A few years ago American Express quietly debuted a new type of credit card, the AXEX "Black Card". Not just a name, the card really was black, and like pentagon programs sharing the same name, few people were aware of its existence.

Fewer still could actually get one. Despite the shroud of secrecy, it really didn't matter, as the requirements were so stringent, only an elite few could even think about getting approved for one of these. Captains of industry, successful athletes, and Hollywood royalty were about the only people who could count on getting their hands on one of these things.

Officially the Amex Black Card is known as the Centurion, but few people actually use that name. Most refer to it as the "Black Card". The requirements for joining the Black Card club are rather difficult to meet for most people. For example, card holders are required to spend the astronomical sum of $250,000 per year. That is required card spending, not total spending by the individual.

Before a person is even in a position to use the card, they have to cough up $5,000 for the joining fee, and spend an additional $2,500 for the annual fee. That's far too rich for most people. It goes without saying that perfect credit is required to obtain one of these cards.

Now Visa has introduced a black card too. Realizing this is an extremely profitable niche market, and one of the few high profit credit niches remaining, they jumped on the ultra premium credit card bandwagon. The requirements aren't quite as stringent as the AMEX version, but they are very strict just the same.

Only 1% of credit card holders can meet Visa's requirements. That leaves a lot of people shut out, but it is still a relatively large market for Visa to tap. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2006 there were 173 million credit card holders in the U.S. That means that even if they exclude 99%, Visa has a market of over 1.7 million people who can potentially be eligible for a Visa Black Card.

What do you get for your large annual fees and spending requirements if you're one of the fortunate few to get a black card, weather it be from Visa or American Express? Both offer 24/7 concierge service anywhere in the world, exclusive lounges, and rewards of high dollar, exclusive brand merchandise, such as Gucci and Prada. Visa's Black Card is even made using black carbon, so it looks like no other piece of plastic in the holder's wallet.

Discover more about these and other credit options for those with perfect or excellent credit. If your credit is less than perfect, learn insider tips tricks and secrets to improve your credit score, so you can get the benefits of stellar credit too. Check out the Black Credit Card Secrets Guide now!