Charge Coins circa 1865-1959

Charge coins, what are they? How were they used, these pieces of metal of odd shapes and sizes. The use of the coins were varied. In your local haberdashery you could purchase a necktie to a pair of shoes. At the drug store it was used to purchase a bottle of cough syrup to a box of candy. Even a washing machine to a sofa could be bought from your favorite department store. As long as the coin was issued by these stores. Some stores did not issue these charge coins, but most did. Not everyone owned one of the “magical” coins that could purchase so many things.

To acquire a charge coin, you had to have the means of guaranteeing payment at a later date, usually the end of the month when the bills came due. You also had to have a responsible job or position. Never in those days did the stores solicit you as they do today with their colorful charge cards of plastic money. You had to apply to the store or stores that issued these charge coins. After filling out an application, and they ran a background and financial check on you, then you might qualify for your coin. These coins were usually holed so they could be put on a key chain for safety. Many of the women wore them on chains around their necks to keep them from being mislaid or lost.

Many of these coins had a monogram of the store stamped on them along with a number for identification. Some had the full name of the store on them. None ever had the full name of the person to whom it was issued. When making a purchase, the salesperson, without tendering the goods to the buyer would check a master list to check the name of the customer against the number on the coin. If they didn’t match or you didn’t give the correct name, you didn’t get the merchandise. So if a lost coin was found by someone, other than the person to whom it was issued, it did not do them any good. In a case like this the salesperson would keep the coin so it could be returned to the rightful owner. Aside from the different shapes and sizes of the coins, they were also of different metals, as copper, brass, German silver, steel and some were of fiber. All to me are very interesting and when finding a new one for my collection; I get very
excited to know there are many more to hunt for. I also have one of celluloid, that much used composition of long ago.

Every weekend, if the weather is nice, I head for any and all flea markets hoping to find a jackpot. I’m lucky if I find only one charge coin. In my collection I also have a few of the “mavericks” (unidentified coins) and they lie dormant in my binder until I or someone else can identify them. City Directories and Mercantile Catalogs are a great help. But the best help I’ve gotten is from people like you.

Copyright 1986 by Ed Dence

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Frequently asked questions

You can find out the value of old credit cards by checking how much similar cards sell for. There are several ways to do this.

The simplest way to determine the value of old credit cards is to ask an experienced collector. If you submit an inquiry via our contact form, we can connect you with an expert who can assist you and point out if there is anything rare or unusual in your collection.

Alternatively, you can become a member of the American Credit Card Collectors Society. Membership in our credit card collecting club provides access to resources and knowledgeable members who can help. Benefits of membership include access to a gallery containing thousands of cards with historical pricing information, and access to our entire collection of newsletters, from 1994 through the present day.

You can look at recent sales on auction sites, however, there are some considerations to keep in mind when doing this. Firstly, it’s important to look at selling prices, rather than asking prices. Selling prices are the prices people actually paid, while asking prices can be very different. Secondly, historical sales on some sites are only saved for 3 months, so you may not find something that exactly matches what you have. Thirdly, it is sometimes possible to see rare or unusual cards sell for lower prices than they should have because people do not understand their worth, the ads don't do justice to the card, they're listed in the wrong category, or any combination thereof.

There are always people in our club who are actively buying cards. Collectors tend to focus on a niche, like gas cards or retail cards, or they might focus on a slightly broader area, like bank cards or travel and entertainment cards. Many of the rarest or most unusual cards will exchange hands in private sales. Please contact us if you are thinking of selling your collection.

You can also sell your old credit cards on online marketplaces. You will get the highest price if you sell each of your cards individually, although this approach requires the most effort. At the opposite end of the effort scale would be selling all cards as a job lot, an approach which typically results in the lowest price on a per-card basis. Halfway between these two approaches would be to group cards into different categories and to sell these individual groups, e.g., BankAmericard, Master Charge, oil and gas, retail, and so on.

To join the club, visit the membership section and complete the registration form. You can pay by check or PayPal. We offer annual or lifetime memberships. If you have any questions please contact us via the form on our website.

Credit cards are more worthwhile collecting if they are rare, in good condition, have historical significance, or are associated with famous personalities or events. Valuable modern cards might include those that are difficult to obtain, such as American Express Centurion (a.k.a. ‘black’) cards, while older credit cards might include early independent bank cards, American Express, Diners Club, or BankAmericard (Visa) cards from the 50s/early 60s, or Master Charge (MasterCard) cards from the late 60s. Rare or unusual cards can also be sought after, such as those issued in small numbers, like small independent department stores or gas stations, or cards with appealing aesthetics.

Consulting with other collectors or experts in the club can provide valuable insights. Contact us for more information via the form on our website.

We do not offer an appraisal service in a traditional sense (such services are normally a paid service) but we can connect you with an expert who should be able to assist for free and point out anything rare or unusual in your collection. The simplest way to do this is to submit an inquiry via our contact form.

The American Credit Card Collectors Society accepts donations and is most grateful for any we receive. When donations happen, we strive to find good homes for cards where they will be looked after, matching cards with collectors who will appreciate them. The club may charge members a nominal fee for donated cards, and the proceeds are offset against the running costs of our club. We are a non-profit organization. Running costs include expenses like our convention and website hosting. Donations are most popular for people getting out of the hobby, or when someone has inherited a collection and doesn’t know what to do with it.

If you wish to donate your collection, please contact us via the contact form above.

American Credit Card Collectors Society