Patent attributes
A cash card system having a pair of financial instruments: a cash instrument and a security instrument, each encoded with a common PIN. The cash instrument, once preloaded with a cash balance, is used to purchase goods and services in cooperation with the pin. The security instrument, also in cooperation with the PIN, is used to recover a cash balance from the cash instrument in the event it is lost or stolen. The cash instrument and the security instrument are never used together to perform any transaction. One or both of the financial instruments may be a smart card having an embedded microchip. One or both of the financial instruments may be a card. The cash card may be a calculator-like structure having a display. In operation, the cash card system provides the anonymity of cash, the safety of traveler's checks and the convenience of a credit card.
