Forming A Collection Of Scenic Cards

Taken from an article written in the Credit Card Collector newsletter, 1991.

The First National Bank of Omaha, doing business as the First BankCard Center, issued different “scenic” MasterCards and Visas for each of 25 different states. That’s 50 different MasterCards and Visas to collect.

The Featured States from West to East

The 25 states are, from west to east: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

Each card has a full-color reproduction of some scenic vista unique to that state. Arizona, for instance, has the Grand Canyon on the Visa and Saguaro cactus silhouetted by a sunset on the MasterCard. And there are variations.

Some Special Mentions

Nebraska Designs

The Nebraska Visa shows a sunset over the Platte River, while the MasterCard has the University of Nebraska football stadium in Lincoln, teeming with fans.

Iowa Designs

The Iowa Visa illustrates a Mississippi River vista, while the MasterCard shows the state capital in Des Moines, with a surreal Iowa farmhouse behind it.

Vermont Designs

The Vermont Visa shows a New England church. The Vermont MasterCard has a small farm on it. Both cards illustrate the beautiful colors of autumn in New England.

How You Could Apply for a Card

To get an application, you had to call First National Bank and specify the “scenic” cards for your state. You had to be specific, because otherwise they would send you an application for their Platinum card, which was dull and drab.

Annual fees were $20.00 for one card and $30.00 for both. Several credit card collectors canceled immediately upon receiving the cards, and avoided paying the fee.

The First Bankcard Center maintains that you had to live in the state you were getting the card for, but some exceptions were granted.

You had to allow eight to 10 weeks to process your application, as they were not a mainstream credit card issuer and did not process anywhere near the cards that banks like Citibank or Chase Manhattan did.

If you were turned down, you could lay low for six months and re-apply. If your basic information was unchanged, you’d usually get the cards.

Copyright 1991, Greg Tunks

Contact Us


Got questions about your credit cards?

Wondering if your cards are valuable?

Looking to sell, trade, or donate your cards?

Send us a message

acc_512

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