Abstract: A financial transaction card adapted for use in reading externally stored information includes a substantially non-foldable rigid base and a strip for carrying machine readable information, The rigid base comprises a magnifying lens.

Abstract: A financial transaction card adapted for individual use in reading information stored externally to the card, having machine readable information contained thereon identifying the user and the issuing institution for transacting business at locations remote from the issuing institution, includes:a. a rigid substantially rectangular base comprising a substantially transparent material and having a top surface and a bottom surface;b. machine readable information carried on the base for identifying the user and the issuing institution; andc. a magnifying lens produced by formation of fresnel contour lines on the top surface of the base and in non-interfering relationship with the machine readable information.

Abstract: A credit card includes an integral magnifying lens positioned in the non-data area on the credit card for permitting magnification of the credit card transaction form at the point-of-sale. The placement of the lens assures that the machine readability of the magnetic encoding strip and the embossed indicia associated with the card is not impaired. The magnifying lens incorporates a fresnel-type contour lens mounted in a window provided in the credit card base.