In recent years, there has been some confusion about the prestigious visa black cards that are on the credit card market, inundated as we are by commercials depicting scenes of wealth and beautiful, black-clad women and toys usually reserved for the rich. To clarify; there are really only two such charge-cards worth mentioning; one of them is truly a visa black card, whereas the other is a card that happens – not by accident, as we shall see – to be black.

The American Express Centurion visa black card is definitely a card out of the reach of the average consumer, and was often spoke about in hushed tones a decade ago. There are no commercials about this credit card; and for good reason: it simply isn’t available for “purchase.” First of all, you have to spend – easily spend, in fact - $250,000 per year (actually, you have to charge that much on the card, which suggests that you likely spend considerably more than even that annually). Next, you have to be financially comfortable enough to fork over the $10,000 initiation fee, as well as $2,500 every year you hold the card. While it should be obvious that the benefits of having the Centurion visa black card are deemed worthwhile to the wealthy, most of them are things you and I (presumably) are used to taking care of ourselves, or simply doing without, unlike the rich and famous. Private boarding on airplanes, baggage handling, round-the-clock personal concierge service, and private shopping after-hours don’t usually warrant any conception on my part; seeing as how I fly coach or business, get my own luggage, Google stuff, and shop on sale days when the store’s packed.

The other visa black card is the highly-visible and thoroughly-marketed Visa visa black card, which is but a shell of its predecessor; which is not to say that the card isn’t worth it to the right patron! It all depends on why you would hanker for the Visa Black; is it for the type of status that your bank account doesn’t actually reflect? Or, are you comfortably middle-class and convinced you’re on your way to the Promised Land? Are you within a stone’s throw of a Mercedes, instead of a Maybach? If so, then there are certainly better cards out there for you, in a practical sense. With a $495 annual fee – this comes out to just $41 monthly – and a host of similar, though lower-quality benefits as the American Express Centurion, the young professional, businesswoman, entrepreneur or frequent traveler could benefit from being able to slide the prestigious Visa Black out of his or her wallet or purse. Visa launched their brilliant marketing campaign to capitalize on the mystique of the Centurion visa black card; and, despite the many benefits of the Visa Black, make no mistake that it is a visa black card, not the visa black card.

The American Express Centurion Card, more commonly known as the "visa black card," has become the status symbol du jour for high-end cardholders. But how do you get your mitts on one? Here's a roadmap.

The high-end credit card has actually been around for about a decade, and shares more myths and legends than the entire story arch of The X-Files. Going back to the 1980s, hip urbanites spoke of a magical credit card where the owners could order up the Concorde for a trip to Paris, or where someone knew someone who used a "black" card to buy the horse Kevin Costner used in the Oscar winning Dances With Wolves. To date, no stories like the ones listed above have ever been confirmed, but that hasn't stopped some affluent Americans from wondering if they're missing out by not having the card.
Turn the page to 1999, where myth meets reality and American Express (NYSE: AXP - News) actually does release a black credit card -- the Centurion, named after Amex's corporate logo. According to AdSavvy.org, the visa black card is made of anodized titanium, a heavier substance that gives the card more heft, literally and figuratively. Benefits include automatic first-class upgrades on all airline flights; a personal shopper in major cities worldwide, top-of-the-line concierge and travel agent service, the first crack at elite shows and sporting events, and after-hours privileges at elite stores and boutiques worldwide.

But the marketing gurus at Amex made a conscious choice to build on the Centurion's "urban legend" status -- especially the part about how getting one is as difficult as getting George Clooney's private cell phone number. That's why, up until 2006, the visa black card was issued to preferred clients by invitation only.

So how do you go about getting a  visa black card? The good news, as it were, is that you no longer have to be invited by Amex to get one. Just call Amex and ask. To heighten your chances, you'll need to accomplish the following (from the blog QuickSprout.com, whose founder is a Centurion cardholder):

• Have a nearly blemish-free credit history.
• Spend at least $250,000 annually on a current Visa or Gold card.
• Accept a one-time card membership fee of $5,000, along with an annual fee of $2,500.
• Have a "major" net worth (undisclosed by Amex).

You can call and ask for an invitation at 1-800-263-1616 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-263-1616      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-263-1616      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-263-1616      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-263-1616      end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1-800-263-1616      end_of_the_skype_highlighting -- but this ploy definitely falls into the "it can't hurt to ask" category. If you do, be prepared to answer some tough questions.

One hurdle, for example, that would be tough to crack is the $250,000 annual spending minimum. That's about $21,000 per month and most individuals would balk at spending that kind of dough. QuickSprout advises offering to pay the money upfront, to convince Amex you're a good credit risk.

If you want to bypass the invitation/application route, you need to be both successful and creative. One possibility for the elite business set is working for a firm that issues Centurion cards to high-end executives. That way you don't have to hunt down the card -- it will find you.

It's a high mountain to climb but those who are there say it's worth it. Amex built the visa black card around its signature phrase, "membership has its privileges." In the case of the Centurion card, boy does it ever.

What if what was in your wallet really did make you a better person -- or at least perceived as one?
The closest thing to such a notion may be the American Express Centurion Card, also known as the visa black card.

The right credit card for you
Released in 1999, AmEx has created an aura of mystery and power around this rectangle of sturdy titanium.
Quick quiz: Do you know your credit scores?
Although American Express is decidedly discreet about the details of membership, this is what we do know:
The visa black card has no credit limit.
Cards are issued by invitation only.
One of the criteria considered for an invitation is annual credit card charges. Those interviewed for this story say the threshold for invitation has been lowered from $1 million to $250,000 in recent years.
What is clear is that the one-time $5,000 initiation fee and annual $2,500 membership do come with unique perks, including airline and hotel upgrades, and a personalized concierge service that helps with travel and restaurant reservations as well as shopping procurement -- benefits many holders say are the visa black card's true value.
Beware small-business credit cards

But this hard-to-get credit card, with its unusual color and hefty metal weight, does more than ensure access to airport lounges. Evoking allure of wealth and power, it is known to provoke fawning by those who covet it.
We interviewed some visa black card holders, as well as those who have been in its presence, about the privileges that only membership can buy.
Want great service? Mention the card
Social-media entrepreneur and media consultant Peter Shankman says that while the concierge service has saved him in many personal and professional pickles, he flashed the titanium just once in an effort to get VIP service. It worked.
Shankman was in desperate need of a new suit and was browsing in an Armani store wearing his usual uniform of T-shirt and jeans. "No one paid me any attention. It was right out of 'Pretty Woman,'" Shankman says. "Finally, I said loudly: 'Never mind! I'll take my visa black card and go to Prada!' Within a minute, eight sales guys were there ready to help me."
Broke, but he won't give up his visa black card
Not all stories are so entertaining. Aylin Unal says a longtime friend finally qualified for a visa black card after coveting one for years. He has made a point of showing it off frequently.
"Even if he charges $3, he makes sure to put the card in front of everybody," Unal says. "He carries everything on a money clip, and the card is always on the outside."
In recent years, the friend has found himself in six figures of business and consumer debt and had his electricity turned off a few times for nonpayment, Unal says. Nonetheless, he has thwarted his accountant's and attorney's advice to declare bankruptcy, because doing so would mean he would lose the Centurion.
Unal asked her friend why he continues to pay the pricey annual fee when he does not take advantage of the card's travel perks. "He said it was worth it for him to get good treatment at the valet or a bar," she says. "It's really sad that at this point in his life he doesn't think better of himself."
Make the wait staff fawn over you
Other cardholders' friends get a kick out of the over-the-top service the card can elicit. Donna Wheeler has a friend who owns a Centurion, but only because the friend's husband works for American Express, not because she's a high roller. Wheeler says the power of the card is evident in restaurants, where the wait staff may be mediocre until the card is handed over with the bill.
"Then they are fawning over us, saying, 'Oh, I hope you had a good visit!' We just look at each other across the table and crack up laughing," Wheeler says.
When charm fails, flash the card
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 As you all know, I love free and easy miles and points. However, I ran across this Visa Black Card commercial today and admit I got sucked in. So, I thought I’d read into what this card was all about.
Pretty cool huh? I surely would like to be on my own private island, hop on a bike to my helicopter, for a ride on my boat to something obviously awesome!

The Visa Black Card exists to compete with the American Express Black Card and the benefits of this card outweigh all other travel cards that I have seen. However, there’s this pesky annual fee of $495. Why would I, miss cheapy-cheap deal hound, even consider paying that?? For the travel perks.

• The Visa Black Card will get you VIP treatment in over 600 airport lounges around the world. The American Airlines Admiral’s Club and the Star Alliance Red Carpet Club are both over $495 to join. If you travel and would like to enjoy the lounges, this card will get you in … to 600 different ones! Plus, you will get the “Yes Sir” “Yes Ma’am” treatment.
You can also say goodbye to buying travel insurance.

• Now, you will have built in trip interruption or cancellation insurance giving you a reimbursement up to $1,500.
• The baggage delay insurance will reimburse you for expenses up to $100 per day for three days for the purchase of essential items.
• Receive $250,000 worth of insurance coverage for travel. This benefit provides common carrier accidental death or dismemberment coverage at no extra cost.
• When a trip is delayed more than 12 hours due to a covered event, your expenses incurred as a result of the delay, such as meals and lodging, are reimbursed up to $300 per ticket.
• Carry-on or checked luggage is covered up to $3,000 per trip if lost or stolen when you purchase your common carrier ticket with your Visa Black Card.
• Reimbursement at no additional charge for damage due to collision or theft up to the actual value of most rental vehicles.
Want more? OK, there’s more.

• The concierge service is amazing. Need floor seats to the Lakers’ game? Visa Black Card will try to accommodate anything you want including: entertainment planning, business services, gift arrangement, travel information and assistance. It’s almost like having a personal assistant, but they have greater ability and access to get the job done.
• For the first 15 months, you will receive 0% interest on balance transfers. For the life of your membership you will earn 1% cash back or points for use on travel purchases on all of your new purchases. If you have a balance on any card, it doesn’t take long to get dinged with hundreds of dollars in interest. Transfer the balance.
• Visa Black Card also sends you luxury gifts based on your purchases. There is one blog report of receiving a Chanel handbag valued at $300.
Then, there is the cool factor. The card is made out of carbon! Pretty sweet. Also, there is limited membership with this card so you will always get great customer service, which also means you will need excellent credit to qualify.

All in all, if you travel, the rewards are definitely worth the annual fee, and you will end up saving money each year. I would have. This year I paid over $300 in travel insurance, had a trip delay, and a lost bag for two days.Neat behind the scenes video showing the amount of work and preparation that went into Visa’s new “Back in Black” Black Card commercial. We’re not in the 1% of the population that has a Black Card, but at least we can appreciate the talent in making the commercial:Watch Gorgeous Donna Feldman: Black Card Commercial

Watch stunning fashion model Donna Feldman in her new blackcard commercial shot in La Jolla and the south of France. Donna and I worked together on an international Esquire cover and she also appears on the cover of the March 2010 FHM Australia where she was named “America’s Hottest New Superstar Model.”

The new Visa Black Credit Card has made a huge splash in the credit card industry. It is the latest of all prestigious luxury credit cards in the industry and it has already managed to acquire a huge fan following. But before you fill out a Visa Black card application, read this review of it to find out whether or not it will truly change your life.
The Visa Black Card is the latest entrant in the prestigious credit card market category and has created a lot of buzz in the industry. Is it just another luxury card with prohibitively high annual fees? Or do the benefits of the new Visa Black Card justify its expense? Read this review to find out whether or not you should get a Visa Black Card of your own!
First, let’s debunk some of the hype surrounding this card:
Black card?
This should not be confused with the AmEx Centurion “black” card. That one requires $7,500 in fees just for the first year ($5,000 initiation fee and $2,500 annual fee) and is invite only for AmEx’s biggest spenders (you have to spend several hundred thousand annually on another AmEx card in order to be invited).
In a nutshell, Visa Black Card is just Barclay’s trademarked name for the card… reportedly there is no such thing as a “black card” tier for Visa cards. In fact, the Visa Black Card is reportedly only the “Platinum Plus” tier (however I have personally not confirmed this, so it may or may not be true). That is usually the tier people get when they aren’t approved for a Visa Signature Card, so that in itself is far from prestigious.
Limited to 1% of U.S. residents?
Many people out there assume this means the Visa Black credit card is only for the wealthiest 1% of the population…. nothing could be further from the truth. Reportedly it only means they are limiting the total enrollment to 1% of Americans. Truth be told, 1% equals around 3 million Americans… that’s a lot of people. In all honesty, probably not more than 1% would ever want the Visa Black Card, so saying this really doesn’t mean much. Probably far less than 1% of Americans have the AmEx Platinum Card (a card this site advertises) but you don’t hear American Express saying that as a marketing gimmick, do you?
Exclusivity?
It’s marketed as something that is highly exclusive, but what are the Visa Black card requirements? According to numerous sources across the net, it sounds like they are not much different than most credit cards (for example, be a U.S. resident, have a qualifying credit score, etc). If indeed this card doesn’t have any extra special requirements (like the AmEx Centurion does) then it appears that a large number of Americans would easily qualify if they truly wanted the card. In fact, there are stories out there of people from many walks of life reportedly getting a Visa Black Card application in the mail, including rumors of college students with limited income, etc.
Carbon black card?
One of their selling points is that the Visa Black credit card is made of carbon. However after finally examining the card in person, it looks and feels similar to plastic. I don’t think that many people would consider the carbon material much different than normal plastic. In fact, my guess would be that some people wouldn’t even think anything of it.
First-Class Airport Lounge Access?
The Visa Black includes Travel Lounge Priority Pass, the largest airport VIP lounge program, which gives complimentary access to more than 500 luxury airport lounges across the world. However if you read the fine print, cardmembers only get 4 free visits per year! Compare that to the AmEx Platinum which gives you unlimited visits and at a lower annual fee!
Luxury Gifts?
The card touts various “luxury gifts” as perks that Visa Black Card members get. When the card first launched, it did sound like there were some decent gifts that some members got. However as of lately, a first gift that has been mentioned frequently in the blogosphere is a Cross pen set… most of us couldn’t care less about a pen and for $495 annual fee, we expect a heck of a lot more.

What the Visa Black card really is…
Just do the math: 3,000,000 (1% of Amer