Curious about black card

I was googling around the Internet trying to find some information on this and ended up at this web site. You guys seem to know what you're talking about here, so I'll give it a try and see if anyone here knows something about this... I have no idea if this is related, but it just seemed weird to me.

I'm in the New York City area and was at a business lunch meeting with a client the other day -- a hole-in-the-wall mediteranean place down in lower manhatten. There were two guys in very high-end suits who sat down at a table nearby. They talked quietly while there, but I didn't think anything of it.

But throughout the meal I noticed that it seemed like one guy was interviewing or educating the other guy -- sort of like a one-way conversation but very hushed. As we got up to leave, they were still there talking, and we had to walk past them. I noticed on the table there was a black card (I had seen one man give this to the other earlier) sitting on the table -- it was like a business card but looked almost metal and polished. It only said "helix firm" or hilix... I read it quick, so I'm not positive. The "receiver" of the card covered it with his hand as we were walking past. I guess I was pretty obviously being nosy. It had some kind of shield emblem on it. I noticed that the guy who had been doing all the talking had the same emblem/shield thing on a black leather attache case on the floor next to his chair.

Just weird. I did some googling and didn't find anything, but I was wondering if you guys might have some insight. The whole thing just seemed very off/sureal for some reason.

Probably AMEX BLACK, which is a super hard card to get, but it has no limit.

It is reserved for multi-millionaires and billionaires.

Did it look anything like this?

By the way, there are other versions...



EDIT TO ADD:

Ah HAH!
Here's a quote from a blog...
from GearLog

I had lunch with a wealthy friend today, and at the end of the meal he pulled out his black American Express card, which is now made of anodized titanium. The Amex Black Card is one of those legends that just had to become true: according to Wikipedia, American Express decided to launch the card only after urban legends of a mysterious, super-powerful credit card had circulated around the country.

www.gearlog.com...

The thing is made of TITANIUM! haha... Probably why it was metallic looking, because it was metallic..

It's called the centurion card...
From saving advice.com
www.savingadvice.com...





[edit on 4/15/08 by SantaClaus]

Sorry I keep posting, but this is pretty cool..

From Wikipedia

As of Aug 1, 2007, in the United States, requirements include minimum annual spending of $250,000, exceptional credit history and significant financial assets. Certain requirements may be waived for celebrities and public figures. Requirements for acceptance in other countries can differ slightly.
There is a US $5,000 one-time initiation fee for new primary card holders, plus the annual fee of US $2,500.
In the UK, there was no minimum annual spend although it is reported that spending £3,000 a month was standard.
Centurion card members have the option of additional cards for an annual fee of $1,500 per each additional Centurion card (one-time US $5,000 initiation fee waived for additional Centurion cards), $175 per each additional Platinum card or $45 per each additional Gold card linked to the primary Centurion account holder.[citation needed]

Here's the wiki page Lots of info.

No, it didn't look like that but that's cool. I didn't know there was a black Amex! I've never seen that.

The card was completely black and almost shiny. It looked like it was metal and had a sheild-like emblem on it... I'm not sure how to describe it. It didn't say anything else but Helix Firm (if I've got the spelling right, I glanced quickly). One of the guys had the same emblem embossed on his attache case. I think he was pointing to something on it when we walked passed and then the guy who took it covered it up with his hand.

These guys definitely had major money. Their suits looked top shelf, french cuffed shirts, gold links, the whole nine yards.

reply to post by davestock


Click the gearlog URL I posted under the quote. That one is completely black and shiny. And its titanium. It would make me upset if I didn't figure this one out, so I'm gonna work with ya to crack this one!

Here's a VISA INFINITE

There's also
the Coutts World Signia
CitiCard's Ultima

I also came across a site that lets you completely tailor a card to your needs, which is what he may have done.

A few years ago I picked up up a temp agency job in NZ with the Bank of New Zealand in there Credit Card Division for 6 mths. While there I was taught how to key credit cards (creating them).
Anyway we were creating cards for companies like Fonterra (worlds largest diary company) with unlimited credit limits not black just plain Gold. They could either be Master card or Visa made no difference. The reason was that some countries only take cash payment for goods.
Also the cards could be printed with any colour our picture on it. This was just a personlising service we oftered. Pink was a popular colour?????? also have pictures of your children was popular.

hope this helps a bit.

I dont think this was a credit card due to the same logo appearing on one gentlemans briefcase.

I imagine it was a very high line business card

The texture of that card looks about right... but it was shiny almost -- I guess perhaps that may be the difference between in person or not.

But it had no other marks on it. I have an Amex... definitely didn't have any of those marking or numbers, etc, like a credit card. It was about the same size, etc, but it had some kind of shield... almost looked like an old style crest or something. I really didn't get a good look at it. And then it looked like it just said "Helix Firm" on it, but like I said it was so quick that I may have gotten the words wrong. It seemed weird that the guy would give him an otherwise "blank" card... unless there was something on the back. But like I said, he was pointing to something on it prior.

AM EX supposedly has a new black card. because of the popularity and knowledge of the previous black card the new one is actually made out of metal and all it has are the laser etched name and numbers with a small am ex label. it dosent have a hologram or stickers and such.

this new one is supposedly going to HIGH HIGH rollers and only 100+ are in existence.

These any help? (3 lines technically.)

www.reunion-specialists.com...

www.dirare.com...

what color was the emblem? also do you remember any shapes or items inside the emblem? (keys,boxes,circles,birds etc.) Did these guys speek english or did they have accent? (maube we can search other countries for this depending on there accent)

Originally posted by pavlovsdog
I dont think this was a credit card due to the same logo appearing on one gentlemans briefcase.

I imagine it was a very high line business card

Also, you mentioned he had the same emblem on his jacket? This would also so suggest its not a bank, but a big company non the less.

Whenever I think of helix, I think of DNA maybe they have something to do with genetics.

Interesting Thread OP

[edit on 16-4-2008 by wintercb1]

AMEX has had the Ebony Card for some years now....

I used to have a Platinum...and a Gold card. They all had annual fees.

Platinum is something like $350 per year, Gold is $150 per annum, may have gone up....I never qualified for the Ebony Card!

Dern it! I want one!!!!

I'll pay my bill...honest!!!

Well, 'Ebony' is ultimate, and reserved for the mega-rich.....

Wow I appreciate all of the responses!

To answer the questions asked, the emblem was all white. I think! Like I said, I only got all of a few seconds look at it, but I don't remember seeing any color. The emblem and writing were all white on just a plain black background. It looked similar to the crest/emblem that one of you posted, but it wasn't green... and I THINK it had words on it, but it was too small for me to read. It looked like more than one word on the emblem itself.

There were distinct "sections" on the emblem. Like I said before it looked similar to a sheild from years ago with separate sections and icons. I just didn't get a long enough look at it. I've been racking my head trying to remember, but Snobird, you mentioned a key. There might have been a key in part of the emblem. I remember seeing something that looked like a stick with a loop on it. I go fishing a lot so I immediately thought of a fishing net!! Hahaha... and I seriously doubt it was, so I don't want to sound stupid saying there was a fishing net on it! But that could have very well been a key. I got a better (bigger) look at it on his briefcase when I glanced down walking past... but it's just too hard to say for certain.

As far as language goes, I believe they were speaking English. But you know, I can't be certain of that either. It's funny how little you actually remember when forced to remember things for certain! They spoke very quietly, so I heard sounds of speech that I guess I just assumed were English. I don't know.

Here is Helix Firm's logo...

Any similarities?

reply to post by davestock
Its probably a federal business card, going by the shield

Ok I couldn't resist and gave my client a call who was there with me. I made some small talk about business not to seem like a wack job just calling about these two guys. I brought it up casually in the conversation and he (oddly!) remembered the situation to be weird too. The good part is that he helped to fill in some missing pieces. He remembered it a little different than me.

I didn't notice the briefcase with the emblem until we were walking past and I was looking down. He on the other hand saw that case well before we got up to leave. He said there was writing on the crest in a banner at the bottom but it wasn't in English. There were also two lions or tigers on either side looking "in" at the shield. And although he didn't remember my "fishing net" he thought it could have been a key too.

I know that I wasn't the only one who thought it was weird though since he paused while speaking about it and said something looked off to him too. So maybe we're both just too nosy but I'm glad I didn't ruin the relationship by bringing it up and risking sounding crazy!

Oh and the only thing he remembers hearing spoken was something about "[something] it's of time [something] your return trip to New Haven." He walked out a little in front of me as they weren't speaking when I walked past... just covering up whatever that black card was.

Anyway he and I both got a good chuckle out of the whole thing if nothing else.

One more thing, he also confirmed what I read on the card. "The Helix Firm." He glanced at it too apparently while leaving... must have prompted the guy to cover it then seeing me stare too.

Oh well.