The number of American Express Centurion Cards

[birjest]

Ok, I am no where close to owning one, however, I am an AMEX fanatic.  I had a debate in the office about the number of AMEX "black cards" in existence.  I was told that there were only 100,000 cards issue and that only people like "P-Diddy"  (whatever), have them.  I explain to the group that this is not true, but no one believe me.  There are just too many millionaires and billionaires in the world for AMEX to restrict the number of people who can have this card.  Anyone knows the true or idea numbers...

[ryanbush]

You have to also remember it is issues outside the US and it is issued in a Personal and Business version, from what I have read I believe there are well over a million US versions out right now

[youngandcreditwrthy]

I think that you just have to spend $150,000 a year to be considered/invited... Which really isn't a lot... Compared to the millionaire/billionaire income the card i associated with... But I'm not 100% as I clearly don't have a Centurion card haha!

[youngandcreditwrthy]

Is*

[ryanbush]

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@youngandcreditwrthy wrote:
I think that you just have to spend $150,000 a year to be considered/invited... Which really isn't a lot... Compared to the millionaire/billionaire income the card i associated with... But I'm not 100% as I clearly don't have a Centurion card haha!

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My parents have a centurian card, although they got their when they were easier to get and it's the Business Version. 

The criteria used to be you have to spend 250K a year to get the invite, after they issues so many they went to you had to spend 250K a year on luxury items as too many businesses were just running inventory purchases through their amex and could hit the spend pretty easily.

they haven't iussed you centurian card in over a year in the US and from what I have heard the spend for a business card is going to go upto 1mm and the personal will stay at 250K in luxury items.

[ryanbush]

Also my parents are just average middle class people, not super wealthy by any means, my dad has been a gold and platinum card holder for over 25 years now (platinum for the last 10).  they do own their own business and spend almost exclusively on AMEX, that is how there were able to hit the 250k spend, they got the card before the 7.5k initation fee was there and there is no way he would have paid that fee as he doesn't travel very often and doesn't use the benefits.  He only got the card for the prestige. 

[isoldmyatlas]

I come in contact with a LOT of Centurion card holders.  Heck, I'm even pretty jaded and don't think the card is a big deal anymore.  It's definitely not just celebrities with them; bankers, lawyers, doctors, and people with family money make up the bulk of the cardholders I see.

[Anonymous]

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@isoldmyatlas wrote:

I come in contact with a LOT of Centurion card holders.  Heck, I'm even pretty jaded and don't think the card is a big deal anymore.  It's definitely not just celebrities with them; bankers, lawyers, doctors, and people with family money make up the bulk of the cardholders I see.

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Same. I've even seen people add their children as ACMs for birthdays/Christmas gifts haha.

[Anonymous]

Hey I read on someone's blog that there's about 17,000 people that have an American Express black card. But most of them aren't in the U.S - less than 10. They said more than half are in Asia and the Middle East. I don't know if theses numbers are true or not since it was just from a blog though.

It does seem like everyone [rich] has one now. I know they bumped up the fee from $2500 to $5000 to join which was probably needed so this card doesn't oversaturate the market. A lot of business people have them because all you have to do is charge 250k or more a year on your Platinum and you can get upgraded. If you have a business and put all your supplies, orders, and traveling on your American Express that wouldn't take long.

[aplast]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Hey I read on someone's blog that there's about 17,000 people that have an American Express black card. But most of them aren't in the U.S - less than 10. They said more than half are in Asia and the Middle East. I don't know if theses numbers are true or not since it was just from a blog though.

It does seem like everyone [rich] has one now. I know they bumped up the fee from $2500 to $5000 to join which was probably needed so this card doesn't oversaturate the market. A lot of business people have them because all you have to do is charge 250k or more a year on your Platinum and you can get upgraded. If you have a business and put all your supplies, orders, and traveling on your American Express that wouldn't take long.

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I dont believe these figures are accurate. I am sure more people have the centurion than that.