Description:

These images showcase a striking collectible item from the prepaid telecom industry around November 1999: a clear, flat, die-cut plastic phone card, famously recognized during the prestigious Intele-Card News Prepaid Excellence Awards at the Show Card event in Miami, Florida. Each card measures approximately 4 inches high by 3.25 inches wide and features a unique, sculpted shape that adds an elegant touch to what might otherwise be a simple phone card. This design seamlessly combines telecom utility with collectible appeal, making it both functional and display-worthy. The cards resemble glass awards in their clarity and craftsmanship, symbolizing the innovative spirit of prepaid telecom technology at that time.

The cards bear a distinctive inscription: "Intele-Card News Prepaid Excellence Awards November 1999 Expo '99: The Cutting Edge of Prepaid Telecom." This messaging firmly places the cards within a significant industry milestone and recognition event. The typeface is clean and highly legible, reinforcing a professional and innovative image. The text contrasts well against the transparent plastic, with the reflective surface catching light to create subtle highlights and shadows, emphasizing the sleek, modern design ethos of the period. The sharp, clean lines of the award-like shape demonstrate forward-thinking design that likely appealed to tech enthusiasts and collectors alike.

Upon closer inspection, some cards feature an attached white section printed by Ameriplast, which includes specific numbers and a dial-in code for redemption or registration, hinting at a secured prepaid usage feature. Many cards are numbered, indicating their limited-edition status—one card, for example, displays “1580 of 4000,” highlighting its rarity and collectible value. The PIN numbers are prominently displayed on the white tab at the bottom, adding practicality beyond aesthetic appeal. These details underscore the dual role of these cards as both valuable collectibles and functional prepaid cards, reflecting the dynamic nature of the telecom marketplace in the late 1990s.

Overall, this set of collectible phone cards captures the evolution of prepaid telecom services during a pivotal era when companies explored innovative marketing and product design strategies to boost brand presence and user engagement. The combination of an award-like aesthetic with tangible prepaid functionality reflects the ambitions and achievements of telecom pioneers of that time. The careful design, limited print run, and commemorative inscriptions serve as a snapshot of industry efforts to celebrate progress, recognize excellence, and create memorabilia that appeals to collectors and telecom professionals alike. These cards stand as historical artifacts from a transformative period in telecommunications history.

Since we have the world's largest inventory of USA phonecards for collectors, you will not necessarily receive the identical serial/batch/PIN number that we have scanned/pictured.