Coin is the all-in-one credit/debit/rewards card that will leave your wallet lighter and make using that gift card your sister gave you for Christmas (2 years ago) much more likely. It’s not Amex Black but it’s the new techie black.

Coin at the cafe

On the Horizon: One Card to Rule Them All
Yes, this solves rich people problems, I realize. So many credit cards, debit cards, gift cards and membership cards to shuffle through at the register. Some of them you left at home, forgot existed or can’t remember the phone number attached to the account. Then there’s the challenge of getting them to fit into your  designer wallet. Imagine never having to sift through plastic again and keeping that Gucci wallet slim, trim and neat. That’s what Coin is all about.

Coin is a digital card the size of a regular credit card that can be swiped just like a regular card too. Unlike a normal credit card, however, your Coin card can hold data for multiple cards at once, and there’s a button on the card that lets you toggle through to select which card you want to use. This is similar to a digital wallet for those of you who use one, but Coin goes one step further and gives us something to actually carry and swipe at the register.

Through the Coin smartphone app, you upload all your card information (using an included swipe attachment and your phone’s camera) and choose which cards you want to have active on your Coin. Unlimited credit, debit, gift and membership cards can be uploaded to the Coin app, but the card itself can only hold data for 8 cards at once. Use the app to choose which 8 you want to hold on the card and off you go!

What If…
If your Coin gets stolen, lost or left behind somewhere, you’ll get a text message as soon as the card recognizes via Bluetooth that it is away from your phone. It will also deactivate altogether after a time out period. How secure this solution is remains undetermined and we’ll see when it ships what happens if your Bluetooth is off, phone powered down or someone steals your phone and your Coin at the same time.

Also, the company admits that a Coin’s battery will not last longer than 2 years, so this is kind of like the iPhone of credit cards  – you can’t change the battery – ever!  So this is part credit card, part investment piece. And unlike your average credit card, the company’s fine print denotes that it is not responsible for any damages that occur from any glitches.

For Early Adopters

Coin is currently in a public pre-order phase where you can purchase the card ahead of its release for $50 (plus shipping), which they’re calling a 50% discount. The company says it will begin shipping cards this summer and that the price will rise to $100 at that point. Visit https://onlycoin.com to place your pre-order or learn more about how Coin works.

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