Description:

This collectible phone card features two distinct designs on its front and back, each offering a unique glimpse into themes related to communication and culture. The front showcases a vivid image of a classic red double-decker bus, a symbol strongly associated with British and Irish urban transit. Prominently displayed on the bus is a bold Coca-Cola advertisement, featuring its iconic white cursive logo set against the bright red background of the vehicle. The scene is set against a cityscape, likely representing Dublin, as confirmed by the accompanying text: "Festival of Phonecards – Ireland's first International Phonecard Fair." The date, "Dublin, 8th September 1996," firmly situates this card in the mid-1990s—a period when phonecards were a popular means of making calls before mobile phones became widespread.

The front side also provides practical and branding details: a microchip in the top left corner indicates the card's function as a phonecard, while nearby, the value "50p" suggests the calling credit available. Below the bus image, the "BT" logo, representing British Telecom, signifies the network or issuing company. The combination of cultural iconography—the bus and Coca-Cola branding—with technical elements like the microchip and telecom logos makes this card both a collector’s item and a piece of telecommunications history. The artistic choice to feature the bus highlights a moment in European culture when public transport was not only essential but also a canvas for major advertising campaigns.

Turning to the back, the design becomes more abstract yet striking. It features a gray background textured with water droplets, creating the appearance of moisture on a surface—a visual metaphor for clarity or a fresh perspective. Overlaid on this backdrop is a minimalist, almost tribal silhouette of a human figure blowing a horn, evoking an equestrian or mythological motif. This figure appears dynamic and poised, symbolizing communication or heralding. Adjacent to it, the prominent "BT" logo reinforces the telecommunications brand. At the bottom, subtle text indicates the card’s expiry date as "June 1998," serving as a reminder of its temporal utility even as it remains a collectible.

Together, these two sides encapsulate a snapshot of 1990s telecommunications culture in Ireland and the UK, blending advertising, technology, and symbolic imagery. The Festival of Phonecards event mentioned on the front suggests that this card was a commemorative item created for enthusiasts and collectors who appreciated the artistic and technical evolution of phonecards. The juxtaposition of a busy city bus adorned with a global brand alongside the elegant, enigmatic figure on the back creates a dialogue between everyday life and myth, technology and tradition. This card not only served a practical purpose but also narrates a layered story about communication and culture at a specific moment in 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.