Abstract: To provide low contact resistance, long life, and resistance against tarnishing under corrosive, particularly sulfur atmospheres, a substrate carrier has a layer of palladium applied thereto, of a thickness between 0.5 and 5 .mu.m, preferably between 1 and 3 .mu.m, to which a coating of gold is applied which is porous and has a thickness of only between 0.05 .mu.m and 0.1 .mu.m; the porous gold coating forms islands of gold on the palladium which, in use and as the terminal is wiped against a counter element, smears over the palladium, thus effectively covering the palladium, preventing tarnishing, and maintaining low contact resistance throughout the useful life of the terminal element.