Mint vs used Callcards
When we refer to a Callcard as being mint, we assume the Callcard has never been used and the units on the card remain unused. Many collectors favour mint Callcards, still in their wrapper, while others do not mind if a card is mint or used.
Interestingly while the majority of Telecom Eireann and Eircom Callcards were issued in a wrapper, there were also some which never came wrapped. A list of Callcards which were never issued in a wrapper include:
| Callcard | Comment |
|---|---|
| Dublin Trial Callcards | All Dublin trial Callcards, including the Dublin Millenium and Cork FITCE cards never came wrapped. |
| Limerick Trial Callcards | All Limerick trial Callcards, including both the 1989 IMI Ireland's Europe cards never came wrapped. |
| Galway Trial Callcards | All Galway trial Callcards never came wrapped. |
| IMI New ways for the Nineties | This Callcard was issued in a special folder. |
| Teddy Bear Callcard | This Callcard was issued in a folder containing information how to use the Callcard and cardphones. |
| Cottage | Early Cottage definitive Callcards never came wrapped. Later on, about a year later all Cottage Callcards were wrapped. |
| EC Presidency | While most EC Presidency cards never came wrapped, however as stocks were reduced some were resealed. These wrappers are clear and have no branding or red/green stripe. It is rare to come across this Callcard mint and wrapped. |
| Rock of Cashel | While most Rock of Cashel cards never came wrapped, however as stocks were reduced some were resealed. These wrappers are clear and have no branding or red/green stripe. It is rare to come across this Callcard mint and wrapped. |
| All Ireland Football | - |
| All Ireland Hurling | - |
| St. Patricks Day '91 Shamrock | This Callcard was issued in a folder containing information how to use the Callcard and cardphones. |
| Kelloggs | This Callcard was issued in a folder containing information how to use the Callcard and cardphones. |
| Limerick Treaty | This Callcard was issued in a folder containing information how to use the Callcard and cardphones. |
| Montage | - |
| Royal Hospital Kilmainham collectibles fair | Many of these Callcards were issued in a vacuum sealed clear plastic sleeve. A certificate also accompanied some of these cards. |
| Paul Tracey Solicitors "Calls for Justice" | - |
| Telecom Eireann blank promotional Callcard | A advertising booklet accompanied this card. |
| Collector's Fair '98 | Came issued in a special cardboard sleeve. |
| Use Us Today | - |
| Collectors Fair '99 | Came issued in a special cardboard sleeve. |
| Eircom Blank Promo | - |
| Eircom Smartphone | - |
| Collector's Fair '01 Montage | - |
| Collector's Fair '01 Brain Research | - |
| Test: Black-backed Cottage | - |
While it is impossible to verify if either Limerick or Dublin trial Callcards are mint, Galway trial cards used a visual indicator to identify units erased and a unit checker is available for chip based cards. A unit checker, which was sold via the Callcard Collectors Club and also accompanied AIB Smart Card trial cards can report a chips unit count safely by placing it over the cards chip.
More advanced smartcard readers can extract even more details about the cards chip, including storage memory, country the chip was encoded for and also unit balance.