Barclays Connect Card (Original Design, 1987)
Date
Credits
- Arthur Baker Type Designer
Format
- Card 83
Clients
Typefaces
Media
- metal 32
Techniques
- offset lithography 671
- embossing 16
Dimensions
Locations Made
- United Kingdom 188
- England 97
- Northampton
The Barclays connect card was launched on June 3, 1987. It is a landmark object in British financial and graphic design history as the first debit card introduced in the United Kingdom. It came from an internal Barclays initiative known as project decimal which aimed to modernize personal banking by replacing traditional checkbooks with a direct payment system linked to accounts. The connect card represented a shift toward everyday financial accessibility and electronic banking system. Visually, the Barclays card is defined by its use of corporate branding and security driven design. It features the Barclays spread eagle which is a symbol associated with the bank since the 18th century. The Barclay’s blue background intended to communicate trust authority, and stability. The typography uses Baker Signet, which is a calligraphi Serif typeface designed by Arthur Baker in 1965.
