Abstract: A financial transaction card is transparent or translucent to human viewing yet detectable by automated card processing equipment. The card includes a substantially planar material sheet having upper and lower surfaces bounded by a continuous peripheral edge. The material sheet has one or more areas that are at least minimally transparent or translucent to human viewing. A filter associated with at least one of the areas provides sufficient opacity to light used by card sensors in the automated card processing equipment to render the card detectable.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a plastic card including the steps of printing on the rear surface thereof, laminating a sheet of clear plastic to the rear surface while simultaneously polishing the front surface, laminating a metal layer to the front surface of the sheet of plastic, and applying a protective coating of a mixture of aminocoumarin dye and clear liquid polyvinyl chloride to the surface by a silk screen process to thereby protect the metal layer against wear and abrasion. A plastic card including a central layer having a front surface and a rear surface, a layer of clear plastic sheeting on the rear surface, a metalized layer on the front surface, and a coating of cured silk-screen-applied clear liquid resin consisting of a mixture of aminocoumarin dye and clear liquid polyvinyl chloride on the metal layer for protecting it against wear and abrasion.