How To Destroy a Metal Credit Card

More credit card companies are replacing plastic with metal for their premium credit cards. The heavier, sturdier metal credit cards give cardholders the feeling they have a higher quality, more superior product versus plastic cards.

Metal credit cards are more durable than plastic, but that also means they're more difficult to dispose of. The methods you used with a plastic credit card—scissors or a home shredder—are ineffective with metal credit cards. Fortunately, there are options to destroy an old metal credit card while protecting your information.

How Common Are Metal Credit Cards?

How To Destroy a Metal Credit Card

When you receive a replacement metal card, or you decide to cancel the account, disposing of the old card helps protect you from fraud and identity theft. However, typical methods of destroying a credit card won't work on metal credit cards. They're made of a mix of metals and metal alloys, including stainless steel, copper, palladium, tungsten, titanium, and other precious metals, and generally weigh from 12 to 18 grams, with the invitation-only JP Morgan Reserve Card weighing in at a whopping 26 grams (almost 1 ounce).

Given the density and thickness of the metal credit card, it's safe to say that shredders and scissors won't work. Here are a few of the safer, more convenient options for destroying a metal credit card.

Send It Back to Your Card Issuer

The safest option is to return your card back to your credit card issuer either by mailing it or dropping it off at a local branch, if your card issuer has physical branch locations. Your card issuer may even provide you with an envelope for sending your card back to them. Chase, for example, provides an envelope with prepaid postage upon request for Chase Sapphire customers to safely email their cards back to Chase, a bank rep confirms.

Cut It Into Pieces With Tin Snips

Regular scissors won’t work on 100% metal credit cards. Instead, you need to use a tool designed for cutting through metal, like tin snips. You can pick up a pair at your hardware store if you don’t already have a pair at home.

Tin snips may be worth keeping around since they can also be used for cutting through other metals and even thick plastic packaging. If you have other metal credit cards that need to be destroyed in the future, it’s nice to have a pair of snips handy.

Lock It in a Safe

You’re not technically destroying it when you do this, but locking it away keeps your card from falling into the wrong hands. It's a good idea to keep your card locked away temporarily even if you eventually plan to mail it to your card issuer or purchase tin snips. 

How Not To Destroy a Metal Credit Card

When you're looking for the most practical way to destroy your old metal credit card, you must realize that some options could be dangerous.

Avoid Using a Home Paper Shredder

Even high-capacity shredders were only meant to handle sheets of paper and plastic credit cards. Many shredder manufacturers warn against putting metal into a shredder as it can cause damage to the equipment. On top of that, it can void your shredder’s warranty, leaving you to bear the cost of repairing or replacing it.

Beware of Third-Party Services

Think twice about sending your card off to any company who promises to shred your card for you. You risk your card being used fraudulently if it lands in the wrong hands.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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