Comment Re:The UK tried this ahead of it's time... (Score 1) 463
I couldn't say for sure now as it was a long time ago, but it was the recollection of Mondex cards being handed out in the streets which made me think of it as an anonymous system, along with the emphasis placed on the value being stored in the card itself.
I certainly think it had it's advantages, whether anonymous or not - I don't generally carry cash with me, and get caught out anywhere that doesn't take cards (eg the coffee stall on client sites) or has a minimum transaction fee (my local newsagent). Obviously if you only load up via ATMs, or by debit card then there is a level of traceability, but I honestly can't remember the original privacy specifications now.
Having done a bit of digging around on the Internet this evening, it seems the Mondex was bought out by Mastercard in the late 1990's - long after I'd moved on to other things. I guess it's safe to say that in whatever guise any of the Mondex technology exists these days, it's unlikely to be anonymous.
There is an interesting site showing some of the examples of the early cards I remember, and the original logo