After tremendous trial and error, I finally got my 2 Amex cards on my account backdated to 2002. Heres the story, I have a Delta Amex opened in 2008 and was just added as AU on Charge Platinum that original owner had since 2003. I was added on parents AMEX in 2002 as AU, in which they received a seperate card for me, and never reported my SS# for the card. Yes, I know, wierd. Usually, if you dont add social, your a card manger and not an AU. BUt this was definately an AU card. Dont know how they managed that.
Since Jaunary 2011
Got AU on newly opened Platinum Charge. Called Amex for backdate to 2003 and received a big fat NO. They did backdate till 2008. Same year as Delta Card.
Called again to try and get another rep and still received same message. No 2003.
Called again after remembering that I was an AU since 2002 with parents. Rep said they could not find me in system with that card without a SS#
Somehow, parents still had that card and gave me the number
Called Amex back, unfortunately after hours, and said I have card number for backdate. They cold not help after hours and had me call back next day. I was advised since I was AU they probablyw ould not backdate my card. I said yes yea and knew that was totally not true
Called the next day and was helped by a very nice rep. Stated my story and said I have been a card member since 2002, so both of my amex accounts should reflect that. He said ok, I will add that to our account. Your new card will be there in 7 days. - March 1, 2011
I literally couldnt believe it. He backdated my card "NO QUESTIONS ASKED!" I could of said 1972 and he would of been like ok. So basically i went through all that trouble of finding my old card and someone just did it at the snap of their fingers.. Ha! The funniest thing out of the whole situation, the entire time I was trying to backdate, my credit report updated the new AU account as 2003. Its just my card said member sine 2011. Oh well, better safe than sorry 
Im totally satisfied because this gives me 2 Amex card with almost 10 years worth of perfect history.
Smug, I think Halos and Jeff hit it on the nail on the head. The longer you have hve revolving accounts open, the higher your AAOA is therefore the higher your score. A person with one year of perfect history is going to have a lower score than a person with 10 years of perfect history.
I absolutely agree with Jeff quoting Hauling. Treating Amex as a Faberge egg is definitely essential. If played correctly, you can set yourself and kids up for credit success from a very early start. I can say with the charge card hitting my CRA accounts in March, showing a backdate of 2003, TU/EQ average a 30 point increase. When my payments finally post and Util % goes down, I should be playing in the mid 700's. I was one of those people who was stuck in the 680-715 range. Well, until now 
My first CC ever (First Premier) was opened in 2005 at 25 years old after a college ID theft. I added Cap one in 2007, NFCU and Amex in 2008. Im not a mathmetician but thats a very low AAOA. Now, I have 2 cards with stating opened since 2002 which automatically become my longest opened cards.
