Skip to main content

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Supreme MTA MetroCard Temporarily Breaks the Internet

Supreme-Jacket-3
Supreme MetroCard: Overhyped or genius?

Supreme is perhaps the most recognized skate brand in the country. It’s stacked a cult following thanks to its don’t-give-a-shit attitude, affiliation with Terry Richardson and Tyler the Creator, and basic red-and-white logo.

It makes sense other major brands like Air Jordan, The North Face, Vans, Champion, Comme Des Garcons, and even Budweiser, have entered into partnerships with Supreme. However it came as a shock when the NYC-born brand teamed up with MTA MetroCard to create a limited edition Supreme-branded subway card.

…because regular MTA cards aren’t cool enough for the cool kids.

Keep in mind, Supreme also sold out a brick with its branded logo printed into the side. Really, just a plain old brick. This should exhibit the intense dedication of its followers, and the true power of the Supreme stamp.

Supreme Brick

The collaboration between Supreme and MTA was first announced on Twitter (of course) on February 20, 2017. The $5.50 Supreme card is sold at more than a 500% inflation of the traditional, albeit less cool, yellow MetroCard, but it includes two rides and the ability to load more money onto it.

The cards were being sold at Supreme stores, along with subway stations at Broadway-Lafayette, Queens Plaza, Marcy Avenue, Atlantic Avenue, Prince Street, Spring Street, Union Square, and the 125th Street 2/3 train. So you could wait in the crazy below-ground lines to purchase yourself one (oh, and people did wait in long lines) or go online and do it from home…right?

On eBay, the Supreme MTA cards are being resold for upwards of $1,000.

For the most part, they’re being ticketed between $13 and $18 on eBay. What’s more phenomenal is that individual eBay accounts are selling hundreds upon hundreds of the cards.

You may have already guessed that once the cards went on sale its buyers weren’t thinking one-and-done. They were being bought up by the deck— and now being sold that way.

The MTA card however is a lot cooler than the brick, and has enough function to be useful in life as more than a status staple (although it definitely serves as both). It also got the young people of NYC excited to go out and buy a metro card, which I’m certain is the first instance of subway frenzy in history.

Supreme MTA

Twitter user @PablitoGarcia4 quite succinctly said what we’re all thinking: “How can a simple white word with a red background have so much influence.”

But it’s not so much a question of how as a statement of face. Although many find the Supreme card hilariously overhyped, a huge population are wholeheartedly psyched by it. If any other brand sought to pull this stunt, it would fall flat.

On a timeline, in a couple weeks (if that), the Supreme MTA cards will become another Pokémon Go!, only for hipster skate culture followers. But it’ll also be a card in the wallets of thousands who associate personally with the ethos of Supreme. And THAT is why it’s so genius.

Photos courtesy Supreme

Jahla Seppanen
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Born and raised off-the-grid in New Mexico, Jahla Seppanen is currently a sports, fitness, spirits, and culture writer in…
The 10 best Marvel movies, ranked
With 32 MCU movies to choose from, we think the top 10 stand tall above the rest
Avengers Endgame Best Movies

Some people don't like the dominance displayed by the Marvel Cinematic Universe in recent years, as it seemingly blocks out all of the other great cinema on display at the movie theater and at home. Still, there's no denying the pop culture influence and the mainstream adulation towards the superheroes that make up these 32 films in the MCU. With almost 15 years of movies to choose from, most have been a hit, but several also didn't live up to expectations. We're here to help you watch the 10 best Marvel movies, from the Avengers movies to all of the niche MCU movies that make the universe stick and come together in special unison. You can watch nearly all of these movies on Disney Plus!

10. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

Read more
UFC Live Stream: Watch UFC Fights Online From Anywhere
ufc 257 poirier vs mcgregor 2 ppv bundle deal conor v donald cerrone

Looking for a reliable way to watch UFC fights online? In the past, regional broadcasting regulations presented challenges for sports enthusiasts who wanted to stream live events without a cable subscription. Fortunately, the landscape has changed, with sports broadcasters embracing streaming and making live programming more accessible than ever. ESPN, the official broadcaster for UFC in the U.S., responded to this trend by launching ESPN+ in 2018. With ESPN+, you can now easily enjoy UFC fights and pay-per-views on your PC, mobile device, smart TV, or gaming console. We've got a full guide on how to watch UFC fights online from anywhere, along with a schedule of upcoming fights, to make sure you don't miss a single UFC live stream.

Watch the Official UFC Live Stream
By far the best way to watch UFC live streams online is ESPN+, a premium streaming service that launched in 2018. ESPN+ delivers a cornucopia of sports content, including MMA and boxing, to almost any modern streaming device. That said, you've got some other options that are also worth mentioning. But due to the very tight relationship between ESPN and the Ultimate Fighting Championship, you'll still need to sign up for ESPN+ in order to live stream UFC pay-per-view events.

Read more
The 11 Robert Redford movies every fan should watch
Is your favorite Redford film on the list?
Robert Redford in All the President's Men answering the telephone.

Robert Redford is one of those classic movie stars who disarmed you with his incredible looks, and then mesmerized you with his on-screen talent. He's not an actor's actor like Robert De Niro, but he's shown for decades what type of performer he is. Redford's charm and natural charisma have made him compelling in a wide variety of roles, and they've also occasionally been weaponized against his audience.
Not every role in Redford's decades-long career has been a roaring success. For every All the President's Men there's a stinker like Havana. In general, though, Redford has built a remarkable body of work, and if he never acts in front of a camera again, he can be proud of what he's accomplished.

The Sting (1973)

Read more