![]() It's safe to say that, even if American Express wasn't actively considering it before Seinfeld brought it up, the thought of the card was one that even executives had toyed with.Īs essentially the face of Amex at the time, Jerry Seinfeld was likely one of many high-earning Amex clients interested in getting an exclusive, brag-worthy card, all of whom influenced American Express' decision to bring the card to life. It's clear from his story that, although the card didn't physically exist when he first heard about it, it certainly existed as a concept in people's minds - from camera operators all the way up to the president of American Express. So despite all his power and glory, it's doubtful that Seinfeld was the only reason that the Black Card was developed. It can take months or even years to negotiate the perks of a card, and this specific card is unarguably the most extensive one that Amex offers (the word "offers" is used lightly). It takes time and resources to determine and work through what a card entails as far as requirements and benefits. yet it also doesn't rule him out as being a vital influencer in the development of the sought-after card.īut here's the thing: creating a credit card isn't an impulse decision. This explanation is careful not to point to Seinfeld as the sole reason that the card was developed. "We cannot attribute the existence of the American Express Centurion Card to just one Card Member, as we take a great deal of customer insights and feedback into account when we develop our Card products, benefits and services." The Points Guy will not share or sell your email. I would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. On the other hand, 1999 would fall right in line with the timeline of Seinfeld's story. Because if the Black Card was created in 1991, there's no way that Seinfeld was on the set of an American Express ad before even being an Amex testimonial. Seinfeld began as a spokesperson for Amex in 1995, so depending on which version is correct, this single detail could completely invalidate his claim. Wikipedia claims the card debuted in 1991, while Snopes says it was 1999. Our first goal was to clear up exactly what year the Black Card came out. However, we were curious to know just how accurate it is, especially since there are a few facts that might not quite jibe with this tale. Now - don't get us wrong - it's a great story. It doesn't exist.' He said, 'But you know what? It's not a bad idea.' And so they developed it, and they gave me the first one." I go, 'Is there a Black Card?' He says, 'It's just a rumor. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The Sultan of Brunei has one, the president of American Express has one, and I thought you would have the third one.' Next morning I call the president of American Express. Here's exactly how Seinfeld claims that the Black Card came to be (minus a couple of "oohs" and "aahs" from Mulaney's end): "I was waiting for to move some cameras, and the crew guy comes up me, he says, 'You got the Black Card?' And I go 'No, what's the Black Card?' He says, 'There's only three in the world. The story comes from the era in which Seinfeld was the main spokesperson for Amex - in fact, the anecdote starts on the set of an Amex ad. In any case, Seinfeld explained the story on his show after proudly whipping out the anodized titanium card to pay for a rug for his guest Mulaney. So you can imagine how much street cred Seinfeld is implying by saying he's basically the reason the card was invented, especially because sources contradict each other on the topic of the Black Card's conception. ![]()
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