How to Dispose of a Metal Credit Card like an Amazon Prime Credit Card

How to Properly Get Rid of a Metal Credit Card

by Alex Beckham Updated March 15, 2019

Shredded Metal Amazon Prime Credit Card

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Return Envelope for Disposing of Chase Credit Card

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Use this postage paid envelope to return your outdated card(s) for secure disposal.

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So I recently found out the hard way, that my Amazon Prime Credit Card was metal. I discovered this after attempting to shred the inactive card in my paper shredders credit card slot. The metal credit card made it about half way through before jamming my paper shredder. I actually thought it may have destroyed the paper shredder in the process, but after about 15 minutes, I was able unjam and cut out the credit card from the shredder, then reverse the other half of the credit card still stuck in the shredder.

In the processes, I discovered that when you're issued a new Amazon Prime credit card, Chase will also send you an envelope to mail back your old credit card, to be properly disposed of. So when you get a new credit card be sure to look for a smaller envelop you can use to ship your old inactive card back to be securely destroyed.

I also learned that while the Amazon Prime credit card is metal internally, it basically just has stickers on either side of the card that has your info imprinted on it, that can be removed from the metal center. Just take two pairs of pliers and bend the credit card back and forth until the stickers start coming apart from the metal. Then use pliers to peel away the stickers, then cut up, and throw away the bits and pieces.

You could also use Tin snips to cut up a metal credit card.

Other ideas include using a Dremel or engraver to remove your information from the credit card.

Lastly, if you have a safe place for a fire, you could burn the sticker backing off the metal card, by putting the credit card in a fireplace or fire pit.

8 Comments

by David on 5/25/2022 Ran across this post after the fact. Same experience as you. Fortunately, my shredder's way old and perhaps I'm due for a replacement unit. Regardless, it survived okay.
by Brian on 9/7/2022 My shredder was over 25 years and going strong, but the Amazon Prime card killed it. I wish I would have realized. I did see the return envelope that Chase provided for me to send my card back, but they didn't offer an explanation. Had they told me that I could not put the card in the shredder because of it being metal instead of plastic, I would have understood and mailed it back to them.
by WTF Amazon on 1/7/2023 Metal cards are ridiculous. I just accidentally broke a glass jar in my kitchen while trying to break my expired card apart. Are we supposed to feel special because our credit card is made of metal and not plastic? Who are the idiots that come up with this nonsense.
by Deborah on 2/24/2023 Thank you for this post. I was wondering what the envelope was for.
by Tee on 3/3/2023 Thank you for the info. I knew not to place the card in the shredder, because on the back of the card at the bottom under your information, “Contains Metal DO NOT SHRED,” but, I did not know how to properly dispose of it.
by Patmor on 3/20/2023 Whoever came up with the idea of the 'steel' card deserves to be fired! I had to fire (stove top) my card to destroy it! USE CAUTION: Turn the burner way, way low. After about 3 minutes with very little smoke and odor, the coating will carbonify and shrink.
by JR on 4/13/2023 I tried scissors, garden shears and then came to google. I did see the “ Do not shred” but did not see the info on a return envelope, which I most likely threw away. Learning that it was basically a coating Imprinted with my info overlaying the metal I began to scrape at it with a pointy sharp mini sword that poses as a letter opener. It took a bit of scratching it up but finally broke through the coating and I was able to scrape off my name and number down to the shiny metal. That’s the craziest nonsense ever! Thanks for all the good info.
by Anonymous on 4/18/2023 Thank you for all the information! I'm so glad I didn't bother buying a shredder capable for shredding credit cards. For some reason I can't fathom, Amazon/Chase has sent me new replacement credit cards either two or three times in the last few years, and none of them have expired even now. They all look the exact same, and no idea why they would replace them. They all have chips. So bizarre and a pain. I didn't realize to look for an envelope. I'll keep an eye out next time.

by David on 5/25/2022

Ran across this post after the fact. Same experience as you. Fortunately, my shredder's way old and perhaps I'm due for a replacement unit. Regardless, it survived okay.

by Brian on 9/7/2022

My shredder was over 25 years and going strong, but the Amazon Prime card killed it. I wish I would have realized. I did see the return envelope that Chase provided for me to send my card back, but they didn't offer an explanation. Had they told me that I could not put the card in the shredder because of it being metal instead of plastic, I would have understood and mailed it back to them.

by WTF Amazon on 1/7/2023

Metal cards are ridiculous. I just accidentally broke a glass jar in my kitchen while trying to break my expired card apart. Are we supposed to feel special because our credit card is made of metal and not plastic? Who are the idiots that come up with this nonsense.

by Deborah on 2/24/2023

Thank you for this post. I was wondering what the envelope was for.

by Tee on 3/3/2023

Thank you for the info. I knew not to place the card in the shredder, because on the back of the card at the bottom under your information, “Contains Metal DO NOT SHRED,”
but, I did not know how to properly dispose of it.

by Patmor on 3/20/2023

Whoever came up with the idea of the 'steel' card deserves to be fired! I had to fire (stove top) my card to destroy it! USE CAUTION: Turn the burner way, way low. After about 3 minutes with very little smoke and odor, the coating will carbonify and shrink.

by JR on 4/13/2023

I tried scissors, garden shears and then came to google. I did see the “ Do not shred” but did not see the info on a return envelope, which I most likely threw away. Learning that it was basically a coating Imprinted with my info overlaying the metal I began to scrape at it with a pointy sharp mini sword that poses as a letter opener. It took a bit of scratching it up but finally broke through the coating and I was able to scrape off my name and number down to the shiny metal. That’s the craziest nonsense ever! Thanks for all the good info.

by Anonymous on 4/18/2023

Thank you for all the information! I'm so glad I didn't bother buying a shredder capable for shredding credit cards. For some reason I can't fathom, Amazon/Chase has sent me new replacement credit cards either two or three times in the last few years, and none of them have expired even now. They all look the exact same, and no idea why they would replace them. They all have chips. So bizarre and a pain. I didn't realize to look for an envelope. I'll keep an eye out next time.

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How to Dispose of a Metal Credit Card like an Amazon Prime Credit Card

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