. The following chart is a cross-reference of toll amounts and book denominations shared by the various crossings, from 1961 through 1972.
Unseen as yet, there is the possibility that $1.35, $1.60 and $2.00 tickets may have been issued as well. Special use tickets and resident issues not listed. TBB = Triborough Bridge BWB = Bronx Whitestone Bridge TNB = Throgs Neck Bridge QMT = Queens Midtown Tunnel BBT = Brooklyn Battery Tunnel VNB = Verrazano Narrows Bridge HHB = Henry Hudson Bridge CBB = Cross Bay Bridge MPB = Marine Parkway Bridge  Please remember, and I
cannot stress this strongly enough;
Tickets from earlier issues were redeemable even after a new design issue was released - a new design issue did not render the previous issue void. Therefore various issues were used concurrently. In
1963, a new style of
toll scrip was introduced and circulated: the punch cards.
Some dedicated searching of the world wide web revealed some information on the the toll ticket machines used by the TBTA; from the "VIP Club", a club of retirees from IBM, Remington Rand, Sperry, Univac, Unisys, and other assorted information technology development firms. On page 158 of "UNIVAC PRODUCTS - ST. PAUL A Handbook of Major Products Designed, Developed, and Manufactured a ST. PAUL 16, MINNESOTA; 1947 to 1959" the following is found:
The .75 and $1.00 denomination tickets; do not reflect a printer, but have Univac and IBM style holes. They carry a serial number prefix of UD, and both carry a printing code of P25191R: the 75 cent is P25191R.14 and the dollar is P25191R.16. About 8 months later, I then acquired two books of .10 cent tickets in a $2.00 book and .50 cent tickets in a $10.00 book. Both of these are Univac (round) punchhole only. The 10 cent is P25191R.2 and the .50 cent is P25191R.10 Shortly following the internet publication of this website (like, within hours), George S. Cuhaj submitted two examples of tickets from his collection for inclusion. His two tickets are marked for Univac 25191R.2 (.10 cent) and IBM Z38345 Noting the two different style of punchholes, the Univac style has round punchouts (also known as Hollerith style, after the inventor of punch cards, Herman Hollerith), while the IBM style has rectangular punchouts. These punch cards allowed automatic tabulation and accounting upon issue and upon redemption. There are also tickets using both types of punchholes, so there are three distinct types of punch cards known for the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority: (Cross Bay Bridge). With that, I am now able to determine the type of machines used for toll collection.
And while
punch cards are commonly
thought of as mid-Twentieth Century technology, use of punched cards
for tabulation actually dates back as far as 1896.
Even I have to admit, I originally thought that the TBTA punch cards may be a circa 1950's issue. However, this was an incorrect presumption on my part. If the information received from Ms. Hankins of the TBTA archives is correct (and I have no reason to suspect otherwise), the all Univac are the first issued punch cards, first issued in 1963; and the Univac / IBM are from circa 1970. She did not specify when the all IBM card were issued; but I can presume with IBM's acquisition of it competitors and its growing monopoly in the office machine / accounting world, the IBM style tickets appeared last, 1973. Tabulating the known printing codes and serial number prefixes reveals the following:
Also, as more booklet covers begin to be seen, we can observe the complex assignment of values to various classes of vehicles at differing locations. Generally speaking, tolls at tunnels cost more than bridges, and the Verrazano being the newest crossing, was priced higher than other crossings. It made for a very confusing system and as you can see, the list of applicable locations on the .50 cent booklet cover takes up the entire cover. All punch cards are single sided with a beveled bottom right corner and all appear to be uniform in size and thickness: 3 3/8" (width) - 2 13/16" (height) - 0.0075" (thickness).
In regards to the following cover for the Cross Bay Bridge / Veterans Memorial Bridge (which is for the ticket above); my internet research has not revealed what year "Veterans Memorial" was added to the name. Knowing this, would definitely give a fair approximation of the issue date. Since the Marine Parkway Bridge is overstamped on the booklet cover, can we therefore conclude this booklet was issued soon after 1937 when the Marine Parkway Bridge was built, until new tickets including the bridge could be printed? But, I also took note that this issue has 5 digit zip codes listed for neighborhoods in Rockaway: 11691
-
Bayswater 11692 -
Arverne 11693 -
Rockaway Beach 11694 -
Rockaway Park 11695 -
Far Rockaway 11697 -
Roxbury
As the US Post Office Department did not institute the 5 digit zip code until July 1, 1963; I think we may have a better approximation of the issue date of these tickets. I also note that they are called "postal zones" and not zip codes. "Postal zone" was the old nomenclature prior to the 5 digit zip code, so by the combination of the old name and the new 5 digit zip code, I would say these were issued very shortly after July 1963. Confirming this issue date is Ms. Hankins' reply to my inquiry..
Please note:
The next chronological issue of toll payment to be released following the Univac punch cards is technically the token issues; which entered circulation in 1976. These tokens are covered in a separate chapter on this website a little further on and following the scrip, and as I wanted to keep all the paper scrip issues together.
After reading the above memo outlining the new small barcode issue of scrip; and only having a black & white copy, I was feeling like something was missing. I also was feeling a little creative, so with a little work with Picasa image editor and MS Paint, I have come up with an graphic approximation of what the "Fifth series" small barcode tickets should appear like, based on the colors listed in the above memo. When referencing the March 1989 ticket book order form, there is a row to order $2.50 denomination tickets. It is believed a $2.50 ticket as well as a $6.50 denomination was issued in 1989 (and after the above memorandum was issued); with the $2.50 replacing the $2.00 denomination (Class 1 Major Crossings), while the $6.50 was issued for Class 8 Minor Crossings. However this is not confirmed at this time and if they were, colors are not known. Unfortunately, I have yet to see the back of an actual ticket. Therefore, at this time it is believed but not confirmed; that the issues shown below could be used by both passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Ticket dimensions are not known at this time, but appear to be proportionate to that of the Sixth Series as seen in the next chapter below.
According to a study performed by the firm URS for the TBTA: "HISTORY AND PROJECTION OF TRAFFIC, TOLL REVENUES AND EXPENSES and REVIEW OF PHYSICAL CONDITIONS Of the Facilities of TRIBOROUGH BRIDGE AND TUNNEL AUTHORITY - April 29, 2005"; it states on page 14: "Over the years, various discount programs have been introduced. In March 1987, the Staten Island Carpool Program was initiated. Staten Island residents were offered 30-round trip coupons for vehicles with three or more occupants at a discounted price of $30.00. This program was revised to 24 coupons for $30.00 in July 1989, to 24 coupons for $42.00 in May 2003, and to 24 coupons for $54.00 in March 2005." With
this information, the first two dates (March 1987 and
July 1989) fall into the usage era of the Fifth Series. While the VNB
Carpool tickets mentioned for this issue has not yet been seen, it can
be presumed to be similar to the approximate design:
 "Sixth" Series "double denomination" Issues - ca. 1994 to 9/30/2017 (and final issue?) Visual examination of the tickets in this series,
reflect
all denominational issues are orange, with the TBTA seal security
underprint. In the center of each note, is an unprinted white rectangle
which contains the serial number in barcode format. It is presumed the
barcode is UV reflective, but this is not confirmed. I also noticed,
that the denomination of each note is now carried in two locations on
the face: on the bottom approximately left of center, and on the right
edge of the note oriented vertically.
It is pertinent to understand, that the orange denominational issues shown below were restricted to commercial vehicles with a gross vehicle weight, exceeding 7,000 pounds. They were not for use by passenger cars. The Major and Minor "List" Tokens remained in use for passenger vehicles until 1998; at which time cash and EZPass became the methods toll payment used. As previously stated, the Verrazano Narrows Carpool ticket is green, the Special ticket is slate gray and the Garage & Servicing Randall's Island ticket is lilac / lavender. But perhaps the most interesting issue for this series is undoubtedly the New York Militia ticket. It is printed in a desert camouflage style and without the repeating TBTA seal. In research for this website, I located an image of half of a ticket that appeared on the cover of a New York Naval Militia newsletter. I made a request to the New York Naval Militia for a scan of the whole ticket was denied (despite their being no longer in use or valid for redemption). So again, with a little time and effort in MS Paint, I recreated a close approximation of its appearance. All ticket dimensions are 3 3/4" L x 2 5/32" W, stubs are 15/32" wide. Booklet covers are 4 1/4" L x 2 5/32" W, with black adhesive cloth binding.
.
According to a study
performed by the firm URS for the TBTA:
"HISTORY AND PROJECTION OF TRAFFIC, TOLL REVENUES AND EXPENSES and
REVIEW OF PHYSICAL CONDITIONS Of the Facilities of TRIBOROUGH BRIDGE
AND TUNNEL AUTHORITY - April 29, 2005"; it states on page 14:
"Over the years, various discount programs have been introduced. In March 1987, the Staten Island Carpool Program was initiated. Staten Island residents were offered:
So we now know to possibly be on the look-out for at least four different covers of books. The two booklets I have, are both 24 tickets, and neither are marked for denomination. It is unknown if the individual ticket design changed within. If there is a method to determine when a particular book was issued, based on the data on the cover; I have unfortunately not figured how to decipher this. With this above information, and if the large bar code design of the Fourth series hold true for all issues; the first two (March 1987 and July 1989) VNB carpool tickets mentioned for this issue has not yet been seen (the elusive Fourth Series), but presumed to be similar to the Fifth Series design which has a smaller barcode. I had been hoping that at some point, an issue of TBTA scrip would appear that would correspond to the empty booklet cover I have in my collection. The ticket stubs in my booklet have backs of light green security printing consisting of a repeating TBTA seal. Under the glued black binding of front and rear covers, is 06-2109B-560 (A), and on the front of each of the 24 remaining stubs is 06-1X09-B570 and VN-CAR. I had therefore concluded this was a commutation booklet for passenger cars for Verrazano Narrows Bridge. But what did the tickets look like??? As I processed the images contained within the emails from Ms. Hankins to use here, and as I saw the denominational issues (shown above) were orange in color for most of the scrip, I was growing worried I may never find the answer to my quest. That was, until I saw the V. N. Carpool ticket. Green! So, I can now confirm visually that tickets went into my booklet: VN-CAR = VN Carpool. And it is refreshing to know I was correct - for once! ☻ The second two tickets for May 2003 and March 2005 (as mentioned in the above study); are represented by the Sixth Series issues as shown below. However, as of February 2023, I now know of two different printing varieties of tickets; those in which the word "carpool" is spelled as one word, and those where it is spelled as two words: "car pool". In February 2023; Tom Conklin, unknowingly initiated the discovery of this second variety. As Tom is a stalwart friend and fellow numismatist and collector; he became aware through a former neighborhood acquaintance that she had four VN Carpool toll tickets for sale; and of which remained from her years as a Staten Island resident. He in turn approached me and asked if I would be interested in them, to which of course my answer is almost always a resounding and emphatic "yes". Upon my visually examining the attachment, I took notice that the overall appearance of the four tickets were slightly different from ones in both in my collection and those images furnished by the TBTA archives. It has come to be learned that this lady moved out of Staten Island in 1996. As I know this series design was issued in 1994, this leaves only a two year window in which this lady was able to use the tickets, which was at the very beginning of the use of this design: 1994-1996, and therefore presumably makes it the first variety of the two types seen, with the single word variety coming afterwards. It is most likely a different printer received the follow up contract(s) which resulted in other differences being evident, such as: font, box outline spacing to legend, line spacing between "DO NOT WRITE OR STAMP" and the barcode field, the text size on back of ticket; and the unprinted versus printed ticket stubs Furthermore, it should be recognized that the VN Carpool Tickets were now the only scrip issue to be utilized by passenger cars during the era of Sixth series scrip usage. Staten Island Resident tokens were available to non-carpooling residents of Staten Island, as were the Rockaway Resident tokens for that demographic. All other passenger vehicles used EZPass and cash, until such time that cash tolls were eliminated upon the institution and incremental phase in of "Tolls By Mail", starting on November 20, 2016 and completed on September 30, 2017.
Shown here are the other special issues of scrip that pertain to the Sixth Series:
As
far as it is known, the "Sixth" Series of TBTA scrip was the
last series of scrip tickets
to
be printed and issued by the Triborough Bridge & Tunnel
Authority;
presumably as a result of the expanding success of E-ZPass RFID units
and Tolls By Mail.
. . A Seventh Issue? Or just a reorder of
the Sixth Issue?
However, in my frequent search of the web for toll related items, I came across this document on July 5, 2022, regarding the furnishing and delivery of bar coded toll tickets for the TBTA. Normally, this would not be be anything of great importance until one looks at the date of the request: 1/26/2016. As open tolling was enacted within a few months (November), it seems superfluous to be ordering toll tickets, as there will not be toll collectors at the crossings to even accept the tickets.  So, upon my locating that document, I once again inquired of Ms. Hankins, my ever faithful contact at the TBTA. She was able to confirm the order as well as provide winning contracts in archived bid results;
The following questions now arise:
"It looks like it was a contract to print a mix of tickets for various types of vehicles (Parks, TBTA vehicles, militia, SI carpool) when ordered in the future, but not an actual order for tickets. I don’t have access to the invoices so I couldn’t say how many were ordered, but obviously we did go to Open Road Tolling shortly afterwards. Booklet quantities were to be either 24 or 40. Unfortunately samples were not included in the project files!" This research also led to the following similar document which concerns the previous order of scrip in 2012 as well of which the same questions above apply. However this does answer the question of who printed the scrip in 2012!
. Beginning on November 20, 2016; "Cashless Tolling" also known as "Tolls By Mail" would be phased in, incrementally:
With the final crossings being converted September 30, 2017, there are no more toll collectors to issue change or receipts or take scrip; and TBTA / MTA Bridges & Tunnels are now strictly an electronic tolling and billing system. However, it is to my understanding that the New York Guard still uses their scrip; albeit, which is now manually submitted to the MTA with a corresponding printout of E-ZPass charges showing the toll passage(s), and therewith for the MTA to credit back to the service member. The New York Guard is a state militia that augments the National Guard (which is federally administered). Not every state has its own guard; but twenty states do, as well as Puerto Rico. 
The following is a tabulation of scrip tickets known to have been issued by the Triborough Bridge & Tunnel Authority after its formation in 1946. This tabulation does not include scrip issued by the predecessor entity "the Triborough Bridge Authority", which may be seen on Page 3 of this website. Also, please be aware there may be unaccounted for issues and the compilation may not be complete. This table was compiled using both visually confirmed tickets, as well as those listed on order forms. Issue dates are not known for certain and some questions remain as to the yet unseen Fourth Series: It is unknown if the Intra-Governmental Order used Fourth Series scrip, Fifth Series scrip or a special scrip. It is assumed they were comprised of Fourth Series as several issues were denominated in fractions of a dollar, that match denominations of the Fourth Series, (albeit with additional denominations of $6.00 and $9.00 and the omission of others); and while the Fifth Series consisted of almost all whole dollar amounts. Non-public issues as listed below was reserved to city employees on official business in their personal vehicle or city owned vehicles. In regards to the Third issue, there are three types of ticket reading systems: Univac (round holes only), Univac / IBM (round and rectangular holes) and IBM (rectangular holes only). According to the 1984 Tariff Bulletin, tickets in lieu of tokens were issued for Rockaway Residents between the dates of January and October 1979. Rockaway Peninsula residents were able to purchase 40-ticket books for $10.00 for use of the Cross Bay Bridge. The tariffs also state beginning in June 16, 1980, the Rockaway Resident reduced rate tickets were sold at $20.00 for 40 tickets (equaling .50 cent per trip) These tickets were implemented on along with the 75 cent cash tolls on the Cross Bay and Marine Parkway Bridges. Also of particular note, is an experiment from June 1981 through April 18, 1982, where tolls on the Cross Bay and Marine Parkway Bridges were collected at double the one-way rate in the southbound direction only.
Loose TBTA Tokens are the most common issues out of all of the toll memorabilia. At any given time, you can find dozens if not hundreds of individual circulated examples for sale on eBay. Minimally to uncirculated tokens and early intact rolls or wrappers are another matter. Intact rolls of the smaller later issues (1987 and newer - rolls of 9 10, or 11) of "the List" tokens (NY630BC and BD) however appear very frequently, and can also be found regularly on eBay. The older, larger quantity rolls however are seldom seen; and to date. Furthermore, I have not encountered a single "plastic bag of 20 tokens" as mentioned in the 1976 newspaper article. When you consider the fact that as the tolls increased from the point where a single dime or quarter would no longer cover the toll, increasing amounts of individual coins were needed to pay the collector (two quarters, two quarters and a dime, three quarters, etc. or the time it required to make change from currency. These transactions took longer and traffic built up at the tolls. By having tokens denominated in the basic fares for the Triborough Crossings and already prepackaged in rolls, was expected to alleviate this lag time at the toll booths; and it did. As it is stated in the Hearings before the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation of the Committee on Public Works and Transportation; House of Representatives - Ninety-Fifth Congress; (September - October 1977) "In
June, 1976, TBTA introduced exact-toll tokens in an effort to reduce
congestion at its seven bridges and tunnels within New York City. So, with that little blurb; we now know when the "Wheel" tokens first entered service and circulation. But the planning for the use of the tokens actually goes back as far as at a board meeting taking place in May, 1973. Samples of tokens were handed out at a subsequent board meeting in January 1976, when they (the board) approved the original commutation rate, which was just free passage with the purchase of 20 tokens. With a little more digging; I happened across this rather lengthy article in the New York Times; which contains quite a bit of information regarding the earliest of token issues: the .50, .75 and 1.00 and the Toll Collectors strike that occurred shortly after their release:  Takeaways from this article reveal the following:
It is assumed the reporter is referring to the $1.00 tokens (twenty x $1.00 = $20.00). There would be no advantage for the motorist in paying more than face value for twenty 75 cent (worth $15.00) and twenty 50 cent tokens (worth $10.00). Again, the only discount per se, for purchasing the 20 packs of tokens was a free token at the time of purchase of the pack of the 20 of either of the denominations. .
Six months ago from June 1976 would be December 1975. This would correspond with the 1975 date in the Atwood Coffee catalog for these tokens, which in actuality is now understood as an order date, not an issue date. It now remains to be learned whether it was 500,000 for all three varieties (166,666 each denomination) or 500,000 of each denomination. Somehow, 166,666 tokens does not seem like to be enough to cover all the crossings in New York City at once. 166,666 tokens = 8,333 packs of 20 token plus loose? But, as Ms. Hankins points out: "the market share initially was very low, because keep in mind that cash and tickets were still being accepted. By July, 1977 token use was only at 8%." .
.
While it remains unknown for certain, Roger Williams Mint was located in Massachusetts and Rhode Island; and Scovill Manufacturing was in Waterbury, Connecticut. Both of these were located in New England, along with other manufacturers. Hopefully in the near future we will be able to determine exactly which manufacturer produced these issues.. As
more documents are furnished to me by Ms. Hankins (the
TBTA archivist), several interesting facts come to light:
As stated in the 1982 and 1984 Tariff Sheets accompanying bond structuring, it is learned that after the initial release of the .50, .75, and $1.00 "Wheel" tokens in 1976, sales of these tokens was discontinued May 19, 1980 at the Henry Hudson, Cross Bay and Marine Parkway Bridges. It is also learned from these documents that $10.00 booklets of 40 tickets (25 cents per trip) was used for the Rockaway Residents between in January and October 1979; followed by the $20 booklets of 40 tickets (50 cents per trip) was used for Rockaway Residents from June 16, 1980. These tickets were used in conjunction with the tokens which were apparently used for non-residents. Furthermore, from June 1981 through April 18, 1982; tolls at the Cross Bay and Marine Parkway Bridges were doubled in the southbound (to Rockaway) direction only on an experiment basis. .
All told there are a total of twelve known
token designs falling into four major design styles of TBTA token issues:
These are informal names that I have assigned to them to identify and discuss them easier. The "Wheel" design is the first issue, and released in June 29, 1976. They are seen in three denominations: 50 cent (brass plated), 75 cent (copper plated) and 100 cent (1 dollar) (white metal plated), with several subtypes of the 75 cent token being known: thin border rim, thick border rim, small letter, large letter and a solid brass. Some of these variants may not be intentional design changes (with the exception of the solid brass issue), but a result of contracting with different manufacturers over time. All "Wheel" tokens, except for one (the solid brass employees issue) are manufactured using powdered iron and cupro-nickel powders that are then sintered under high heat and pressure (but not fully alloyed), then plated. They all carry the splayed leg 'M' logo of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. As this logo was adopted for use in 1968, tokens bearing this logo were logically issued after this date. While the Atwood-Coffee catalog attributes the earliest issue date as 1975, the newspaper article and internal documentation from the TBTA archives confirms June 29, 1976 as the first time the tokens were released for circulation to the public. Therefore, the date listed in the Atwood-Coffee is believed to be the manufacturing date. The manufacturer is unknown at this time. There are several common factors shared among all four series of TBTA tokens: 1) all TBTA tokens are medallion orientation;
Tokens illustrated below are
shown larger than actual size
(unless otherwise noted) for detail but are scaled the same for size
comparison.
An example of NY630AU (50 cent) in my collection, as well as others seen; appears to be red brass, as they are more reddish brown in color and not golden yellow as other brass tokens are. It is postulated, that the different sized tokens for each denomination were designed in this manner for automatic discrimination and sorting, by passing through progressively larger sorting screens. This aided in the use of automatic sorting and rolling machines. The smallest token (50) would drop first, followed by the next largest, the 75; and finally the 100. Most of the TBTA tokens above are commonly seen in heavily circulated conditions and are available for purchase via online auction or websites. Minimally circulated tokens carry a premium. Unless gold plated, stamped Tiffany & Co and made into cuff links (I'm being facetious), you should not expect to nor should you pay more than a few dollars for each, price commensurate on condition. Following those tokens above, came the next tokens issued: the revised .75 cent token. NY630AZ - What was its purpose? This token retains the cupro-nickel - iron composite core, and of which is magnetically receptive like the original AV issue; however it is now 29mm in diameter (instead of 26mm) and is without the copper plating. This token is assigned Atwood-Coffee catalog number NY630AZ. Despite being of larger diameter than the first it is the same thickness. And, there are two known varieties of this token: 3.5 mm TBTA letter height and 4.0 mm TBTA letter height. It is believed that the two varieties of NY630AZ: the 3.5mm TBTA letter height and 4mm TBTA letter height, are the result of die variants as they appear to have been manufactured and circulated concurrently. These subtle variations could also be the result of a "split" production order, i.e.: two different manufacturers. As we saw with the very first NYCTA subway token back in 1953; so many tokens were needed so quickly, one manufacturer could not meet the demand; so more than one manufacturer was contracted for production. And, as we see in that case of the NYCTA tokens; there are subtle die variations that are evident as well: the interpunct (the dots between letters) size, the milling design and the spacing of that design to the edge of the token. Each token manufacturer can be identified by the known variations. So it is entirely plausible that the different letter heights reflect two different manufacturers. Unfortunately at this time, no information is available as to why the token design was changed from the AV to AZ. Nothing regarding a new design appears to be mentioned in newspaper articles, (with exception to the release of the M1.00 token in 1980). Just as frustrating, research by Ms. Hankins (TBTA archivist) has not turned up anything in regards to internal documents as of 3/22/2023. Please note: in the table below the original 75 cent design is shown at top for comparison to both varieties of the revised token.
Of the hypotheses above, the first one is the more likely of the two; for the simple reason that this New York Times articles below relates. The dating of the article and the known date of the introduction of the 29mm token go hand in hand. However, any one of the above hypotheses contain potential contradictions and complications for their implementation. We know from the December 3, 1977 newspaper article below left; that the $1.00 token was counterfeited as well as the 75 cent. Yet, only the 75 cent is seen in two varieties, with no known variations of the $1.00. Why would the 75 cent token be revised to prevent counterfeit usage and not the $1.00? A possible explanation: the $1.00 token was only used at the Verrazano Bridge, while the 75 cent tokens was used all the five other Major Crossings (the Triborough, Bronx -Whitestone and Throgs Neck Bridges, as well as the Queens Midtown and Brooklyn Battery Tunnels.) "Staking out" the Verrazano toll booths to catch counterfeit token usage was significantly easier, rather than five crossings. Let us postulate for a moment that the introduction of the NY630AZ was the reason to combat the counterfeits. How would the TBTA remove the 26mm NY630AV? Such a change would be problematic, as it would have required removal of all the 26mm tokens at once, with either drivers turning in the old 26mm token for the equivalent amount of 29mm tokens. This would have required some form of formal announcement, as we have seen with later issues. While this “trade in” method was used for NYCTA subway tokens, and when a design change was released in correspondence with a raise in fare; it resulted in long wait times in lines to trade in old tokens for new token and the payment of difference in fare. This garnered sufficient angst and public outcry to be featured in the local newspapers each time it took place. As we have not encountered any announcements or recorded outcry in any of the newspapers or documentation in TBTA archives of the trade in of the 26mm token for 29mm TBTA tokens, there is no evidence that such a trade-in took place. Even a slow “phase-in” of the token would have also not solved the issue in a timely manner. It would have meant both the 26mm and the 29mm tokens circulated concurrently and commingled, which is what is understood to have occurred. But if the 26mm tokens were still able to circulate, it would also allow the counterfeited 26mm tokens to be used, defeating the intention of releasing this larger token to stem counterfeiting! So this doesn't seem to be the case either.Furthermore, with this NY630AZ token being released in 1979, this token only would have circulated for about one year at Major Crossings; because in May 1980, the tolls for the Major Crossings toll was raised to $1.00 (all except the Verrazano Narrows Bridge which was already $1.00). After May 1980, the 75 cent tokens would have only been good at the three Minor Crossings. Therefore, it is also possible that the larger 29mm token might have been issued for use at certain crossings, say Cross Bay and Marine Parkway Bridges, with the 26mm being used at the Henry Hudson Bridge. But again, the similarity between the two tokens would have resulted in confusion, and resulted in public outcry and press coverage.So, this makes no sense either. 75 cents is 75 cents, whether at a Major Crossing or a Minor Crossing, so a difference in size would have complicated matters.
So, I purchased a affordable 200 power microscope attachment for my iPhone, and took the tokens to my workbench. Here, I cut segments out of the common tokens, and analyzed them under the 'scope. What I found in some cases was downright astounding. We shall start with “Wheel” token issues. As listed in the Atwood Coffee catalog, these are listed as:
Furthermore, in the Atwood-Coffee Fourth Edition - Volume 2 (History &
Encyclopedia) it states: “AU, AV, AW, AZ, BC, BD are not pure steel, but have a magnetic strip impregnated into the token; hence they respond to a magnet but not as vigorously as pure steel.” But, upon my cutting out a segment of the tokens; I learned they are
composed of an iron – cupro-nickel conglomerate; and were respectively plated with brass, copper, white metal or not at all. Furthermore, shavings and filings of each token are magnetically receptive, as is the remaining solid token. This means the material itself is magnetically receptive throughout the entire composition of the token, and is not just a core, plating or embedded magnetic strip as stated in the Atwood Coffee. It should be noted, while most cupro-nickel alloys are non-ferromagnetic, they can be alloyed to be lightly receptive to magnetism. Therefore, simply appearing to be cupro-nickel in nature, is not definitive to its actual composition. In this particular case, this issue of token this must have an additional magnetic receptive metal mixed in, because it is so strongly receptive both throughout and in filings.
Other than the different plating materials to denote color, all four tokens appear to have the same base material. Furthermore, there is no magnetic strip on either the obverse or reverse; so Volume 2 is incorrect on this aspect. Also worth noting, is the AZ types appear to corrode more easily that the AV counterpart. Judging from tonal qualities in the plating or lack thereof, it appears the 75 cent AZ tokens lack the copper plating as seen on the 75 cent AV. Cutting the segments out of the tokens was very easy with an 18 tpi hacksaw blade. Very often, examples of the AZ issue are seen spotted with rust; more so than its previous NY630AV counterpart. From examination of multiple examples both in my collection and those for sale, it appears these tokens appear unplated. The surface of the struck coin appears to be the same color as the composition.When comparing the NY630AV (see below left) to an AZ (below right), the AV appears much more orange-red in color than the AZ, which is more rose gold as seen in the images below. The AV is clearly coated in a thin copper plate, whereas the AZ was left natural.
The image to the right are of the same token issues after both were dipped in the 50% vinegar / 50% peroxide deplating solution for 20 minutes. Now note the difference in color of underlying composition of token compare to the plating on the NY630AV. . .  Originally, when I first compiled and published this website, I thought this token was a yet another reissue of the 75 cent "Wheel" token to replace the NY630AV which was being counterfeited heavily, or the 1.00 NY630AZ. It is now understood to be a complete different and stand alone issue (and not a revision). The 75 cent "Wheel" in brass (the first / original and the revised issues were a conglomerate of metal, but we'll get to that in a moment.) This token, Atwood-Coffee catalog number NY630BK; is non-magnetic whereas its predecessor was. It does however retain the original tokens' 26mm diameter. Being a newly "minted" member of the American Vecturists Association has some perqs, like access to the back issues of "The Fare Box", the AVA monthly journal. In it, I located three mentions of TBTA tokens, but the most informative was located in the August 1996 issue: “Bill Weber showed us three previously unknown tokens, one of which is actually a pass, he was told, for employees of the Triboro [sic] Bridge & Tunnel Authority. As John Coffee was taking description and rubbings of these, I showed him a token like NY 630 AV but in pure brass, which was reportedly used by city vehicles and bridge Authority vehicles to pass thru [sic] a non-revenue gate set up off the side of the toll plaza. Supposedly used 20 years back and no one today recalls it with certainty.” “I showed him a token like the NY 630 AV but in pure brass…” Could he be talking about the NY630BK? Well, I think he is. It's solid brass and looks like the NY630AV. There is not much room for ambiguity there. So at the very least, this brass version was not a revision, but a completely separate issue altogether. Therefore I have corrected this webpage accordingly. This token is not common. An eBay auction in January 2024 offering a lightly damaged example of NY630BK realized $50. Unfortunately, not having a spare NY630BK, and not wanting to cut mine; a dissection and analysis of this token has not taken place. But I did commence on some non-destructive testing. This token is not magnetically receptive on either side and around the full circumference. With such results, it is believed to be a solid brass token with no embedded magnetic receptive strip or receptive conglomerate of metal. Which, is as it is listed in the Atwood Coffee catalogs. What is open for further discussion is the confirmation of this token issues purpose. It makes total sense to have a separate issue for special transit through the tolls. This non-magnetically receptive token would provide for a discriminatory method separating this "official use" issue from the magnetically receptive issues sold to the general public, and would allow passage through the exact change lane, and as non-payment passage through exact change lanes would be tallied as toll evasion. However, as I have documented several issues of TBTA toll scrip (paper issues) dating from the 1990’s back to the 1940’s; that were specifically issued for official vehicles and including TBTA vehicles (and of which can be seen elsewhere on this page). Use of this paper scrip would have required passage through a full service or ‘manned’ lane for the scrip to be turned in, whereas a token would allow use in the exact change lanes (which was developed after the mid-1950’s). But using scrip and tokens? It seems duplicitous. The second issue of TBTA tokens, of which only one denomination is known, the dollar M100 token. The Atwood Coffee catalog lists an issue date of 1980; and fortunately, several area newspapers carried the release, with even a TBTA advertisement showing the new tokens:
It is also with this series that a striped version of the M100 token has first been witnessed, but which is not listed in the Atwood-Coffee Catalog. Matter of fact, no one seems to know anything about this variety. Previous and current Atwood Coffee catalogs do not mention it; and renowned token collector George Cuhaj has never seen it before. Matter of fact, the one in my collection is the only one I have ever encountered. I did inquire of Ms. Hankins (the archivist at the TBTA) and to date, she can find no reference to it in the document archives, and even passing the inquiry along to both the present and the retired Directors of Revenue Operations with their responses (and my comments in parenthesis below): “The tokens were brass tokens with metallic stripes which were used to prevent counterfeiting of tokens. The exterior of the tokens were copper plated, but sometimes the copper plate wore off and exposed the stripes. An interesting discovery is that the issue with black stripes is significantly magnetically receptive; and the regular issue token (without stripes) of this issue which is not magnetically receptive at all. By significantly magnetic, I mean it really grabs my magnetic screwdriver, whereas the other slightly magnetic issues only lightly attract the tip of the screwdriver. And the pull exerted on my magnet increases the closer it comes to the stripes, as opposed to being a uniform pull around the entire token. It is without any doubt, that those stripes themselves have magnetic receptive properties. Looking at the stripes under 200 power magnification, it is now clear the metal is embedded into the token, and not just a baked or sprayed coating as it appears! This embedded strip is like other embedded strip token issues; however the strips on the M100 token are not plated over like the other issues are. Therefore, the metal strips are exposed and are subject to oxidation! Just as the retired Director of Revenue Operations stated to Ms. Hankins above.
So, with this; I have unanswered questions pertaining to this striped issue and that remain to be answered. As the magnetically receptive properties would now provide a "differential" or an alternative to the commonly encountered non-receptive M100 type, it is apparent the TBTA encountered a reason to change the discriminatory methods of this token issue and had the tokens with the embedded steel strips struck. The token issues that immediately followed, are the Major Crossing and Minor Crossing "List" tokens; which are magnetically receptive via an almost identical method, albeit a single 5mm wide embedded strip which was plated over instead of two exposed 4mm strips as seen on this M100 token. So obviously, the TBTA ordered the striped M100 token. The question that now remains - is for what purpose was it intended:
TBTA - CoNY Official Use? With research ever ongoing, I discovered (April 2023) that the solid brass 75 cent "Wheel" token (NY630BK) was created and issued for the purpose of TBTA vehicles and other official City of New York vehicles to used the automatic exact change lanes at toll booths. This discovery took place when reading back issues of "The Fare Box", which is a monthly publication of the American Vecturists Association. In the August 1996 issue, the following can be read:
So, apparently the TBTA issued a special restricted issue "Wheel" token for TBTA and other official City of New York vehicles. Could this striped M100 token be the successor to that issue, when the 75 cent tolls were raised to $1.00? While this seems duplicitous when we are aware of toll scrip issued by the TBTA for the same exact purpose. But, the tokens would allow usage in automatic "exact change" lanes, whereas the driver of an official vehicle with toll scrip would have to wait to surrender that scrip at a full service or "manned" toll lane. And, during rush hours this could mean a 20 to 30 minute wait (or even a longer!) depending on congestion. Anti-Counterfeiting Measure? Now, the following may get a little confusing. This following article raises several questions over two issues of tokens - therefore it can be read in two different chapters on this page and is duplicated for continuity. "The Mexican peso, a coin worth half a cent, has become a $132,000-a-year problem for the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority. The toll machines on the authority's bridges cannot distinguish between the $1.50 tokens they collect and the silver-colored peso. The use of pesos started soon after a new token was introduced with a fare increase in April 1982, authority officials said. Now, about 7,300 pesos are collected from fare machines each month - the equivalent of $11,000 a month in tolls. In an effort to combat the pesos, the authority plans to spend at least $11,600 a month to lease machines designed to distinguish its tokens from slugs, counterfeits and foreign coins." "The peso, for example, is made from nickel and a sliver of silver, while the authority's tokens are solid brass." First, no tokens are known to be marked $1.50. You had 50, 75, 100 "Wheel" tokens, and "M100" tokens. Unless, possibly the "M100" token issue with two black stripes is the $1.50 issue? Second, the "new token introduced in April 1982" would be the Major Crossing and Minor Crossing "List" tokens which were not "solid brass" but copper plated brass. The List tokens were made of brass, that again; were copper plated. But brass and copper have two distinct colors: brass is golden yellow, and copper is orange-red. However, this would not be the first time or the last; a newspaper got the details wrong. Staten Island Residents? It is also possible, that the M100 token with two stripes was created and used to differentiate between regular issue tokens and those that could be purchased by only by Staten Island residents. We do know the "List" tokens were at one time later (January 1, 1986 toll schedule) valued at $1.50:As can be read in the June 23, 1983 issue of the New York Times; New York Governor Mario Cuomo signed legislation the previous day granting residents of Staten Island a 25 cent discount on their toll on the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. This discount was because they had to pay tolls to enter the borough from either New Jersey or Brooklyn, so those residents that worked out of Staten Island, carried an additional financial burden in residing in Staten Island. This legislation and discounted token offered them some minor financial relief, and was only available to those residing in Staten Island. The New York Times article mentions a sticker that had to be applied to their vehicle that entitled them to purchase a pack of 20 special $1 tokens: "Governor Cuomo today signed legislation giving Staten Islanders a special 25-cent discount on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge toll... The takeaway here being: "special $1 tokens". It is therefore possible that the striped variety of the M100 token might have been those special tokens, so the striped magnetically receptive M100 token was for differentiating between regular issue tokens (the copper plated Major "List" tokens), and Staten Island Resident issues? However, this particular hypothesis might be disproved with the following. In March 2023, I located the following article. It states that the existing $1.25 token (the Major Crossing "List" token) would be sold at a even further discount to the Staten Island residents. This new information therefore precludes the use of the striped M100 token above as a Staten Island Resident issue. Furthermore, this is confirmed by the purple printed Resident rolls (of which the 1987 issue is shown below).
As for the resident sticker, I fortunately have an image of that sticker: 
Therefore with that Staten Island Resident roll containing Major List tokens, the usage possibility
of the striped M100 is now eliminated. It is now in all likelihood that the striped M100 token was
an expedient anti-counterfeiting / anti-slug issue - as the magnetic
receptivity of the stripes aided in coin / token discrimination
measures. But, as we will read about this in the coming chapter we will find I was wrong. Should you
desire to skip ahead, please click here.
Unfortunately, and quite frustratingly; nothing so far seems to be reflected in known official documents about this striped M100 token, and again my thoughts are strictly hypothetical. Collectability In terms of collectability, only one striped M100 tokens is known to exist in a collection. If it was in fact a produced and circulated issue, it is expected another may surface in time. But if it is a restricted official use only issue, there would not be many in public hands. And, as employees would turn in unused issues, survivability. If it is a test or specimen issue, then we may never see another like it. Therefore, until another is sold; a value on the striped M100 issue cannot be ascertained at this time, as there is only one known example in private hands. If and when another is encountered , that sale price will establish a value and will be listed here. The third issue of tokens removed the numerical denomination from the reverse of the token and replaced it with a list of crossings that that token could be used at. There are two sizes:
Removing the denomination from the token makes logical sense as by this time, the tolls were now being raised on a frequent basis. By removing the denomination, the same token could be sold regardless of the toll schedules in the future; in similar concept to the present US Postal Service "Forever" stamp. Postage can be raised, but the USPS will not have to print new stamps with a different denomination on them, thereby saving money. And, by having two sizes; the TBTA could accommodate the cost differential between tokens of the Major Crossings and those of the Minor Crossings which cost a lower fare and control location usage. The token obverse retains the TBTA seal. The large "Major Crossing" issue and the smaller "Minor Crossing" issue are now confirmed to have been struck by Roger Williams Mint. And once again, there was publicity regarding the release of these new tokens, and an error:
Chronologically, and even though I have discussed this next newspaper article in the "Wheel" chapter above; we can now expound upon the mentioned "Plague of Pesos" article above, and By 1984, it was obviously now a major issue costing the TBTA a significant amount of money worthy of publicity. As the Mexican one peso coin and TBTA Major Crossing "List" tokens are both 29mm in diameter; therefore diameter could not be used to discriminate between the two, nor could electricity as both were metal. Furthermore, as the peso weighs 9 grams and is 1.91 mm thick, while the TBTA token weighs 8.2 grams and is 1.80 mm thick. These minuscule differences in weight and thickness are not sufficient enough to be used as a reliable discriminatory method, especially so on high use coins / tokens. In either case, by 1984, the proliferation of pesos in the exact change baskets a major issue; costing the TBTA a significant amount of money. A New York Times article dated August 17, 1984; "Plague of Pesos Afflicts Token Machines in City" which publicized the disparaging use of slugs and counterfeits in New York City's token machines: "The Mexican peso, a coin worth half a cent, has become a $132,000-a-year problem for the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority. The toll machines on the authority's bridges cannot distinguish between the $1.50 tokens they collect and the silver-colored peso. The use of pesos started soon after a new token was introduced with a fare increase in April 1982, authority officials said. Now, about 7,300 pesos are collected from fare machines each month - the equivalent of $11,000 a month in tolls. In an effort to combat the pesos, the authority plans to spend at least $11,600 a month to lease machines designed to distinguish its tokens from slugs, counterfeits and foreign coins." "The peso, for example, is made from nickel and a sliver of silver, while the authority's tokens are solid brass." As we learn from the article above, the TBTA turned to metallurgy as a discrimination method. Very little is known about this method. As technology progressed, it is known that electrical resistance is used as a discrimination method, but did this method exist at this time? But one other metallurgy method comes to mind: magnetism. We also see a some of these "List" tokens with a stripe, this being a single 5 millimeter white metal stripe. At first, I thought the stripe was applied over the copper plate, and was to denote Rockaway and Staten Island Resident issues. But a "freak" token I have, got me thinking. The Atwood-Coffee defines this issue as copper plated. I would conclude the underlying token material is brass with copper plating, and the brass is showing through as a result of wear. Nothing surprising there, but: a) Note how the white metal stripe is almost completely worn off from the sunken areas of the obverse (TBTA seal / copper plated side) with remnants of the stripe on the raised rim and letters. Thinking logically would reflect that the stripe would be better protected in the sunken areas and would remain, with the raised areas more prone to rubbing & wear. Yet the opposite has happened. b) In contrast to this, the stripe is sharp and defined on the reverse (list of crossings / brass) side in both raised and sunken areas. c) Logic would also dictate the plating on both sides be evenly wear to almost the same degree. It would also be logical to conclude that if the copper plating wore off, so would have the white metal stripe. Does the white metal stripe adhere better to brass than copper?
So this got me thinking - what if the white stripe was under the copper, and it was the copper plating itself that was wearing off? After finally coming to terms with myself in sacrificing a spare NY630BC (Minor Crossings) token, I conducted a little experiment. Following online instructions for removing copper plate using simple household chemicals, I commenced in doing so: one part 3% Hydrogen Peroxide, two parts White Vinegar (Acetic Acid). After 15 minutes the solution started to very lightly form bubbles on the token. After an hour, the solution took on a light blue tint and the copper plate began to dissolve revealing the white metal stripe and the brass token:
I changed the solution three times over 16 hours. The end result is clear and revealed that the white metal stripe is embedded into the brass stock, and not applied over the copper plate as I originally thought! Therefore a strip of white metal is believed to have been inlaid at the time of rolling the brass stock, and prior to die punching the blank planchets. When I run my finger over the token, I can even feel a joint or transition between the white metal and the brass, where the white metal stripe is higher than the brass. Breaking out my trusty Herter micrometer (pre-WWII Germany), the thickness of the token at the rim is .069", while the overall thickness on the white metal strip at the rim is .072". This means that the combined thickness of the white metal strip is .003" inches thicker than the token. This equates to .0015" higher per side. And the copper plating? Just 5 ten thousandths of an inch at its thinnest (on top of the white metal stripe). This explains why the token wears through first at the stripe on the rim and why the stripe appears before the copper plate is worn off.  all dimensions taken at rim of Minor Crossings NY630BC token rendering: © 2020 P. M. Goldstein As for the composition of the white metal, it appears to be an ever so slightly magnetically receptive stainless steel (ferritic, not austenitic), and as it did not etch and remained polished with a high luster throughout the duration of the acid bath. This magnetic reception would provide a discriminatory method from non-magnetically receptive coins and slugs being used, namely the Peso coin that was plaguing the exact toll collection baskets. So my initial conclusions previously published here were incorrect: a) the stripe was not applied over the copper plate, and therefore b) the stripe could NOT used to identify discount Resident issues, as it would be hidden under the copper plate. Therefore, it is simply an anti-counterfeiting device. And yes; while this is all highly technical for just the average collector, this experiment bears out that the white metal stripe variety of tokens aren't a variety at all, just a more worn example of the tokens. If one watches the online auction listings closely, you will note many tokens have the the metallic stripe in varying degrees of visibility. This is all due to handling. As the copper plating wore off, more and more of the white metal stripe showing through and visible (and not the other way around with the stripe wearing off). Remember, a lot of these tokens were used in automated toll booths with catch baskets; so regular use of said token included being roughly handled, not to mention the TBTA's automated counting and rolling machines. This experiment also explains the existence of that half copper / half brass token in my collection. However it occurred, the copper plate was removed from one side of the token revealing the white metal stripe and the brass. As a result of this experiment, I can now conclude that all the "List" tokens have that white metal stripe embedded, therefore eliminating the need for a variety listing in Atwood Coffee or here. Therefore, I have removed the previously listed stripe variety NY630BCb and NYC630BDb from the table below.
Both issues extremely
common. No more than 50 cents to $1.00 each based on condition.
The fourth and final issue of tokens, the "Residents"; were originally minted to be used concurrently with the general issue "Major List" and "Minor List" tokens. The TBTA issued the "Resident" tokens in 1994: in November for the Staten Island Resident, and a currently unknown month for the Rockaway Residents. As it understood, the reason for minting and issuing these tokens was in response to the growing problem of Staten Island Residents (and likewise to a smaller degree, the Rockaways Residents ) who were purchasing rolls of "Major List" tokens at their deeper discount and reselling them to their acquaintances, friends and co-workers that resided in other boroughs and using other bridges. Since the Staten Island Resident Discounted Rolls (sold only at the Verrazano Narrows Bridge) were using the same exact tokens as the other Major Crossings were using (the “Major List" tokens), the TBTA needed to differentiate between the two issues and thus eliminate this problem. So the “Staten
Island Resident” tokens were struck, and released in November 1993.
These tokens, now brass colored (as opposed to copper) have the following legends on the reverse:
Furthermore, with this new design; a new roll configuration was used and no longer would a Staten Island Resident need to use two tokens at a time. These new tokens and rolls were configured to equal one token = one trip. So, roll quantities were reduced to “9 TOKEN AND THIS TRIP”. The rolls of Staten Island Resident Tokens were only offered for sale only at the full service Verrazano Narrows Bridge toll booths, and only to residents of Staten Island; of whom had to register in the discount program, provide proof of residency in Staten Island and place a sticker in the rear window of their car. Since the Staten Island Resident Tokens were only valid for use at the Verrazano Narrows Bridge; and likewise the Rockaway Resident Tokens only valid for use at the Cross Bay and Marine Parkway Bridges; the Resident Tokens could not be used for payment at any other crossings. This, in one fell swoop; severely curtailed the illegitimate use of tokens by non-residents, which had been sold at deeper discount to residents, then resold illegitimately to non-residents. This is not to say the issue was eliminated in its entirety. Some Staten Island and Rockaway Residents still attempted to purchase the new Resident tokens and resell them to non-resident acquaintances; but it was now significantly easier to catch the scofflaw non-resident user at the particular crossing (the Verrazano Narrows, Cross Bay or Marine Parkway Bridges). With the token itself now being a different design and having different discriminatory methods from the Major List token, it could be used to "trip" the cameras to record the user and their automobiles' license plate and to see if the car had the resident sticker in the window. If the license plate / car was not registered as a Resident, the license plate number was investigated and when caught, the user was issued a summons (or summonses if they were found to be committing the offense frequently and repetitively).
These tokens certainly reduced the quantity of illegitimate
users to a much more manageable problem, and reduced the financial
losses to a more acceptable level. Upon my research, and after my initial email, I received a reply from Gibson Olpp; marketing manager for Osborne Coin (successor to Roger Williams Mint). Made in 1993 for Triborough Bridge & Tunnel Authority Tokens 5,254,000 - 1.095” Staten Island Token 4,246,300 - 0.895” Rockaway Resident Token That is as far back as the records go. So, a little more information never hurts. But, as with most research; one question answered finds one more needs to be asked: Roger Williams Mint lists manufacturing size in SAE (inches) - Atwood-Coffee has them in millimeters.From what I am able to gather by reviewing the toll schedules, and following confirmation from Ms. Hankins; the "Resident" tokens were sold and accepted long after the regular issue "List" token were removed from circulation. The "Resident" tokens remained for sale to said residents because of the specific language as stated in the New York State statute, which provided those residents of Staten Island and Rockaway a discounted token. After the physical tokens stopped being accepted in 2017, said residents were eligible for "e-Tokens" as so called in the schedules. As they are still called "tokens", the letter of the law is upheld. These last two token issues were finally withdrawn from use; first at Cross Bay and Marine Parkway Bridges on April 30, 2017; and by September 30, 2017 at the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. . . As with the other issues of tokens, I commenced on a detailed analysis of the composition of these tokens. There were surprises as we will discuss.
Footnotes: weights by author via OHaus triple beam Series 700. In regards to collectability, the Resident Tokens are more readily seen in much better conditions than that of their previous issue counterparts, as they only issued for approximately 4 years and despite having been circulated for 13 years. However they are a little scarcer in my opinion. Higher grade examples should not cost you more than $10 each. 
While
the individual tokens are nice to collect and display so as to admire
the design, it is the roll and / or wrapper that is the essence of
history. While individual tokens are seen plentifully for sale, intact
rolls - especially of the earlier issues - are another matter.
Since the same token may have been used for different values over it history, it is pertinent to the serious collector to know which denominations of rolls are rightly associated with that toll period / dates of usage. Only patience (which I suffer from a deficiency of) is needed to fill in the gaps of which rolls were used when. As research into this subject continues, more and more roll and pack quantities come to light. To date, we are now aware of rolls of 8, 9, 10, 11, 19 and 20 and packs of 5, 10 and 20; but keep in mind, not all rolls or packs existed at the same time and some were sold concurrently with others. But it is only until the roll or wrapper appears, that we can we actually visualize which was used where, and when. It has to be kept in mind, that the intent of the tokens were not to permit or control admittance to the bridges or tunnels, as the subway tokens were used to gain admittance to the subway. The intent of the TBTA tokens were to encourage prepayment and speed in paying the toll for regular commuters and toll users by using the exact change lanes, and thereby reducing congestion and dwell time at the manned toll booths. To further encourage the use of the tokens (and in allowing the agency to hold your money in advance); token rolls (as well as books of scrip) were later offered at a discount, to include the toll payment due at that moment of passage. When token rolls were first issued; you rolled up to the toll booth in your car and the cash toll was 50 cents; you could hand the toll clerk a $10 bill, and say "a roll". You would get in return: a roll of 20 tokens, a free passage through the toll at that trip, maybe a smile; and away you drove. The next time through the toll booth, you could use the exact change lane and slowly drive through without actually stopping; throwing a token into the basket of the automatic machine, saving time. Upon seeing the usage of tokens was not what was anticipated; the TBTA decided to offer a small discount with the purchase of the roll of tokens, under the normal cash toll rate. This took place on tokens roll sales after April 19, 1982. At this juncture, the cash toll was $1.20 and when you purchased a roll of tokens 20 tokens, you paid $22.00, which equated to $1.10 per token and saving 15 cents per trip. And so, in consideration of purchasing that roll of tokens in advance, your toll fare was now discounted. And that passage at the moment of purchase would be discounted as well. It should be known that the discounted price of token rolls varied over time and was not set to one fixed amount due to several factors, whereas the toll scrip was fixed to a 20% discount. The factors determining the token discount were:
As a result of these variables, my calculations reflect that over the years the discount varied between 5% up to 44% for the Resident issues. The following table is a comparison of cash (full fare) tolls, regular discount token amounts, the discount percentage and the roll wrapper seen for that period of time. It should be noted that while there only twelve different token designs; by way of the ever increasing toll rate, there are many more configurations of rolls known than there are token types.
Incomplete historical accounting for Staten Island and Rockaway Residents
.Unfortunately, there is some ambiguity regarding the roll quantities and roll denominations for Staten Island as well as Rockaway Residents. While the tariff sheets reflect what the per trip amount to the Staten Island or Rockaway Resident was for that period, it does not specify the quantity of tokens in the roll nor a roll amount. Otherwise if one of the two amounts were listed, I could extrapolate the amounts. Adding to the confusion, is that upon the release of E-ZPass, applicable Broad Channel residents using the Cross Bay Bridge and of whom registered their license plates with the TBTA and enrolling in the EZPass program; were accorded a rebate on their tolls, amounting to what I comprehend as free passage. This applied to Broad Channel residents only. Residents from other parts of the Rockaways, still paid the Rockaway Resident fare. This took place from 1998 through 2010. Since this website only concerns itself with pre-EZPass tolling methods, this could be overlooked without issue. But, questions still remain regarding Resident Token use for several years.
Even more strange is that there are two bridges to get to Broad Channel: to enter from the north and Howard Beach, one must cross the free Joseph P. Addabbo Memorial Bridge, which is administered to by the New York City Department of Transportation. But Howard Beach is three miles away. To get to Broad Channel from the south and point in Rockaway, which is only 1 mile away; one must cross the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge. This is the toll bridge. Why is one bridge operated by one agency and tolled, while the other is free and operated by another agency? Furthermore, this is the only TBTA toll location that it is also contained within the same borough: Queens; which makes it intra-borough. All other TBTA crossings are inter-borough (connecting two or more boroughs). Returning to the toll issues, there is no lengthy discourse to explain at this time and therefore and this chart will be updated as information is discerned. Also, as we are only discussing the Rockaway Resident discounts, the amounts for the Henry Hudson crossing are omitted for simplicity. On another note, the color of the text for that entry is color coded to the roll color or ticket issue.
. When token packaging first began in June 1976; the .50, .75 and 1.00 "Wheel" tokens were stated to have been packaged in plastic bags containing 20 tokens. To date, tokens in these plastic bags or images of same, have not been encountered. But rolls with the paper wrappers have been documented. The only "consideration" in purchasing a roll at a time was a free trip given at time of purchase with each package (for a total of 21 trips). But the purchase of the roll itself was not discounted. As a result, the cumulative discount calculated was minimal: around 5% (21 trips for the price of 20). Thanks to George Cuhaj, I now own wrappers for most of those rolls. Then in March of 2023, I acquired the following partial roll (twelve) .75 cent "Wheel" tokens still with their original wrapper from (where else?), eBay. The appearance of this roll and wrapper design contains the 26mm copper plated "Wheel" tokens. It should be noted, I had previously concluded that this "interposed" triangles wrapper was for the 29mm 75 cent "Wheel" token rolls issued in 1979, but obviously this was an incorrect conclusion on my part, and this chapter has been amended to reflect such.
On a whim, I reproduced the .50 cent and 1.00 Wheel wrappers and filled them with the appropriate issue of tokens, so keep in mind those "complete" rolls that appear below are re-creations, not authentic, but that .75 cent partial roll is as original and authentic as can be! So, this discovery now leaves me with the question; did the 29mm .75 cent Wheel token retain the same wrapper design as its 26mm predecessor as seen below, or does an as yet unseen wrapper design exist?
This following article dates December 5, 1981 reflects that the experimental one way tolling at the Rockaway crossings was extended by 90 days. So, by that article, published in December 1981 and adding three months (90 days) brings us chronologically to February 1982. As we know the the tolls were raised on April 19, 1982 - this leaves the question whether double tolls were collected in the interim period (February to April 18, 1982) or two way tolling returned for this period, and as we known the experiment was no longer in effect by the April 19, 1982 toll schedule. As discussed above, this 29mm token was issued in 1979, and I have not yet encountered a roll with those tokens to discern whether the wrapper from the 26mm tokens was retained or a different design was used for the new size. Hopefully time will tell. . I was fortunate enough to acquire two different rolls at the same time of the M100 tokens, each unique on their own. One is red printing and has images of the tokens adorning the wrapper. The other, containing the same tokens, is printed in blue and without the token images. These rolls of 20, like the "Wheel" rolls in the above chapter; were only sold with a free trip at time of purchase. There was no discount per se in the price of the trip. At this time, I am unsure of which wrapper was issued first or at the same time. I would surmise that the more ornate red wrapper was issued first; then simplified. As the NY630BA tokens were issued August 23, 1980; we at least know the earliest date these rolls would have been issued. The question remains, does the blue wrapper denote a change in value and was issued when the cost of the tokens as raised to $1.25? In any case, it is currently thought (by me) the latest these rolls would have been issued is presumably 4/18/1982 when the NY630BD copper plated "List" tokens were released.
.. . . The next issue of tokens issued after the above tariff schedule and the Wheel tokens, would be these shown below: 20 tokens for $22. The wrapper does not specify an additional trip; so a free trip may have accompanied the purchase, as seen with the "Wheel" Token Rolls, but it is not believed so.. This roll issue would be the first for the Major Crossing "List" tokens - NY630BD which were released for this tariff schedule on April 19, 1982. As with the previous issues of rolls, these were packaged in rolls of 20, and a free trip upon purchase.
Presently unseen, but expected to exist are rolls of 20 tokens for $26.00 ($1.30 each) and rolls of 20 tokens for $24.00 for Staten Island Residents. These rolls are expected to exist because of the following advertisement released by the TBTA for the upcoming January 3, 1984 toll tariff: From "20 tokens and a free trip" to "19 AND THIS TRIP" Continuing with the NY630BD copper plated "List" token; we now see revised roll quantities of "19 tokens includes this trip - $34.00" for the February 1987 tariff. The roll of 19 (and eventually the rolls of 9) may seem like an odd quantity to roll coinage or tokens. But keep in mind a trip was included with the purchase of the roll, rounding off the trip amount to an even 20 trips (or 10 on later rolls). There was a reason for this 19 trip amount: most daily commuters bought a roll of tokens on payday or on the first day of a work week, and most of those drivers made 2 one-way trips per day: one to work, another to come home. Two trips per day for the five business days per work week equals 10 trips through the toll booth per week, or 20 trips per bi-weekly period. But, you also had to pay for the trip through the toll booth that you were on at that particular moment when purchasing the roll tokens. If the rolls were 20, that would equal 21 trips and that would mean additional coinage (nickels, dimes or quarters) into the payment rather than just quarters and paper currency. It would also mean that each time it came to refresh your supply of tokens for the biweekly period, it would be moved up by one day, i.e.: You purchased your starting roll of 20 tokens on a Friday afternoon, and you got your trip through the toll for free at time of purchase. 20 trips later would fall on a Monday morning, and you would buy your next roll of 20 and got the trip free. When that second roll ran out, it would be on your Monday evening trip. The next roll would run out on Tuesday morning, and so on. People who were paying with the roll purchases with their pay, usually received their pay envelope on Friday. So, a 20 token roll and free trip purchase resulted in an advancing day with each roll, and would find the motorist buying rolls in the middle of the week and off schedule with their paychecks. So the rolls of 19 and this trip made things nice and simple for both the commuter and for the TBTA accountants. And, while the cash toll may see coinage in the payment, a raise in toll tariff was always calculated to the nearest dollar for roll purchases to result in the minimum amount of change necessary. Bills / paper currency were inherently easier and quicker to handle. Towards the end of toll collection, even the cash toll tariffs were rounded off to and raised in 25 cent increments, to further eliminate the handling of nickels and dimes.
Verrazano Narrows Bridge One Way Tolling Rolls two tokens used at each passage required even number of tokens in roll
What is surprising to learn, is that the standard Major Crossing "List" token was utilized for this Staten Island Resident discount roll. This in effect could allow the driver to use a single token (purchased at the $1.60 Staten Island resident discount rate) at any of the other TBTA crossings, for 10 cents less rate than the standard token discount: $1.70; but at the expense of "throwing off" their appropriate count for their Staten Island crossing. This apparently could not be too much of a concern, with what I would hypothesize the TBTA concluding the 10 cent loss was more than made up for with the double tolling at Verrazano Bridge. The use of the NY630BD token, and not a special marked token as we would see with the later issue; is the reason for inclusion in this chapter.
Enter the smaller rolls...
The TBTA instituted smaller quantity rolls following feedback, according to a January 13, 1992 reply from Michael C. Ascher; President of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority in response to a letter to the editor, published December 20, 1991 in the New York Times: "We began selling tokens in smaller rolls when a survey showed more customers would use them." This letter is dated 1992, but the smaller rolls were released in 1987. This being the case, the next Major Crossings roll issued chronologically is this example: 9 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP $17.00. Notably, the numeral 9 is underlined (to differentiate it from an upside down 6). The roll amount correlates to 10 trips for $1.70, which we know is the per trip rate for 1987.
. When the toll tariff was raised January 1, 1993; the roll amount was raised to $21.00. The wrapper is unbleached kraft paper with light blue ink: 9 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP $21.00.
. . The next roll issued in chronological order would be the wrapper marked: 9 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP $25.00. This roll denomination was issued with the January 31, 1993 through March 24, 1996 toll schedule.
. . The next roll / wrapper shown is believed to be final general issue roll issued for sale: 9 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP $30.00. This design would have seen use from March 24, 1996 until February 3, 1998; on which date token roll sales for the Major Crossings were officially discontinued. However, please bear in mind that the "Staten Island Resident" and "Rockaway Resident" token rolls remained for sale after this date. Furthermore, the "Major List" tokens that had already been sold and in motorists' possession, remained redeemable at the crossings for some time after the cessation of roll sales. It is currently unknown on what date redemption of tokens ended at the crossings; but tokens remain redeemable for refund (even in 2023) by requesting a Token Refund Kit from the MTA and mailing in unused tokens for a refund check.
. . Oh, those Rolls of 8 - you really had me going! They were sold two rolls at a time to token hungry commuters... In
an article
from the New York Times, dated July 16, 1989; it mentions:
However, the
subsequent discovery and purchase of the roll of "8 TOKENS AND
THIS TRIP" left me really stymied. To what purpose would 8 serve? One
per day, an extra plus "and this trip"? Was it to keep the purchase
price of the roll to the nearest nickel or dime? I just did
not
know
at the time and neither did Ms. Hankins, the TBTA archivist.
Until finding that roll of 8; I had personally only encountered rolls of "9 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP". I would learn; by reviewing one of the order forms of the TBTA for December 1986, it is reflected that one could order rolls of 60 cent tokens for $11.40, and 1.30 tokens for $24.70 each. This equates to rolls of 19 tokens per roll, but this is an inter-governmental order and I didn't think much more about it. Ms. Hankins has not located any rolls or wrappers saved for posterity in their archives as yet, nor did she have knowledge other than the rolls of 19 (to which I immediately knew was not complete accounting). With my procurement of this roll of "8 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP", she is now adding this data to the archives to reflect its existence and research is ongoing. The packs of 20 are mentioned in a New York Times article. But the answer to the rolls of 8 would come in the way of an letter dated January 13, 1992 from Michael C. Ascher; President of the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority in reply to a letter to the editor, published December 20, 1991 in the New York Times: "To the Editor:So with that, the tabulation now had another purchasing variable concerning token sales and that has come to light. So while I knew of the rolls of "9 TOKEN AND THIS TRIP" were prolific; when this roll of "8 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP" appeared on eBay, I knew I had to bring it home.
I have since added yet another roll of "8 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP" to the collection, this one marked for $25.00 (seen below). But I still had not been able to figure out what the rolls of "8 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP" were for when I acquired it. My math shows $21.00 ÷ 9 = $2.33 and $25.00 ÷ 9 = $2.77. Neither of those amounts are listed in the schedules, but the Class 2 tolls (for private auto with single axle trailer, three axle motorhome and three axles franchise bus) are close: $2.25 (1987) and $2.75 (1989) respectively. Close, but no cigar... However, adding an additional 10% discount to the amounts, will bring us to within a few hundredths of a cent to $2.10 and $2.50 respectively; which were the discounted token amounts with purchase of the rolls. But this is essentially a doubled discount. What class of vehicle or user would be entitled to a doubled discount? None according to the tariffs, and discount tokens were not offered to the Class 2 vehicles. Even as something as simple as that letter to the editor above and its reply raised questions: the letter to the editor was written in December 1991 and the reply January 1992. It mentions "nine-pack rolls of tokens". So where does the roll of "8 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP" factor in, as it too was issued during this time period: 1989-1993?
One of my faults, that I freely and openly admit to, is my obsessing over problems. I had to know what these rolls of "8 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP" were used for, and I kept looking on the web. Ironically, President Ascher's letter to the editor of the New York Times, January 30, 1992 kept coming up, so I read it over and over again. So reluctantly, I decided to do even more math. (For the record, I hate math. I'm better at science and even better as a historian!) On a whim, I worked out the token value with the sales breakdown above: two rolls of "8 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP" (9 trips total x 2 = 18); plus one loose token and the one trip being taken at the time of purchase: 18 + 1 + 1 = 20 trips for $42.00. $42.00 ÷ 20 trips = $2.10. Now there is a number I can live with! The $2.10 token value was precisely commensurate with the $2.50 full cash fare collected July 16, 1989 through January 31, 1993! To verify this equation, I tried the same math with the $25 roll of "8 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP": $25.00 x 2 = $50.00 ÷ 20 trips = $2.50 per token! Which is of course is exactly the discounted token amount for January 31, 1993 through March 24, 1996. Attempting this equation with the rolls of "9 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP" does not work. We have to conclude also, that when the agency is referring to a 9 pack; they are factoring in the "and this trip", ergo the total about of trips with that purchase. So it my conclusion at this time that while the "8 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP" rolls could theoretically be sold singly (for $21.00), they were not. Their intended purpose was to be sold two at a time with one loose token and the trip at that time for $42.00. Let us hope this can be confirmed by some document in the TBTA archives! Another minor observation made from the comparison of the roll of "8 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP" and the roll of "9 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP"; the rolls are of the same length (wrappers are of the same width), but the crimp on one end of "8 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP" is deeper than on the "9 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP"; thereby taking up the space of the ninth token.  Following suit, I can now confirm rolls marked for "8 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP" - $30.00" However, much to my chagrin, the previous equations regarding two roll valuation do not work out with this $30 amount. $30.00 x 2 = $60.00 + one loose token equation, and the trip (19 trips), works out to be $3.1578 per token. The only equation that does work to account for both being color coded for double roll sales and equaling the amount of the discounted trip, is$30.00 x 2 = $60.00 (and no free token) ÷ 18 trips = $3.3333 per token. That doesn't work either. This corresponds exactly to the discounted token amount for March 24, 1996 through February 3, 1998!$30.00 x 2 = $60.00 plus TWO loose tokens, and the trip = 20 trips and that equals $3.00 per trip.
In conclusion, the most important factor to keep in mind, is the Rolls of 8 were offered for sale concurrently with the Rolls of 9. This gave the motorist the option of buying a one week supply or a two week supply of tokens. As with the Major Crossings, there were rolls issued for the Minor Crossings as well. The Minor Crossings are the: Henry Hudson Bridge, the Marine Parkway Bridge and the Cross Bay Parkway Bridge. But, in the discussion of the usage of tokens for the Minor Crossings, the time line of token sales at the Minor Crossings is a little more convoluted than for the Major Crossings. The .50 cent "Wheel" (NY630AU) tokens were sold at the minor crossings from their release in June 1976 through May 19, 1980. Upon that date however, the TBTA discontinued token sales at the Minor Crossings and booklets of discounted tickets were now used at these crossings instead. But that policy apparently changed too. On June 22, 1981 the TBTA began an experiment in which a double toll was charged on southbound vehicles (to Rockaway) using the Marine Parkway and Cross Bay Bridges and with no toll collected for northbound vehicles. This is identical in concept to the one way tolling implemented at the Verrazano Narrows bridge in the westbound (to Staten Island) direction. But while that was instituted to alleviate pollution in the neighborhoods resulting from the congestion of eastbound (to Brooklyn) vehicles waiting to pay the toll at the barrier in Staten Island; this experiment at the Rockaway crossings was instituted to alleviate traffic back ups and improve traffic flow; as well as an attempt to save on payroll through reduced personnel at the two crossings. This experiment would require the use of two tokens for southbound vehicles and none northbound. As the Minor Crossing "List" tokens would not be released until the following April, and as the article states "the eligible residents of both communities will be able to deposit two 50-cent tokens". This infers that the 50 cent "Wheel" token were still in use at this time. This following article dates December 5, 1981 reflects that the experimental one way tolling at the Rockaway crossings was extended by 90 days. So, by that article, published in December 1981 and adding three months (90 days) brings us chronologically to February 1982. As we know the the tolls were raised on April 19, 1982 - this leaves the question whether double tolls were collected in the interim period (February to April 1982) or two way tolling returned for this period and as we known the experiment was not in effect by the April 19, 1982 toll schedule. Commencing on April 19th, 1982; rolls of tokens were made available for sale at the Minor Crossings, with these now being the Minor "List" Tokens (NY630BC). And it is here, that the dilemma arises: Appearing on eBay in March 2023, was this roll of 20 tokens for $12. This roll does not offer or mention a free trip or trip included in the purchase, but it does conform to the discounted roll of 20 tokens for the $12 rate; which works out to .60 cents per trip, instead of the .90 cent prevailing full toll rate.
It is believed, however unconfirmed at this time; that the following wrapper design followed the above wrapper, as it now includes the text "includes this trip". Furthermore, this roll quantity also works out to .60 cents per token: 19 tokens + this trip = 20 trips. $12 ÷ 20 = .60 cents per token, same as the roll above. Again, at this time I am unsure which wrapper came first.  NY630BC (roll) - Minor Crossings, "ROLL OF 19 TOKENS INCLUDES THIS TRIP" $12.00 Issued commensurate with January 1, 1986 through July 15, 1989 toll schedule. Images are approximately actual size. collection of Philip M. Goldstein Following the above two roll quantities and denominations, the next roll in chronological order is 20 TOKENS INCLUDES THIS TRIP for $14.00 which would be commensurate with the toll tariff period beginning January 1, 1986 through February 7, 1987. I acquired the following two rolls about 2 months apart, and their acquisition allows us to now conclude there were two distinct varieties of these wrappers known. Both wrappers belows are unbleached kraft paper with red ink; however, one roll which (we will call Type 1); has the M logo with splayed legs (which appears visually to be an upside down W). The other (which will be referred to here as Type 2) has an simple straight legged M. Also the line spacing between MARINE / HENRY HUDSON / CROSSBAY is wider on the Type 1 than on the Type 2, and the font not as large or bold. So, we know of two different roll types and legends, but where both work out to the same discount: 20 token + this trip = 21. $14.00 ÷ 21 trip = .666 cents.
It appears that for the next issue of token rolls, the TBTA reduced the quantity of the roll from 20 to 11. The "11 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP - $10.00" for the Minor Crossings roll. The existence of this next roll is due to images that were located on the web as part of a completed auction value aggregating service from a listing some time ago. This quantity also does not configure to the 5 and 10 trip per commuter week. And again we find ourselves asking: why? But, when we do the math, the $10.00 roll amount divided by 12 trips = .833 cents per token. This conforms to the tariffs for minor crossings perfectly for the time range listed in the tariffs for July 16, 1989 through January 30, 1993.
In August of 2020; I encountered an eBay auction for a partial roll of Minor Crossing tokens. At first it didn't look like anything special, but then I requested images of the wrapper and the seller responded. Images showed 9 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP - $10.00, which I did not have in my collection. So, I bid on it and won. Upon arrival, I repaired the wrapper as best as I willing to accept. At first, I had a little difficulty determining the era of usage. I really need to learn how to take my time, read slower and in more detail. As it would happen, I did not notice the first twenty times I referred to the tables; that the toll discount was different between the Henry Hudson and Cross Bay and Marine Parkway Bridge for the period January 31, 1993 through March 24, 1996:
$10.00 divided by 10 trips = equals an even $1.00 per trip. That is simple enough math. But the fun really began when I went to fit it into my tabulation. When you reference the toll tariff tables, the only period of time that the toll was $1.00 with a token and for a minor crossing is January 31, 1993, where the full fare was $1.50 at the Henry Hudson Bridge. The token fare was .833 at Cross Bay and Marine Parkway Bridges (full fare also $1.50). But, as we can see, the roll is clearly marked for all three bridges. This raises the question: were the rolls simply marked for all three bridges, yet actually sold for different amounts even though marked for $10.00? I inquired of my contact at the TBTA, Ms. Hankins; and our correspondence follows: Me:
I
kept telling myself, how many drivers would have really looked at the
printing on the rolls to notice if it said $10 or $11? But
Ms. Hankins had a point in regards to accounting. So this got me
thinking some more - the token makes the passage
interchangeable
among all three crossings. But was the wrapper itself used at
all
three or was there one wrapper for use at Henry Hudson Bridge and
marked for $10.00 and another in a different quantity of tokens and
sale amount for Cross Bay and Marine Parkway Bridges?
I pondered this for several days. Then I had an epiphany. If one references the tariffs for the period before, (July 16, 1989) the discount token was .833 for all three Minor Crossings. But with the January 31, 1993 tariff, only the Henry Hudson toll increased; the Cross Bay & Marine Parkway remained the same at .833. This means, only the roll wrappers sold at the Henry Hudson would have to be adjusted for the new prepaid token discount rate of $1.00. Whatever roll that was in use for the prior tariff would just stay in use again, albeit only at Cross Bay and Marine Parkway Bridges. I had been thinking about it all wrong. One roll did not replace another roll, as I have come to expect with a change in value; but in this case they were both sold during the same time frame. The rolls of 11 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP - $10.00 [.833 cents per token] was sold only at Cross Bay and Marine Parkway Bridges, and the 9 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP - $10.00 [$1.00 per token] was sold only at the Henry Hudson Bridge. It should also be noted the cash toll was the same between the three crossings at $1.50. Only the discount on the prepaid token rolls differed. Confused yet? And since the tokens themselves were interchangeable, the wrappers were marked for all three crossings. (This is the second time I got caught thinking this way, like I did with the Major Crossings Rolls of 8, which were sold alongside the rolls of 9 only with the rolls of 8 sold in pairs!) This raises an interesting fact which I had mentioned to Ms. Hankins. With the Cross Bay and Marine Parkway rolls of tokens priced cheaper than the Henry Hudson Bridge rolls of tokens, what was to stop an enterprising (a/k/a cheapskate) Westchester or northern Manhattan resident from buying the rolls at a Rockaway Crossing and using them at the Henry Hudson thereby saving 17 cents a token or $1.70 per roll? In reality, nothing; except it was a 40 mile round trip through two or three boroughs between Westchester and the Rockaways (depending on how you went), all with traffic, traffic lights, potholes, etc. For that era, what with an average vehicle economy of 20 mpg would have eaten most of the "profit" considering a 2 gallon round trip at $1.30 per gallon for that period of time in New York City. Honestly, even if a Henry Hudson motorist was to drive that distance to save the $1.70, it could not have been much of an financial issue for the TBTA as there is some factor built in to the expected revenues and related shortfalls due to toll evaders, use of slugs, etc. So there would have to be some sort of "leeway" or "buffer" (a/k/a "revenue leakage") in the calculations of the tariffs to account for variables such as this. Nevertheless, this next roll conforms to the TBTA Minor Bridge toll tariff for the period of March 24, 1996 ($1.75 cash fare, $1.25 discounted token, commensurate with the published 28.57 % discount) through February 3, 1998 which is the date on which Minor List token roll sales ended. And with these rolls, the discount was the same amongst the Henry Hudson, Cross Bay and Marine Parkway Bridges. Therefore, this is the final wrapper and roll denomination for the Minor List tokens, for general motorists. The Rockaway Resident Token Rolls remained in use.
. Acquired in July 2021, is this roll of tokens for Staten Island Residents. 9 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP - $48.00. This helps answer another question of roll or pack format for the Resident Only Tokens.
. . Not six weeks later, this roll appeared for sale for Rockaway Residents (Marine Parkway & Cross Bay Bridges): 13 TOKENS AND THIS TRIP - $26.00. As with the Staten Island roll, this helps answer the questions for the Resident Only Tokens. It can be concluded that other roll denominations exist in correlation to the various toll schedules over the period that Rockaway Residents received a discount from the regular toll; however unlike the Staten Island Residents which were 9 AND THIS TRIP; the roll quantities varied for the Rockaway Residents to round the roll to the nearest whole dollar.
. The following chart is a compilation of known token rolls as well as hypothesized token rolls not yet seen. It should NOT be considered complete. New roll types will be added as they are discovered and some information may change as new data arrives. For the most part, the data contained is either empirical from examples in my collection (√ ), images on the web ( ∞ ), from toll receipts ( Θ ), those mentioned in newspaper articles ( ₦ ), or are hypothesized to exist based on listing and calculations of tariff amounts as listed in the respective Toll Schedules [?] but have not yet been observed.
discounted
purchase amount marked on the roll
[full cash fare in brackets] (value of token in parenthesis and includes the free trip or free token) date(s) of use. Footnotes: Mail orders of tokens ended 5/14/1982 Minor and Major Crossing ("List" token) Roll sales ended 2/3/1998 Rockaway and Staten Island Resident Tokens remained for sale only to the respective residents until 4/30 and 9/30/2017 All token redemption ended 9/30/2017 √ = in authors collection ∞ = visually confirmed to exist (internet auction or archives) Θ = listed on toll receipts or other official documents ₦ = mentioned in newspaper ? = hypothesized based on toll tariff sheets, but not visually confirmed Mail
Order Sales
Other
than purchasing them at the toll booths, token rolls were also
available by mail.
To be mailed; the token rolls, due to weight and non-machinability in postal sorting machines; a roll would have either have to have been sent first class mail with a non-machinable surcharge added to the base postage; or parcel post, which is processed at a much slower rate due to irregular sizes & weights than first class. No mention is made of additional shipping charges for the token rolls by mail; so I conclude the TBTA absorbed those postage costs and incurred a reduced margin of revenue. Ms. Hankins suggested the "and this trip" was not redeemed through a mail order, so this offset the postage costs incurred by the TBTA. It is mentioned in at least one New York Times article dated April 20, 1982 that: "Tokens for any of the bridges or tunnels can be purchased at tollbooths or at the authorities administration building on Randall's Island. No credit cards or checks will be accepted. Tokens can also be purchased by mail by sending a check or money order to the Triborough Bridge & Tunnel Authority, Randall's Island, New York, NY 10035."
As the time this was published (the day after the toll fare
increase
of April 19), the full fare for a passenger automobile (with no
trailer) was $1.25. $1.25 reduced to $1.10 works out to a 12%
discount.
The use of the word "packet" raised a potential question as well. A packet infers a small enclosed envelope: (the NYCTA offered ten tokens in a clear plastic bag approximately 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" and called a "TimeSaver Pak". But a roll is significantly different from a packet. When someone asks for a packet of coins from a bank, we will be met with a blank stare. Ask for a roll and there are no questions. The use of a packet, being flatter and more flexible; would allow it to be processed via automated sorting machines and therefore shipped expeditiously via first class. With the discovery of the June 1976 New York Times article seen at the beginning of this chapter, I now have confirmation of the use of plastic bags for packaging 20 tokens. If anyone out there has an actual token pack (as opposed to a roll) for the TBTA tokens, send an image and I could put this matter to rest. While the TBTA order forms for the public as seen in the Internal Documents & Reference Materials chapter later in this website clearly show scrip ticket books available by mail, these forms do not list tokens (with the exception of the inter-governmental order). But, I have confirmation via Ms. Hankins that the TBTA did in fact offer tokens by mail. Because such practice was discontinued in 1982! Included in the minutes of a meeting taking place of May 14, 1982 (not 4 weeks after the New York Time article above), the following is recorded:  .
Individual Full
Fare
Token Sales:
.
While
not a true fiscal issue used for paying a toll,
George S. Cuhaj offered the following item for inclusion into the topic.
It is a Commemorative Medallion issued for the 50th Anniversary of the Triborough Bridge. Its dimensions are identical with that of the toll issues, but this token is gilt plated (gold). From references it was only issued to employees of the Triborough Bridge & Tunnel Authority. It was issued in the plastic protective case with spacer ring just as you see..   Triborough
Bridge 50th Anniversary Commemorative Medallion - 1986
gilt plated, in protective case, issued to employees Roger Williams Mint (quantity minted unknown, but under 10,000) Testing
of the E-ZPass RFID toll collection system by the Triborough Bridge
& Tunnel Authority began in 1991, as seen in the Staten Island
Advance article dated February 26, 1991.
In just seven short years, as seen in the New York Times, token sales ended on February 3, 1998 with the widespread use of E-ZPass (radio frequency transmitter tag) being instituted. The transcribed article reads as follows:
Reading the article a little more carefully, I have realized that general issue token sales stopped at 6 of 9 crossings before the article was written, but remained on sale for Staten Island Residents (Verrazano Narrows Bridge) as well as the Rockaway Residents (Cross Bay and Marine Parkway Bridges). These Resident only tokens are shown for sale as late as the 2015 toll schedule in the pdf file. The exact date of when sales of these tokens ceased is not yet known. It is therefore not known if sales stopped at the cessation of acceptance at the dates below or some time before. Eventually, acceptance of the remaining tokens was phased out and ceased as well. This took place on two separate dates, those being: first at Cross Bay and Marine Parkway Bridges; and then at the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. The following chart lists said dates accordingly:
Have no fear! Those people that still hold tokens can exchange tokens (but why would you?!?!) through a token refund kit from MTA Bridges & Tunnels. On October 1, 2019; I actually called the phone number on the MTA Bridges & Tunnels website for the token refund kit. The nice lady who answered the telephone took my information and asked how many tokens I would be sending in. I told her none, and there was a pregnant pause on the line. I then explained I was a TBTA toll token collector and only wanted the refund kit as part of my token collection. She was quite amused and said that I was the first one that she ever knew to ever do that!
In September of 2024, I was fortunate to make acquaintances with a gentleman inquiring about the purpose of the following two tokens. When our conversation first began, I was under the impression he only had a single brass piece, with no magnetic properties and in uncirculated condition. His thought was it could be a souvenir piece. It was, in my estimation; that it was yet another unreported employee issue, similar in use to the M100 with two black stripes. However, as we delved further into our conversation; he was to explain that he had a white metal token as well as a brass token. Once he provided images, it was clear they were definitely not circulated issues. No scratches or dings, crisp striking. Being able to view them visually, changed the playing field as well as the game. I now firmly believe that these two tokens are production samples, otherwise known as patterns. It is my postulation that when the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority solicited the Roger Williams mint for replacements to the M100 and 50, 75, 100 Wagon Wheel tokens around 1980-1981; Roger Williams minted designed and struck these to present to the TBTA Board Members for approval and or feedback. For whatever reason, the TBTA Board decided against using different colors to differentiate between the tokens, and instead opted for different sizes; as we see with those tokens produced and circulated. On the pattern tokens below, the engraving appears the same on obverse and reverse as it does on the production tokens as issued NY630BC (Minor List) and NY630BD (Major List). However there is one very significant difference (other than the metal colors). This difference being, the rim of the pattern tokens are NOT reeded, whereas the issued tokens (NY630BC nd NY630BD) are! Reeding is a very effective anti-counterfeiting measure, so it appears the TBTA requested the production tokens to be reeded. The pattern tokens are shown at left (brass) and center (white metal), with a common circulated and oxidized production issue (copper plated brass) show at right for comparison.
Errors are known to exist, but as can be expected are also extremely rare. Firstly, because of stringent quality control on the part of the manufacturers; and secondly, because of the reduced and infrequent amounts of production, in contrast to say US coinage. For example the US Mint might produce 250 million pennies or more, each year for several successive years; while Roger Williams only struck say, 8 million TBTA tokens for a solitary contract. To date, TBTA tokens errors are only known in uncirculated conditions. Presumably, they were "rescued" from the production line.
Undoubtedly, the most "disposable" of the memorabilia: the toll receipt. And perhaps the rarest? Scrip & tokens might have been saved because of intrinsic value, but receipts? If I could tell you how many were thrown away, and how many I found under the seat of my grandfathers car. I will not hide the fact that I had an affection for traveling, beginning as a young child. And encouraging this, my father would ask for maps, receipts and other goodies at every toll booth during trips; whether it was just across the bridge or down to Florida. I had a pile of them in a box under the seat of the family van. Verrazano, Goethals, New Jersey Turnpike, Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, you name it. All the way down the East Coast from Brooklyn, New York to Miami Beach, Florida, where my grandparents lived; and New York State Thruway, Southern State Parkway, Palisades Parkway, Garden State Parkway, and the New Jersey Turnpike. But, like the proverbial box of baseball cards or comic books, they were disposed of during a cleaning session at some point. Mine are probably all decayed under the Fountain Avenue landfill by now. But I have managed to accumulate a few since then.
PDF file of
official toll tables - ca. 1938 to present;
for all vehicles classes; all notations, E-ZPass, Carpool, Franchise Buses, Staten Island and Rockaway Resident, E-Token, Staten Island E-Token and Rockaway E-Token Rates All vehicle classes are listed for crossing
opening; for subsequent toll hikes, only passenger autos are listed.
See .pdf file for tolls for additional vehicle classes, Staten Island & Rockaway Resident, Carpool, E-ZPass and E-token toll discount amounts. Notes: Major Crossings:
Minor
Crossings
Current Toll
Fares TBTA
/ MTA Crossings
MTA Bridges & Tunnels - Tolls 2023 bedt14@aol.com |
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