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Metal Credit Cards, Important to you? Why?

Metal Credit Cards, Important to you? Why?

Old Apr 12, 2013, 7:22 am
  #31  
 
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Originally Posted by kebosabi
... my old AMEX and Diners that I used to have back in the 1990s are still pretty strong and durable with nary a crack.

If anyone has an old plastic card, they should compare it to ones today. In all likelihood, the older plastic feels more durable than those being made today which IMO, are more "flimsier."
The flip side of course being that with all the sturdy plastic cards you needed hip replacement about every 5 years because your wallet would be a solid brick that would not bend, even with only one or two cards we used to carry back then.

I do have a European card with an EMV chip that is much sturdier than US issued cards, but over there hip replacement is covered by health insurance.
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Old Apr 12, 2013, 9:18 am
  #32  
 
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Originally Posted by drminn
The flip side of course being that with all the sturdy plastic cards you needed hip replacement about every 5 years because your wallet would be a solid brick that would not bend, even with only one or two cards we used to carry back then.
Wouldn't that be the same of metal cards?
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Old Apr 15, 2013, 7:45 pm
  #33  
 
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Originally Posted by drminn
The flip side of course being that with all the sturdy plastic cards you needed hip replacement about every 5 years because your wallet would be a solid brick that would not bend, even with only one or two cards we used to carry back then.

I do have a European card with an EMV chip that is much sturdier than US issued cards, but over there hip replacement is covered by health insurance.
The diners club cards are still thicker than regular credit cards. They make good ice scrapers as well!
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Old Apr 16, 2013, 1:24 pm
  #34  
 
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Originally Posted by dko3tgk
A little off topic, but isn't it common sense for Chase to put a EMV chip in every card that has 0 foreign usage fee? It seems silly to have for only some cards without the fee.
Not off topic at all, as Chase cites the design of the card as the reason that it does not yet have EMV. And I agree: a card with no foreign transaction fees, designed for high-income spenders (higher income consumers spend more on dining out and traveling, obviously), and for international travels should have EMV.
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Old Apr 16, 2013, 2:52 pm
  #35  
 
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Originally Posted by augustus21
Chase cites the design of the card as the reason that it does not yet have EMV.
The palladium is made of a "weird" metal design with EMV. I wonder what's taking so long for other cards. Is the Hyatt card metal or made of a "weird" material? How about the JP Morgan Select? What is that made of?
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Old Apr 16, 2013, 3:50 pm
  #36  
 
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Originally Posted by SuperKirby
The palladium is made of a "weird" metal design with EMV. I wonder what's taking so long for other cards. Is the Hyatt card metal or made of a "weird" material? How about the JP Morgan Select? What is that made of?
The Hyatt card is made out of plastic.
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Old Apr 16, 2013, 6:38 pm
  #37  
 
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Originally Posted by SuperKirby
The palladium is made of a "weird" metal design with EMV. I wonder what's taking so long for other cards. Is the Hyatt card metal or made of a "weird" material? How about the JP Morgan Select? What is that made of?
CSP, Marriott Signature, and JP select are all made out of the same metal. The palladium actually has some palladium in it.
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Old Apr 16, 2013, 7:56 pm
  #38  
 
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Originally Posted by augustus21
Chase cites the design of the card as the reason that it does not yet have EMV
Originally Posted by pooker
CSP and JP select are all made out of the same metal
and Chase can't get the EMV in the CSP because the darn "preferred" lettering is taking up the space where the EMV should be. Okay.....

I say, paint all the JP selects blue (or sapphire), and where "JP Morgan" is, replace it with Chase Sapphire Preferred and be done with it. Wow, I should be a credit card engineer.
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Old Apr 17, 2013, 1:10 am
  #39  
 
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Originally Posted by pooker
CSP, Marriott Signature, and JP select are all made out of the same metal. The palladium actually has some palladium in it.
Wait, the CSP is metal, so are you saying they're sending out metal JPM Selects; or are you talking about outside the US where everything is plastic? My JPM Select is plastic, and I thought the card was on the path to extinction, so I would be surprised if they changed the design now...

And, not that this helps anyone here, but I really want an EMV CSP. They need to get on that...

Last edited by kngspook; Apr 17, 2013 at 1:11 am Reason: Removed an (apparently) bad word... >.>
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Old Apr 17, 2013, 1:17 am
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by kngspook
And, not that this helps anyone here, but I really want an EMV CSP. They need to get on that...
I have no idea what the Select is but I did see a few posts where someone said the JP select is metal. If the JPSelect has EMV, made of the same material, and has the SAM benefits, why is it so hard to have the CSP converted?

The JPSelect is already extinct (no one can obtain anymore). I guess if you still have it, it probably still works with all it's benefits.

You got the CSP AND the JPSelect? Two different accounts? Does your plastic JPSelect have an EMV?
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Old Apr 17, 2013, 4:48 pm
  #41  
 
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Originally Posted by SuperKirby
I have no idea what the Select is but I did see a few posts where someone said the JP select is metal. If the JPSelect has EMV, made of the same material, and has the SAM benefits, why is it so hard to have the CSP converted?

The JPSelect is already extinct (no one can obtain anymore). I guess if you still have it, it probably still works with all it's benefits.

You got the CSP AND the JPSelect? Two different accounts? Does your plastic JPSelect have an EMV?
I only have the JPM Select, and mine is plastic and has a chip. The card itself (not the account) is maybe about 12-18 months old.

I want the Sapphire Preferred (I'm willing to give up primary car insurance in exchange for better point earnings on dining), but I've been waiting for a chip on it. Seriously considering switching now, though, since I'm getting impatient and I'm reasonably confident I can manage in Europe without a chip for a bit.
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Old Apr 17, 2013, 5:10 pm
  #42  
 
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Originally Posted by kngspook
Seriously considering switching now, though, since I'm getting impatient and I'm reasonably confident I can manage in Europe without a chip for a bit.
I highly advise against switching one for the other.

My past experience with a chip-less card in Belgium and the Netherlands was too much of a hassle. If you decide to eat out, restaurants have the right to refuse a chip-less card as they did for me in the past. And good luck trying to convince them otherwise if you don't have a commanding fluency in Flemish or Dutch. Too much of a pain and not worth the hassle.

VISA and MC have agreements with merchants that they can refuse them because if the non-chip card is fraudulent, they (the restaurant) has to eat up the cost. And the same agreement is making its way to the US too; go with the chip, be prepared for the chip, or you pay the cost of fraud.

Get the Sapphire, but keep the chip card as your backup. When the merchant accepts your Sapphire, then it's all good. But when the merchant refuses your Sapphire, make no hassle about it and just whip out the card with the chip. Then you're covered in both angles.

Better to have a backup plan than being in a situation without one. If you don't want to pay for the annual fee for the JP Select card, there are several no annual fee chip card options out there now by BofA and other credit unions that you can have as the ideal EMV chipped backup card.

Last edited by kebosabi; Apr 17, 2013 at 5:21 pm
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Old Apr 17, 2013, 6:06 pm
  #43  
 
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Originally Posted by kebosabi
I highly advise against switching one for the other.

My past experience with a chip-less card in Belgium and the Netherlands was too much of a hassle. If you decide to eat out, restaurants have the right to refuse a chip-less card as they did for me in the past. And good luck trying to convince them otherwise if you don't have a commanding fluency in Flemish or Dutch. Too much of a pain and not worth the hassle.

VISA and MC have agreements with merchants that they can refuse them because if the non-chip card is fraudulent, they (the restaurant) has to eat up the cost. And the same agreement is making its way to the US too; go with the chip, be prepared for the chip, or you pay the cost of fraud.

Get the Sapphire, but keep the chip card as your backup. When the merchant accepts your Sapphire, then it's all good. But when the merchant refuses your Sapphire, make no hassle about it and just whip out the card with the chip. Then you're covered in both angles.

Better to have a backup plan than being in a situation without one. If you don't want to pay for the annual fee for the JP Select card, there are several no annual fee chip card options out there now by BofA and other credit unions that you can have as the ideal EMV chipped backup card.
I'd keep both overall, except for the annual fees...maybe I'll have them overlap though.

I didn't realize Visa/MC took such a strong stance against stripes in Europe. >.<
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Old Apr 18, 2013, 2:31 am
  #44  
 
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Originally Posted by kngspook
I only have the JPM Select, and mine is plastic and has a chip. The card itself (not the account) is maybe about 12-18 months old.

I want the Sapphire Preferred (I'm willing to give up primary car insurance in exchange for better point earnings on dining), but I've been waiting for a chip on it. Seriously considering switching now, though, since I'm getting impatient and I'm reasonably confident I can manage in Europe without a chip for a bit.
I just called JPM and the rep told me the Select card has a sheet of metal between two layers of plastic with an embedded chip. Sounds like the Sapphire but with a chip. And afaik the Marriott Premier is also metal with the acct info laser engraved on the front (not the back like Sapphire) with a chip, so Sapphire should be able to get a chip too.
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Old May 2, 2013, 10:10 pm
  #45  
 
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Exactly. This whole thread is a summary of what banks need to do with cards.

1. get rid of the stupid 1 sided design without raised #'s. don't make your card difficult or more time consuming to use.
2. If you offer cards with no international fees, then naturally put a chip in that card so clients can use the card internationally the way you are promoting it.
3. if you do use metal make sure #1 & #2 are followed first. And always provide a way to destroy the card.
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