Michigan BankAmericard

[1240east]

This is a 1970s credit card

[TheFugitive]

At that time businesses that accepted credit cards had no live online connection to the bank's computers
to get authorization.  They would send out a booklet every couple of weeks with a numerical listing of
card numbers that had been stolen, canceled or revoked.  You had to look-up the number in the book
to make sure it wasn't listed before processing the sale.  (you can see Steve Martin go through this procedure
in a scene in The Jerk).

If the card was not on the list you'd place it in a little machine and put a charge form on top of it.
The charge form was a 3 part carbon that created three copies: one for the customer, one for the
merchant's records, and one to submit to the bank for payment.  You moved a bar over the card
which embossed the card number into the form.  Have the customer sign it and you were done.

[1240east]

that is super interesting way before my time 

[TheFugitive]

My Bank of America Visa card was just renewed, and it's the first credit card I've
ever had that does not have a raised account number on the front.  Account number
is printed in ink on the back.

I guess the last business that was still embossing the number on 3-part carbon forms
finally entered this century.

[1240east]

My Bank of America Visa card was just renewed, and it's the first credit card I've
ever had that does not have a raised account number on the front.  Account number
is printed in ink on the back.

I guess the last business that was still embossing the number on 3-part carbon forms
finally entered this century.

My current cart still has raised numbers but it is starting to get close to its expiration date and some businesses are still using credit card imprinters

[deerwrecker2017]

My Bank of America Visa card was just renewed, and it's the first credit card I've
ever had that does not have a raised account number on the front.  Account number
is printed in ink on the back.

I guess the last business that was still embossing the number on 3-part carbon forms
finally entered this century.

I only have 3 Credit Cards that still have the raised account numbers on the front (Including the American Express Card that I got) the first credit card that I have that has the account numbers printed on the back is the Discover Card that I have for almost 2 years now.