For quite some time the American express Centurion card or commonly known as the American black was a highly coveted item. For users of the American black there is no such thing as credit limits ordinary folks have to put up with.

The estimate is that at the moment there approximately 17,000 black cards in circulation. However to be eligible for the American express black you must charge 250,000 per year. The initiation fee will set you back for $5000, while the annual fee is $2500.

But apart from the no credit limit there are many added perks – a personal concierge service that will score tickets for events and make your reservations for you. Then there are the private shopping services that will open doors for you at all the major fashion houses.

Don’t have 80 days to travel around the world? American Express cardholders can do it in 24 nights with an itinerary designed by luxury tour operator Abercrombie and Kent. Guests will travel to eight destinations on five continents in a reconfigured Boeing 757, getting an insider’s look at special spots like the Workmen’s Tomb at Giza, lunch with the polo players at the members-only Dubai Polo Club, and five-star accommodations everywhere from Easter Island to Seville, Spain. Travel dates are Jan. 20-Feb. 13, 2009.