<P> The American Express Centurion Card, known informally as the Amex Black Card, is an invitation - only charge card issued by American Express to platinum card holders after they meet certain criteria . There are three different issues of the Centurion Card: personal, business, and corporate . </P> <P> In 1999 American Express introduced the Centurion Card to cater to the very wealthy . The card was initially available only to selected users of the company's Platinum Card . To become a Centurion cardholder, one must meet American Express eligibility criteria . Cardholders are required to pay an annual fee, and in some countries also an initiation fee . (In the United States, the initiation fee is $7,500 in addition to the $2,500 annual fee from each cardholder). In addition to a variety of benefits, the card itself is made of anodized titanium with the information and numbers laser etched into the metal . (It should be noted that in some markets the plastic version of the card is still issued, with or without the titanium card .) The plastic card and 2014 and earlier Centurion cards include embossed information on the card . The Centurion 2015 Card introduced laser etching . In some locations, such as Israel, EMV "chip" plastic cards which also include the ExpressPay contactless payment technology are issued . American Express created the card line amid rumors and urban legends in the 1980s that it produced an ultra-exclusive black card for elite users who could purchase anything with it . </P> <P> Jerry Seinfeld claimed in a 2018 episode of his web show "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" (with guest John Mulaney) that American Express began issuing the Black Card after Seinfeld asked the Amex president about it, and that Seinfeld (who was their ad pitchman) was given the first one . </P> <P> The Centurion Card is invitation - only after appropriate net worth with American Express, credit, and spending criteria are met . American Express does not publicly disclose the requirements necessary for getting or keeping a card, except that the cardholder needs to have a substantial net worth, as well as having been a Platinum card holder . </P>

Who had the first american express black card