In the last half of the twentieth century plastic cards changed the way that we pay for goods and services. Today, most consumers pay for at least half their purchases with a plastic card and most large retailers, supermarkets and online shops take plastic, as do an increasing number of professional service providers.

The earliest plastic cards are a long way from the sophisticated and widely-accepted cards that we are now accustomed to but, nonetheless, laid the foundations for the convenience and ease-of-use that we now enjoy.