Sample American Express Credit Card, United States, 1963

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Object Details

maker

American Express Company

Description

American Express was founded in 1850 in order to transport goods the U.S. Postal Service would not deliver. By the end of the Civil War, there were over nine hundred American Express offices in ten states. In the 1880s the company expanded into financial services with money orders, and in the 1890s they began offering Traveler’s Cheques. The financial services offered by the company eventually became its mainstay, and American Express offered its first charge card in 1958 in order to compete with Diners’ Club.

Credit Line

American Express Company

date made

1963

Associated Date

1963

ID Number

NU.NU81082.1

catalog number

NU81082.1

accession number

252886

serial number

78 9

Object Name

credit card

Physical Description

plastic (overall material)

Measurements

overall: 5.4 cm x 8.6 cm x .2 cm; 2 1/8 in x 3 3/8 in x 3/32 in

place made

United States

See more items in

Work and Industry: National Numismatic Collection

Coins, Currency and Medals

Exhibition

Value of Money

Exhibition Location

National Museum of American History

Data Source

National Museum of American History

Metadata Usage

CC0

Link to Original Record

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ad-e658-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record ID

nmah_1444384