News and Views

The Trip

Greetings everyone. I am writing from Sunny Southern California, after a couple weeks of driving and getting settled. I am not fully settled, which accounts for this week's short newsletter. However, I want to get back into the pattern of writing again!

As I stated last time, the only phonecards I would be writing about would be at gas stations and restaurants. Considering I left New York on Monday morning and was in the Rocky Mountains by Tuesday afternoon, that is about all I did see! No phonecards to be found at restaurants, but almost every single gas station I saw had phonecards. This was very encouraging. Not only did they have cards, but many had vending machines, and most had very reasonable rates. The phone rate was often 25 cents per minute, a very good rate in my opinion. I picked up a few of these cards as I traveled across the country. Some were generic, but many depicted the business where you got the card from. I have scanned some images and placed them on the web site (http://www.cardmall.com) Those of you reading this on the web can view the pictures with the newsletter.

Although I did not find any used phonecards at payphones, I did see other people purchasing them. If a gas station is going to have its own card created, business must be there. This could be an interesting subset of phonecard collecting - gas stations across the US

Finish Line Racing

I just received in the mail an offer from Finish Line - Called a Private Collectors Pricing. They are willing to offer a 17th National Convention card with 5 minutes of calling time for only $24.95. The back page of the offer states "Not everyone could attend the 1996 National...Convention in Anaheim, but that doesn't mean you can't be part of the fun...It is the "only" show card to feature full color on both front and back. Only 750 serial numbered "show" cards were made and handed to a small group of key dealers."

I have quite a few problems with this offer. The first is that they call this a show card. Perhaps they use quotes because I never saw this card at the show! The definition of a show card should be a card that was available at the show. I spent a lot of time at their booth, since my friend won one of their contests. I also visited many dealers with Finish Line product, and did not see this card once! There was an offer for collectors to acquire a 5 minute Jeff Gordon card, but no special limited edition phonecard. Which key dealers received this card, and why was it not on display at the show? Was it created after the fact?

The second problem I have with this is that the company that produced this card is offering it to collectors for an insane price - $24.95 is very high for this type of card, especially since it only has 5 minutes on it. I would not be as annoyed if a dealer offered it for that price, but this is straight from the producer. I hope Finish Line receives complaints from this type of offer, and cease this type of business. I have been a supporter of their product, but may reconsider, especially if I see anything like this again.

Universal Studios SVC

This story is timely, because I will be going to Universal Studios (Hollywood) this weekend

First Union Corporation has teamed up with Universal Studios Florida to offer a limited-edition First Union VISA Cash Card series featuring various attractions located at the Orlando, Fla. theme park.

The First Union VISA Cash Cards, Universal Studios Florida series will be available in different prepaid denominations and will carry the names of theme park attractions, including a $10 Jaws card, a $20 Earthquake card, a $50 Back to the Future The Ride card and an $100 Krongfrontation card.

In addition to cards available for purchase, more than 20,000 $5 T2 Terminator 2:3-D cards will be distributed free of charge via promotions throughout the city.

From: Joe Clarke

Healthy Choice

Healthy Choice is offering phone cards for purchasing their products. An Official Mail-In Certificate was found in this last weeks Sunday paper. Get a 10 Minute card with 10 POP'S, a 20 Minute card with 15 POP's, and a 30 Minute card with 20 POP's. Long distance time provided by AT&T.

From: Dave Gilroy

Rolling Stone Offer

Rolling Stone magazine is giving away phone cards with new subscriptions. It's a colorful card with the "Rolling Stone" logo on the front in large letters. A nice card in my opinion!

From: Dave Gilroy

Mobil Gas Offer

This just in - The Mobil Gas Station in Ithaca, NY is offering a phonecard with a fillup of premium gasoline. No idea if it is a national promotion (I have not seen this in LA) or what type of phonecard this is. Unfortunately, I may never know!

That's it for now. Until Next Week,

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

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