May 18, 1996

Issue 33

Phonecards On-Line is written and distributed by Alan Cohen

News and Views

This issue will be short on commentary. It's already Friday, and I am supposedly on vacation! I think I am working harder on vacation than when I have to work. On another note, this mailing list has now gone over 700!

B&B Southern California Expo

"The B&B Southern California Collectors Expo to take place at the Disneyland Hotel Convention Center in Anaheim, California from August 23 - 25, 1996, promises to be one of the most exciting phone card shows ever this side of the Rockies.

This show will feature leading Phone Card dealers, not only in the U.S., but throughout the world offering collectible phone cards from Germany, Australia, Japan, England, and New Zealand. Leading phone card manufactures like GEM International, Australia Telecom, New Zealand Event Masters Disney, Japan Disney, GTE Hawaii, Classic/Coke, plus numerous others are scheduled to appear. Also in attendance will the representatives of Money Card Collector, PCM Report, and Beckett.

As an added attraction, 1000 free phone cards made especially for the show will be available each day. These cards will feature Marilyn Monroe, Coke, and of course, Disneyland. Twenty major celebrities signing free autographs. Free $10 validated parking at Disneyland Hotel with purchase. Show admission is $5. for adults, $3. for students, and children under 10 are admitted free.

Special admission rates to Disneyland and special room rates at the Disneyland Hotel (714.596.6400). There are also 20 other hotels near Disneyland, many within walking distance, all with special rates. Call the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce at 714.758.0222.

B&B is encouraging purchase of VIP advance 3-day show admission tickets at $15. to ensure receipt of the collectible show phone card for each day of the show, as they will "

As I will be living in Southern California by then, I will definitely attend the show! Seems like it is going to be a great show, I recommend everyone who can go. Perhaps other collectors who read this newsletter can get together and meet for lunch on one of the days.

JC Penney

Too late to be reported last week, JC Penney had a giveaway last Saturday: Purchase $25 worth of merchandise, receive a phonecard. My wife and I went and each purchased $25 worth of merchandise. The card is actually quite nice. It's a thick plastic that can be "punched out" of a larger holder. There is a flower on the card, and it says "HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY" from JC Penney. A nice addition to any collection. Of course, the card was not given to me directly. Had I not mentioned this to the clerk, she would not have directed me to the counter where they were given away. I find this typical of these types of promotions. I suspect that not as many cards went out as was planned. If you are going to advertise this type of promotion nationally, the least you can do is give out the cards!

Phonecard Poem

Whether you are a phonecard novice or a seasoned collector, It is always fun to try to receive a valuable phonecard. New cards are created daily.

Phonecards On Line lets us know what's affecting the collector.
Hobbies ease the stress of life.
Outside interests help us cope.
Never spend more than you can.
Every purchase should give hours of satisfaction.
Children can appreciate inexpensive cards as well.
All of us should treat them fairly.
Rare collectibles are hard to find.
Don't you hate poems that don't rhyme?

Yes, The first letter of each line spells WIN PHONECARD.

From: Del Deligianis

The winner!

Thanks for all of the entries to win a Card Mall Card, the winner is:

Melinda Gore

Congrats! The Card will be mailed to you when I receive your address.

Promotions

Sears

Sears has a 20-minute card they will give out to those people purchasing $75.00 worth of merchandise in their jewelry dept., ostensibly geared toward Mother's Day purchases. Design or number issued unknown, but if every jewelry dept. in every Sears store has them (do they?) the number is probably quite large.

From: Randy Bowden

More Sears!

" Redeem this coupon for your FREE DIE HARD 5 minute prepaid calling card"

"Buy 2 packs of AA 8 pack batteries and get a Renewable Prepaid Phone Card by mail."

The card shown has SEARS, DieHard is in a gray/black motif with red stripes and some red lettering plus white lettering. I have some extra coupons if anyone needs one. No receipt is required just an original coupon and 2 UPCs of AA8 Die Hard batteries. So, you see where a trip to Sears may be necessary anyway.

From: Brian Chanin

Canadian News

"The Bay" one of our department store chain is offering a free 10 minute card just for applying for their credit card. "Zellers" the lower end merchandiser of the Bay has sent out a coupon to their card holders who can redeem for a phonecard with any purchase with their card. Claritin is giving out a 5 minute phonecards thru London Drugs in B.C.

From: Ben Osato

Canadian Mist

Canadian Mist whisky is offering a free phonecard with the purchase of a 1.75L bottle of its product. You do need to mail in a coupon along with UPC code and dated cash register receipt to get the card.

From: Gordon Dixon

Ameritech

Art Van Furniture is giving away Ameritech/Art Van 5-minute "Call Mom On Us" phone cards, this coming weekend only, at their 25+ stores in Michigan. Cards released in Michigan, such as the very early Michigan Bell trials of a 1987 and the G7 cards from 1994, have proved to be very difficult to obtain (as their current prices indicate.)

The University of Chicago is distributing an Ameritech Special 25-Unit card that features the same magnetic stripe technology used by the obsolete "Coin$aver" cards. This is a first with the new PrePaid line of cards. As part of this trial, five pay phones fitted with card readers were installed in the University's new student communication center to accept these cards. Like Coin$aver, the stripe simply allows the card user to speed dial both the access 800# and the card's PIN, putting them right into the platform. The 800# and PIN are still printed on each card for use from normal touch-tone phones.

Personal observation: Trial cards at universities always prove to be "hot" for collectors. If you can find these, get em and salt em away. Sorry, but I don't have production figures at the moment.

From: James Moran

Pacific Bell

PacBell customers can sign up for a program called "Awards". "Its the only program that rewards you for your entire phone bill, including both local and long-distance calls. You earn points for the long-distances calls that appear on your PB phone bill, even if your long-distance company is also rewarding you for them!"

For each month that your total phone bill is $50 or more, the amount of your bill is multiplied by 10 to give you your Awards points for the month. Also, you receive a 1,000 point bonus for joining the program.

You're probably wondering what this message is doing on the Phone & Money Cards section board -- well guess what, included in the listing of items available for purchase with your Awards points are phonecards. For 2,000 points, you can receive a free $20 phonecard. For 5,000 points, you can receive a free $50 phonecard.

If you have questions about the program, call PacBell at 800-304-6000.

From: Jim Silva

Lazarus Man Follow-up

I forgot to mention that you can also enter this contest via the web at:

http://www.turner.com/lazarusman/

Thanks to Douglas Jacobs for pointing this out!

Pepperidge Farms

Pepperidge Farm is offering a phonecard for 3 UPCs from their product line of reduced fat or fat-free cookies or crackers. Form required, register receipt is not.

From: Randy Bowden

Until Next week, Happy Collecting,

Alan

Distribution

Phonecards On-Line is written and distributed by Alan Cohen. It is a weekly newsletter devoted to phonecards - Current news, viewpoints, and reviews of new issues. It is distributed free of charge, and available two ways.

1) On-Line on the World Wide Web. The address is: http://www.cardmall.com

2) Direct e-mail. Send a message to: phoneline@cardmall.com

If you wish to be removed from this mailing list, or find yourself with two subscriptions (It does happen), please reply to the ORIGINAL message that was sent to you - This will assist me in removing your name