History of tokens

Spokane public transportation

tokens leave a legacy

As Spokane Transit ushers in new technology in the coming months and phases out tokens, so goes a bit of local history. The various shapes, sizes, colors and metals of Spokane public transportation tokens will be decommissioned, replaced by state of the art Two-Hour passes.

Currently nearly a dozen unique tokens find their way into STA fareboxes. The convenient coins are roughly the size of a dime or a quarter, but vary greatly in style. Some are completely solid, while others include Christmas tree cutouts, holes or other unique notches.

The earliest documented printing of transportation tokens in Spokane was in 1942 when Spokane United Railways had a batch struck, or printed, with Zinc. Later companies made tokens out of brass, aluminum, steel and the most popular type, white metal. Tokens were made for Auto Interurban Co. of Spokane, Spokane City Lines, Spokane Transit System and Spokane Transit Authority.

Currently all tokens, regardless of company, can be used by any passenger on any route, despite some tokens stating, “Good For School Fare Only” or “Good for One City Fare.” Previous transportation providers sold the coins at different rates or for specific bus routes.

A few times each week members of the Accounting Department venture down to the money room – a virtual time capsule of tokens. Amid the dollar bills, quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies are an even wider selection of tokens which consistently jam the machinery and add to the time spent sorting fare money.

These coins aren’t a source of nostalgia for the poor souls from Accounting whose fingers are routinely threatened by menacing money room equipment. Luckily for them much of that equipment is due to be replaced with upgraded machines. .

Spokane Transit customers can exchange tokens for a 2-hour pass starting October 21. Customers should keep enough tokens to get them by until the new magnetic stripe cards can be used on December 4.

A decision has yet to be made about what to do with the thousands of coins when their use is eliminated in early December. One thing is for sure, they won’t be gone for good. The small pieces of history will certainly filter down to the bottom of dresser drawers where they will wait to be discovered all over again. New York City subway tokens have made a comeback as ornaments on cufflinks and buttons.

So, the next time you see a bus token, long forgotten in a pair of pants or amongst a child’s treasured piggy bank, don’t toss it. Find someplace to keep it, if only for a gentle reminder of how things were in Spokane – back then.