credit card history
I recently did a random Wikipedia swipe and then followed a series of pages about plastic money!
I really enjoyed some of the things I learned about plastic money, so today I'm going to share some with you.
Visa
Visa was founded by Bank Of America under the name "Bank americard".
The card slowly expanded to other banks and was eventually renamed the International Visa Services Association.
Today it is one of the largest financial institutions in the world and is accepted on all continents.
Visa's sponsorship of the Olympics is the driving force behind the card's success. The company has been an Olympic sponsor since 1988.
master card
Shortly after Bank Of America founded Bankamericard, other banks joined forces to create MasterCharge, now known as MasterCard.
It started as the Interbank Card Association and became MasterCharge a few years later.
The 2004 Super Bowl "Priceless" Mastercard commercial starring The Simpsons is considered one of the best commercials ever aired during the Super Bowl.
Discover Card
discover card first launched an annual fee-free card when it was the largest retailer in America.
Discover has recently become an independent company.
The first Discovery Card has an image of the Sears Tower on the front. It was redesigned after being sold to Dean Witter Financial Services.
MasterCard and Visa joined forces to fight Discover Card, but they lost.
Discover Card then turned around and sued the two companies.
American Express
One of the most popular credit cards you can own is not a credit card. Amex has actually been a shipping company for many years serving banks and other financial institutions.
The company has undergone many changes to become what it is today. The next time you pull your card, remember that the express on the front was the symbol of one of the first American shipping companies.
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