Coins, Currency, and Medals

$100,000 U.S. Gold Certificate

The museum possesses one of the largest and most diverse numismatic collections in the world. Its diverse holdings represent every inhabited continent and span more than three millennia. The collection includes coins, paper money, medals, tokens, commodity and alternative currencies, coin dies, printing plates, scales and weights, financial documents and apparatuses, credit cards, and objects that reflect established and emerging digital monetary technologies worldwide.

Resource Type: Credit cards

Central Charge Service Credit Card -- Effective 01/20/72

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1972
maker
unknown
ID Number
NU.84.17.16
catalog number
NU*84.17.16
accession number
1984.0606

Peoples Bank & Trust Company Mastercard -- Valid 08/82 thru 08/83

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1982
associated dates
1982 08 / 1982 08, 1983 08 / 1983 08
user
Clain-Stefanelli, Vladimir
maker
unknown
ID Number
1992.0050.0002
catalog number
1992.0050.0002
accession number
1992.0050
catalog number
92.50.02

Diners Club Card, United States, 1976

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1976
maker
Diner's Club International
ID Number
NU.84.17.18
catalog number
84.17.18
accession number
1984.0606
serial number
0010

The Executive Group Insurance Card -- Valid thru 5/01/77

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1977
maker
unknown
ID Number
NU.84.17.20
catalog number
NU*84.17.20
accession number
1984.0606

Diners Club Card -- Valid 05/75 thru 04/76

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1975
maker
unknown
ID Number
NU.84.17.15
catalog number
NU*84.17.15
accession number
1984.0606

BankAmericard; First & Merchants National Bank -- Good thru 09/77

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1977
maker
unknown
ID Number
NU.84.17.08
catalog number
NU*84.17.08
accession number
1984.0606

Sample American Express Credit Card, United States, 1963

American Express was founded in 1850 in order to transport goods the U.S. Postal Service would not deliver. By the end of the Civil War, there were over nine hundred American Express offices in ten states.
Description
American Express was founded in 1850 in order to transport goods the U.S. Postal Service would not deliver. By the end of the Civil War, there were over nine hundred American Express offices in ten states. In the 1880s the company expanded into financial services with money orders, and in the 1890s they began offering Traveler’s Cheques. The financial services offered by the company eventually became its mainstay, and American Express offered its first charge card in 1958 in order to compete with Diners’ Club.
date made
1963
Associated Date
1963
maker
American Express Company
ID Number
NU.NU81082.1
catalog number
NU81082.1
accession number
252886
serial number
78 9

BankAmericard; First & Merchants National Bank -- Good thru 09/75

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1974
maker
unknown
ID Number
1985.0823.08
catalog number
1985.0823.08
accession number
1985.0823

Mercantile Bank Mastercard -- St. Louis Blues (sample)

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
unknown
issuing authority
Mercantile Bank
maker
Mercantile Bank
ID Number
1992.0451.0003
catalog number
1992.0451.0003
accession number
1992.0451
catalog number
92.451.03

Stack's Charge/Credit Identification Card -- Expires December 31, 1976

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1975
maker
unknown
UNK
ID Number
1985.0823.20
catalog number
1985.0823.20
accession number
1985.0823

BankAmericard (sample) -- Bank of America Charge Account Plan

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1958
unknown
unknown
issuing authority
Bank of America
ID Number
NU.84.17.06
catalog number
NU*84.17.06
accession number
1984.0606

Access Mastercard National Westminster Bank

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1986
maker
unknown
ID Number
1993.0526.0002
catalog number
1993.0526.0002
accession number
1993.0526
catalog number
93.526.02

Stack's Charge/Credit Identification Card -- Expires December 31, 1969

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1969
maker
unknown
ID Number
NU.69.235.61
catalog number
69.235.61
accession number
287686

Diners' Club Credit Card, United States, 1955

Diner's Club was one of the earliest issuers of credit cards beginning in 1950. The convenience and security they came to represent transformed payment methods and later blossomed into one of the primary mechanisms for purchasing goods and services for customers.
Description
Diner's Club was one of the earliest issuers of credit cards beginning in 1950. The convenience and security they came to represent transformed payment methods and later blossomed into one of the primary mechanisms for purchasing goods and services for customers. They also became a device for tracking spending patterns for consumers interested in managing their personal finances.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1955
founder of diner's club
McNamara, Frank
Schneider, Ralph
issuing authority
Diner's Club of America
ID Number
NU.72.66.20
accession number
301409
catalog number
72.66.20

Mercantile Bank Mastercard -- St. Louis Blues (sample)

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
unknown
issuing authority
Mercantile Bank
maker
Mercantile Bank
ID Number
1992.0451.0004
catalog number
1992.0451.0004
accession number
1992.0451
catalog number
92.451.04

Diners Club International Card -- Valid 05/79 thru 04/80

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1979
maker
unknown
ID Number
NU.84.17.19
catalog number
NU*84.17.19
accession number
1984.0606

Carte Blanche Credit Card -- Valid 08/78 thru 07/80

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1978
maker
unknown
ID Number
NU.84.17.13
catalog number
NU*84.17.13
accession number
1984.0606

Texaco Gas Card -- Expires 06/83

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1983
associated dates
1983 06 / 1983 06
user
Clain-Stefanelli, Vladimir
maker
unknown
ID Number
1992.0050.0006
catalog number
1992.0050.0006
accession number
1992.0050
catalog number
91.50.06

BankAmericard; Virginia -- Good thru 10/71

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
unknown
maker
unknown
ID Number
1985.0823.04
catalog number
1985.0823.04
accession number
1985.0823

Visa; American Automobile Association -- Good thru 07/80

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
unknown
maker
unknown
issuing authority
American Automobile Association
ID Number
NU.84.17.25
catalog number
NU*84.17.25
accession number
1984.0606

Mercantile Bank Mastercard -- Saint Louis Zoo Friends (sample)

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
unknown
issuing authority
Mercantile Bank
maker
Mercantile Bank
ID Number
1992.0451.0001
accession number
1992.0451
catalog number
92.451.01
serial number
7890

Duncan Hines Signet Club Credit Card -- Expires March 31, 1956

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1956
ID Number
NU.72.66.114
accession number
301409
catalog number
72.66.114
serial number
-154

Diners' Club Western Section Credit Card

The Diners' Club Card is among the earliest credit cards. This specimen was donated to the museum by Alfred Bloomingdale.Currently not on view
Description
The Diners' Club Card is among the earliest credit cards. This specimen was donated to the museum by Alfred Bloomingdale.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1953-04-30
issuing authority
Diner's Club of America
ID Number
NU.72.66.36
catalog number
72.66.36
accession number
301409

Diners' Club Credit Card, United States, 1957

Founded by Frank McNamara in 1950, the Diners' Club Card was among the country’s earliest charge cards. Before the time of plastic credit cards or digital payments, being freed from carrying an excessive amount of cash by simply presenting you Diners’ Club card was novel.
Description
Founded by Frank McNamara in 1950, the Diners' Club Card was among the country’s earliest charge cards. Before the time of plastic credit cards or digital payments, being freed from carrying an excessive amount of cash by simply presenting you Diners’ Club card was novel. At the end of the month, Diners’ Club would bill their members and send the payment to the restaurant, taking out a 5-7% processing fee. Alfred Bloomingdale’s charge card company, “Dine and Sign” merged with Diners’ Club in 1951, when he became The Diners’ Club president. Alfred Bloomingdale used this card prior to its expiration date on September 30, 1957.
date made
1957
maker
Diner's Club of America
ID Number
NU.72.66.31
catalog number
72.66.31
accession number
301409
serial number
2000

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