****************

# 24

 

A very early Diners Club Card.

We all know credit cards, like Visa, Masters and American Express. One of the first credit cards was the Diners Club Card, found in America. It made it possible to enjoy a good meal in a decent restaurant without having to pay for it in cash. Simply sign the check produced with your Diners Club Card and leave. Diners Club will pay the restaurant and your Diners Club account will be charged for it.

The Belgian playing card shown here is probably the very first ‘diners card’. It was issued in 1788 and in fact the procedure was exactly the same as for the later Diners Club Card.    

Let me translate the French text for you:
‘Coupon for a meal for 17 male recruits in the Royal Liège Regiment who left Liège on 31 January 1788’.
Signed by Count de Latour, commander.

Playing card maker unknown, Liege (?) Belgium.  Collection Gejus van Diggele

So the soldiers from Liège could use this card to eat at an inn, possibly on the way to their destination. Afterwards, the innkeeper could collect his money from the commander, Joseph Clément Saillier, count of Latour. To prevent forgeries, he put his wax seal on the back. The regiment had just been established on 18 November 1787 in service on the French king. It also included soldiers from other countries like Holland and Germany.

Gejus                                    

 

****************