I'm going to say this once... then run like hell.
I, nor Stephen, nor Balint, nor ANYONE will know what years we will get until we get them. All i can say is the initial worlds will be somewhere between 1950 and 2007. The script that will from here on out create worlds is heavily automated, and is randomized in what starting year will pop out. When i run it, i won't know what i'm going to get, I'll just know the bounds that i've pre-set for it. which are: Between 1950 and (maximum possible year for game length, based on oil cost table which at the moment is 2007).
Regarding choosing the year: Private world generation will lag a little, as the formulas are perfected for the token system. Entailed, you will get to choose the year you start in at no additional cost in any manner. Multiworlds initially you'll simply be able to join the world with the year of your preference from the available worlds. Some options will cost additional tokens to use, some will not, that'll be sorted out later. No, i cannot tell you at the moment how much anything will cost in tokens.
-runs like hell from questions, dives into a coding trench, doesn't come out for a week-.