Apparatus and method for issuing transaction cards

A method for producing transaction cards comprising a user card design, the method comprising:

• receiving at a processor module a user card number and a user card design from a user, associating the user card number with the user card design and storing the user card number and associated user card design in a storage module;
• sending to a card issuer module the user card number from the processor module,
• generating a user embossing record comprising the user card number at the card issuer module and sending to a card production bureau a card production bureau the user embossing record from the card issuer module,
• retrieving the user card design associated with the user card number from the storage module, and printing a transaction card comprising the user card number and user card design;
• receiving at the processor module user identification data from the user;
• and
• verifying at a card verification module the user card number using the user identification data.

An article of manufacture comprising:

• a machine readable storage medium;
• and
• executable program instructions embodied in the machine readable storage medium that when executed by a programmable system cause the system to produce transaction cards comprising a user card design, the system performing functions comprising:
• receiving at a processor module a user card number and a user card design from a user, associating the user card number with the user card design and storing the user card number and associated user card design in a storage module;
• receiving at a card issuer module the user card number from the processor module, generating a user embossing record comprising the user card number;
• and
• receiving at a card production bureau the user embossing record from the card issuer module, retrieving the user card design associated with the user card number from the storage module, and printing a transaction card comprising the user card number and user card design.