<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"The Rise and Fall of the Blackcard\nOnce coveted, now commonplace, the AmEx blackcard has had its ups and downs\u2014and spawned a lot of copycats. A time line of the status symbol's rise and fall, with a rock-bottom incident at the hands of\u2014no surprise\u2014the Lohans.\nOnce coveted, now commonplace, the AmEx blackcard has had its ups and downs\u2014and spawned a lot of copycats. A time line of the status symbol's rise and fall, with a rock-bottom incident at the hands of\u2014no surprise\u2014the Lohans.\nEarly 1980s: Rumors of a secret, ultra-high-end American Express \"black card\" start to circulate.\nMay 1999: Inspired by those rumors, American Express creates the black Centurion Card for its wealthiest customers. It debuts in the U.K., with the U.S. following in October.\nAugust 2001: Marquis Jet begins selling its white-on-black Jet Cards, redeemable for 25 hours of private jet flight, for $100,000 to $300,000.\nAugust 2006: Britney Spears reportedly gives then-husband Kevin Federline his own Centurion Card.\nAugust 2008: Black Card Ultralounge opens in Scottsdale, Arizona. Holders of Centurion Cards get automatic access to the club's VIP lounge, though others can gain entrance with a $1,000 membership.\nDecember 2008: Barclays releases its Visa Black Card, with an annual fee, at $495, less than a fifth of that for the Centurion Card. Anyone can apply at blackcard.com.\nMarch 2009: The Black Card Ultralounge closes.\nMay 2009: Amex sues Courtney Love, alleging that she owed over $275,000 on her Centurion Card bill (Love denied the claim).\nMarch 2009: Utah's Best Vacation Rentals, which owns 33 properties, launches its VIP club, with a \"10 25% discount\" at participating restaurants and stores. The card, an almost exact replica of the Centurion Card, is given free to all renters.\nNovember 2008: Starbucks launches its Starbucks Gold Card, which for a $25 start fee earns a customer a free birthday drink, select Wi-Fi access, and other benefits.\nFebruary 2010: American Express sues Black Card LLC, distributors of the Visa Black Card, for trademark infringement.\nJune 2010: Carvel revokes Lindsay Lohan's \"celebrity black card,\" which entitled her to unlimited free ice cream, citing overuse by her extended family."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.details.com/gallery/amex-blackcard-rumors-create-corporate-copycats-imitations?slide=4>