When `phone cards came into being in the mid 1970`s, they were intended partly as a way of preventing vandals from breaking into public telephone coin boxes. Little was it realised then just how collectable they would become in such a short time. Had I known, I would certainly have picked up some of the discarded cards littering the pavements outside many telephone boxes up and down the country! One of the beauties of collecting `phone cards is that you don`t need a huge amount of spare room to accommodate your collection. A sizeable collection of several hundred can easily be contained in a few appropriate wallets and stored in a drawer or bookshelf. It is quite amazing what detail can be found on `phone cards. For example, on some French issues, very slight differences can be spotted in the pattern of the contacts on the microchips - something which the manufacturers would never have realised would be of such interest to a true enthusiast. A good quality magnifying glass may be advisable if you intend scrutinising your collection to this degree!

Notes & Tips for Collectors.

There are so many different types of `phone card available, and from so many countries, that it is advisable to specialise in a specific country, type or theme. Fortunately, to date, `phone card forgery has not proved to be a problem and it is unlikely at the moment that you will be conned into buying a fake. This may change however as they become more collectable, so ensure that, as with many other collectables, you purchase your `phone cards from either a known, or reputable, source! On occasions, errors in the production process slipped through the Quality Control net and any cards found with, for example, spelling mistakes or inverted control numbers will be of greater value due to the error. Cards should ideally be stored in an appropriate wallet, taking care to avoid scratching or bending them when handling. Some cards will discolour or fade if exposed to sunlight, so bear this in mind when deciding where to store them. If you are fortunate enough to find one still in its protective wrapper, make sure you keep the wrapper intact. This adds greatly to their value!