So after all those years, are my Callcards valuable?...

So after all those years, are my Callcards valuable?...

A question I have been asked quite a bit lately is this. Unfortunately in the majority of cases I get asked, the answer is no. Telecom Eireann (and Eircom) released different kinds of cards throughout the years, with a mix of trial, definitive, private and general release cards. In this short guide I am going to provide very broad but useful information and tables you can use to find out if the cards you have are valuable or not.

When a Limited Edition is not limited at all!

Many people have the Garth Brooks, Diana Ross,Tina Turner, Aladdin and Blink (Wonder what happened to them?) Callcards in their collection. Printed quite prominently on the front of each of these cards is “Limited Edition”. Unfortunately these particular cards are far from being a “limited edition”, but rather the term limited edition was used to signify Telecom Eireann’s partnership with EMI music to produce “band” cards, and market them as a collector’s item for the fans.

All the cards mentioned above in mint condition should be worth a few euro, but used would not be worth much if anything. Please refer to the Card List to see how many of the particular card was made.

Of course just to confuse us all Telecom Eireann did bring out a card with Limited Edition stated which was in fact limited! The 1050 Cable & Wireless card only had 10, 000 made, and is considerably rarer than the above.

Sure that card looks lovely, marks a special event, has a nice design, it must be valuable?

Ironically enough it would be the plainer, boring Callcards that tend to be the more valuable. All of the Disney Callcards (with the exception of 1261 Tarzan Special) are general releases with massive amounts produced. Phonecards that were made to commemorate Clinton’s historic visit, The Foxford Woolen Mills, the 1994 World Cup or Gay Byrnes last Late Late Show cards are all very common.

The earlier the Callcard the more valuable they are…

Older Callcards, particularly the earlier trial Callcards and some  very early cards (the Rock of Cashel, All-Ireland Hurling and Football, the Shamrock, Limerick Treaty) are rare and fetch quite a bit these days, particularly in good condition. Depending on the card of course, some trial cards would fetch into the hundreds (the IMI cards).

An interesting point to make here is that not all Callcards came wrapped. Not one of the trial cards was issued in a plastic wrapper and many of the early cards (the Rock of Cashel, All-Ireland Hurling and Football, the Shamrock, Limerick Treaty) never came wrapped.

So how does one find out if the card is mint? For the Dublin or Limerick trials, that would be impossible, however a card reader may be used to check unwrapped callcards for units. These readers are quite difficult to come by.

Some examples of valuable early cards (and how they sold recently)

Cards I am commonly asked about regarding value

This list will be updated as often as people contact me. Why don't you contact me for a collection appraisal?

For other Callcards, a more general value range can be viewed in the tables below. Feel free to use the Card List to cross check the table with your collection.

General Trial card releases table (5, 10, 20, 50, 100 Unit)

Tip!: Mint Callcards

Mint Callcards (i.e: ones that are still in their plastic wrapper) will fetch more than a used card in the majority of cases. Remember that not all Callcards came wrapped, and a card reader would be necessary to show if a card is mint with units or not. There are some very rare exceptions to this rule.

General Release Cards (100, 000-1, 000,000)

Special Release Cards (10, 000-99, 000) 

Please note that prices listed here are guidelines. The callcard market is very changeable, and values of cards to go up and down.

You can also refer to the Card List to see how many of a particular callcard were made. If you want to contact me for help please click here or send an email to nick@irishcallcards.net. I will do my best to value your collection.

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