| If you have never heard of the American Express | | | | had seen someone using one of them. |
| black card or the Centurion card as it is often called | | | | American Express used the rumors that had circulated |
| maybe it is because this card is exclusively for those | | | | about the black card that was so special to start the |
| who meet the strictest of standards set by American | | | | Centurion card in the fall of 1999. This card was only |
| Express. This is an exclusive credit card for those | | | | available to those who had the Platinum card and |
| who have an income and credit rating unlike most of | | | | instead of being made of plastic; this card was made |
| the country. | | | | of metal. |
| When certain criteria are met an invitation from | | | | The Centurion card is an invitation only card ( in many |
| American Express will be sent along for the Centurion | | | | countries where the exclusive credit card was the |
| credit card. The requirements are quite different from | | | | Platinum card. If the Centurion card is not available in |
| the other credit cards you may have had in the past. | | | | one of these countries, the Platinum card is still the |
| This credit card charges $2500 for their annual fee | | | | card that is considered the exclusive "by invitation only" |
| and there is another fee that must be paid which is an | | | | card. |
| initiation fee of $5000 for the first year. | | | | When the Centurion card was first issued it had an |
| As with anything new or different, a sort of urban | | | | annual fee of $1000 but it was soon raised to the fee |
| legend started to circulate about the 'black credit card'. | | | | charged now of $2500. The first person deemed |
| The legend said there was a black credit card that | | | | worthy of having one of these credit cards was |
| allowed celebrities and persons of high rank unlimited | | | | comedian, Jerry Seinfeld. Part of the reason for this |
| credit and the ability to visit very high class stores after | | | | may have been because he was a spokesperson for |
| business hours. The unconfirmed reports first started | | | | American Express. |
| being spread in the 1980s. The truth of the matter was | | | | As long as there are urban legends circulating, the |
| it was not a credit card at all but an information card | | | | ones about the Centurion black credit card will |
| that had American Express Travel numbers as well as | | | | probably persist. The tales of exclusive stores being |
| hotel assistants services numbers. | | | | closed for the whim of one person who wanted them |
| When the Centurion credit card was first heard of | | | | all to himself to shop are only part of the rumors that |
| there were a number of rumors that surfaced about | | | | have been told. Until a new rumor comes along to take |
| the mysterious black credit card. One was that if you | | | | the place of the old ones or people tire of the stories |
| had one of these types of cards you could buy | | | | surrounding the black credit card, the tales will get |
| anything you wanted to buy. There never was actually | | | | more elaborate. Who knows what will be next? |
| anyone who had this card but they had friends who | | | | |