You can now get a solid gold debit card - but it costs more than £18,000
The Royal Mint has produced its first ever bespoke payment card which is made from pure solid gold.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe 18-carat hallmarked debit cards will be personalised for account holders "who value high-quality luxury items that make a statement".
Personalised designs
Customers with a taste for luxury wanting to get their hands on a shiny gold card will need to pay £18,750 for one - with bespoke and personalised designs priced even higher.
The cards have been developed by the Royal Mint in conjunction with Mastercard and payments technology firm, Accomplish Financial.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe Mastercards can be personalised for customers with their name and signature directly engraved into the precious metal.
There are no other charges attached to the account (other than the £18,750 fee for the card) and account holders don't need to meet any special criteria to get the gold card.
As well as being hallmarked by the Goldsmiths' Company Assay Office, the cards also use source-traceable metals, certified under the Responsible Jewellery Council's Chain of Custody.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe cards are part of an account called Raris, which benefits from zero foreign exchange or transaction fees. As part of the Mastercard World Elite package, account holders can also enjoy additional benefits including a dedicated concierge service and other travel benefits.
The 18-carat hallmarked debit cards will be personalised for account holders (Photo: PA)
Growing demand for luxury
The innovative new design comes in response to growing consumer demand for unique and luxurious payment cards, the Royal Mint said.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAnne Jessopp, Royal Mint chief executive, explained, "The Royal Mint is constantly innovating, and, as the UK's leading precious metals solutions provider, we are hugely excited to launch the solid gold Raris card in acknowledgement of growing consumer demands for unique and luxury payments cards.
"In association with Mastercard and Accomplish Financial, Raris - the first payment card manufactured by the Royal Mint - is a combination of over 1,100 years of Royal Mint craftmanship with tomorrow's payment technology."