The History of Credit Cards
When Edward Bellamy wrote the novel Looking Backward in 1887, he brought up the novel idea that each person would own a credit card that they would use to buy items. This was the first time the term credit card was introduced to the world.
Credit cards were first utilized by motorists in the United States in the 1920s during the car boom. They were however originally referred to as charge cards and with time, various firms permitted the use of different cards. In those days it was a piece of cake to forge a credit card since many of them were printed onto a type of card material and not plastic as they are nowadays.
Another type of credit card that appeared in the 1930s and 1940s is the Charga-plate. The credit card was made of a small piece of metal and had the owners name, city of residence, and the state in which the person resided imprinted into it. The Charga-plates were most of the time kept in a store and only large retailers made use of these, and they only issued them to their everyday clients.
When Ralph Schneider and Frank X. McNamara established Diners Club in 1950, they created a unique card. Unlike other credit cards, the Diners Club card gave people the freedom to use one card instead of multiple cards. Also, while you can pay only a portion of your bill on other credit cards, the Diners Club has to be paid in full each and every month.
The next card to come along was Carte Blanche and then American Express in 1958. American Express led to the creation of a global credit card system. The Visa system also came into existence in 1958 via Bank of Americas Bank Americard. MasterCard came into the world in 1966 and it was first known as MasterCharge.
The US bank system made it possible for people traveling to use credit cards in various places across the country, since they could not access their home banks.
The U.K. was the first country to release the credit card in 1966. Other countries were not still agreed to it, as reliability and security of it was also in question and people also were giving their preferences to cash payments.
Before the advanced technology came, there were reported many credit card frauds. But in recent years, microchips in built credit cards are developed which give you safety. Recently, affinity cards are also developed which are linked with specific group or companies.
Usually,when your earning increases you are more able to return debt of your credit card which ultimately lead you to increase use of the credit card.
Credit cards were first utilized by motorists in the United States in the 1920s during the car boom. They were however originally referred to as charge cards and with time, various firms permitted the use of different cards. In those days it was a piece of cake to forge a credit card since many of them were printed onto a type of card material and not plastic as they are nowadays.
Another type of credit card that appeared in the 1930s and 1940s is the Charga-plate. The credit card was made of a small piece of metal and had the owners name, city of residence, and the state in which the person resided imprinted into it. The Charga-plates were most of the time kept in a store and only large retailers made use of these, and they only issued them to their everyday clients.
When Ralph Schneider and Frank X. McNamara established Diners Club in 1950, they created a unique card. Unlike other credit cards, the Diners Club card gave people the freedom to use one card instead of multiple cards. Also, while you can pay only a portion of your bill on other credit cards, the Diners Club has to be paid in full each and every month.
The next card to come along was Carte Blanche and then American Express in 1958. American Express led to the creation of a global credit card system. The Visa system also came into existence in 1958 via Bank of Americas Bank Americard. MasterCard came into the world in 1966 and it was first known as MasterCharge.
The US bank system made it possible for people traveling to use credit cards in various places across the country, since they could not access their home banks.
The U.K. was the first country to release the credit card in 1966. Other countries were not still agreed to it, as reliability and security of it was also in question and people also were giving their preferences to cash payments.
Before the advanced technology came, there were reported many credit card frauds. But in recent years, microchips in built credit cards are developed which give you safety. Recently, affinity cards are also developed which are linked with specific group or companies.
Usually,when your earning increases you are more able to return debt of your credit card which ultimately lead you to increase use of the credit card.
About the Author:
Jason Asthworth is the content syndicator for applyforvisacreditcardnow.com the leading resource credit cards and applying for a visa credit card.
posted by Credit Counseling at
12:10 PM
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