What credit cards were introduced in the 1980s?

The '80s also ushered in the era of travel-loyalty programs as we know them today, including frequent-flyer, hotel and car-rental rewards programs. American Express, Visa, and Mastercard all introduced premium credit-card products in the early-to-mid 1980s.

How were US credit cards verified in the 1980s?

How were US credit cards verified in-store in the 1980s? Back in the 1980's, many major retailers in the United States would accept credit cards using what was sometimes called a "knucklebuster" - a hand-operated device that would take a carbon-copy impression of the customer's credit card and produce a receipt for them to sign.

Which credit cards were most popular in the 1970s?

Retail-based cards such as those from major department stores were the most commonly held credit cards in the early 1970s. Bank-issued cards exploded in popularity in the decades to come. Only 16% of U.S. families held a bank card in 1970, but more than two-thirds did in 1998, according to the Federal Reserve's Surveys of Consumer Finances.