Definition of gold card

Visa or MasterCard credit card with a minimum credit line of $5,000, and frequently higher. These cards have a higher annual fee than standard bank credit cards, and are marketed to consumers with above average incomes. Sometimes called a prestige card or premium card.

Also, the American Express Gold Card, which differs from bank issued cards. American Express issues the card, but the credit line is usually arranged separately, by a bank acting as an agent for the card issuer, and varies among banks. American Express Travel Related Services Co. issued the first gold cards in 1966 and has claimed a proprietary right to the name, a claim the courts have not upheld.