Description:

This collectible phone card, known as the 40u Blue Generic Card from 1992, exemplifies early prepaid telecommunication technology. Approximately the size of a standard credit card, its deep blue background is accented with white text and graphics, giving it a utilitarian and functional aesthetic characteristic of telecommunications tokens from the early 1990s. The top portion features an optical stripe—an early precursor to modern smart card microchips—designed to encode prepaid stored value for telephone calls. This stripe plays a vital role in the card’s functionality, interfacing with phone systems to deduct units (represented as “40u” on the card) each time a call is made. It signifies that the card is a smart card type, utilizing technology of that era to ensure secure, prepaid telecommunications.

The card bears the logos and names of Cable & Wireless and the Bermuda Telephone Company Limited. On the left side, the Cable & Wireless logo—a globe with an arrow pointing eastward—symbolizes international connectivity and the company’s global telecommunication reach. On the opposite side, the Bermuda Telephone Company Limited’s logo features a stylized bell, reflecting its longstanding legacy in local telephony services. This dual branding indicates a collaborative issuance, likely representing Bermuda’s regional telecommunications infrastructure in the early 1990s. The label “PRE-PAID CASH CARD” is prominently displayed in a boxed font, emphasizing its function: a stored-value card that allows users to pay for calls using preloaded credit, a significant shift toward convenience in telephone usage at the time.

The optical stripe is positioned across the top of the card, flanked by a white numeric scale from 0 to 40. This scale visually indicates the remaining prepaid units—up to 40—that could be gradually consumed as calls are made, providing a clear interface for tracking balance. A subtle upward-pointing arrow above the stripe indicates the proper direction for card insertion into phone terminals. Labeled 210A Mint - F90N, the card emphasizes its mint condition and may serve as a catalog identifier used by collectors or issuers. As a tangible artifact of telecommunications history, this card captures a period when smart card and stored-value technologies began revolutionizing phone usage, gradually replacing older coin-operated payphones and manual billing systems.

The “L&G” marking on the card refers to Landis & Gyr.

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.