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PRODUCT DISCONTINUATION
TO: Datacard Group Sales and Distribution Channels
FROM: Pat Galbraith, Nancy Jansen and Maurice Chanier, Product Managers
DATE: October 30, 2009
SUBJECT: End-of-Life for Emboss Characters Visa “V” and Diners “D”

Introduction
Datacard Group announces the end of life for the embossing characters Visa “V” and Diners “D”
for all Datacard embossing systems. This change was implemented based on card design
changes implemented by both the Visa® International and Diners Club International®
associations. The following systems have had both characters removed from the price pages:
Datacard® Maxsys® Card Issuance System
Datacard® MX6000™ Card Issuance System
Datacard® MX2000™ Card Issuance System
Datacard® MPR5800™ Card Production and Personalization System
Datacard® 450 Card Personalization System
Datacard® 150i Desktop Card Personalization System
Datacard® 280P Card Personalization System
Legacy Datacard products

Background
In March of 2005, Visa® International announced their plans to evolve the Visa brand making
some significant changes to the design of the Visa® card. Their announcement detailed design
and security changes to include:
• Refreshed Visa Logo on card and at point of sale.
• Removal of Visa Dove hologram from the front of the card to allow for new designs and
communications.
• Removal of the embossed “Flying V”.
• New holographic magnetic stripe with Dove hologram on back of the card to make
counterfeiting more difficult.
• Moving the 3 digit CVV2 security code off the signature panel to a reserved area on the
back of the card.

Product Discontinuation Announcement 1

Announcement of EOL embossing characters
 Front of the card with changes identified.

UV Dove
Removed

No Changes To:

Account Number Dove Design

Expiration Date Hologram Removed

Cardholder Name or
Identifier
Micro Text moved and
changed

Modified VISA
Brand and size

4-Digit Pre-Printed BIN ‘Flying V’ New UV security element

removed
(Can now be indent printed) sits within VISA Marks area

The brand guideline document available to Visa member banks and card manufacturers dated
September 1, 2005 release 3 also included implementation milestones that highlighted the
timing of the rollout. January 2006 was the launch of the new card design mostly in advertising
and marketing materials. Visa’s intention during this rollout was to minimize the costs to banks
and issuers by not forcing a re-issuance of cards, but to implement the new design as part of
the normal re-issuance cycles prior to the sunset date of December 2010. This gave Issuers
time to make the necessary changes within their operations and allow the co-existence of the
old and new marks for a period of time.

The last key milestone for Visa® International was to mandate that all cards in the market must
carry the new brand mark and card design by December 2010.

Diners Club International® also made the decision to move away from their “D” character and
informed Datacard Group to removed the offering from our price pages.

Datacard Group has received official notification from both associations to stop selling the Visa
“V” and Diners “D” characters. For more information regarding both of these associations please
visit their websites.

Changes to Price Pages

Both emboss characters were removed from Datacard Groups price lists effective October 1,
2009. Changes were noted on the change documents posted on PartnerPageSM.

Contact Information
For more information regarding these changes please contact your regional Visa® International
or Diners Club International® representative.

Product Discontinuation Announcement 2

Announcement of EOL embossing characters