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A protective container is provided for a magnetic card, such as a gift card or credit card, which shields the enclosed card from potentially damaging magnetic fields, thereby greatly reducing the possibility that information stored on the card will be erased. A preferred embodiment container having

A protective container is provided for a magnetic card, such as a gift card or credit card, which shields the enclosed card from potentially damaging magnetic fields, thereby greatly reducing the possibility that information stored on the card will be erased. A preferred embodiment container having high magnetic permeability is stamped from metal containing nickel and iron. Other embodiments of the container, which provide less protection from unwanted magnetic fields, are stamped from mild steel. The protective container may take a variety of shapes and may include an injection molded or vacuum-formed plastic insert which retains the stored card in a preferred position. A protective container preferably has a lid which provides a full surround enclosure. The lid may be of a slide-on, press-on, or hinged type.

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What is claimed is: 1. A protective case for storing a readable card, said protective case comprising: a receptacle formed from no more than two pieces of ferromagnetic metal; a lid formed from a single piece ferromagnetic metal, said receptacle and said lid forming a closed container; and means fo

What is claimed is: 1. A protective case for storing a readable card, said protective case comprising: a receptacle formed from no more than two pieces of ferromagnetic metal; a lid formed from a single piece ferromagnetic metal, said receptacle and said lid forming a closed container; and means for retaining a card stored within the protective case so that said card is not in direct contact with the ferromagnetic metal of either said receptacle or said lid, wherein said means for retaining is a dielectric coating on the inner surfaces of said receptacle and on said lid which prevent the stored card from coming in direct contact with the metal. 2. The protective case of claim 1, wherein said dielectric coating is selected from the group consisting of dielectric metal oxides, silicon dioxide, polymeric films, paints, varnishes, and paper. 3. The protective case of claim 1 wherein said readable card has a laminar polymeric substrate having a querryable embedded integrated circuit chip. 4. A protective case for storing a readable card having a laminar polymeric substrate and incorporating a readable magnetizable strip, said protective case comprising: a receptacle formed from no more than two pieces of ferromagnetic metal; a lid formed from a single piece ferromagnetic metal, said receptacle and said lid forming a closed container; and means for retaining a card stored within the protective case so that said card is not in direct contact with the ferromagnetic metal of either said receptacle or said lid. 5. In combination with a readable card having a laminar polymeric substrate, a protective case comprising: a receptacle formed from no more than two pieces of ferromagnetic metal; a lid formed from a single piece of ferromagnetic metal, said receptacle and said lid forming an entirely closed container; and means for retaining a card stored within the protective case so that said card is not in direct contact with the ferromagnetic metal of either said receptacle or said lid, wherein said means for retaining is a dielectric coating on the inner surfaces of said receptacle and on said lid which prevent the stored card from coming in direct contact with the metal. 6. The combination of claim 5, wherein said dielectric coating is selected from the group consisting of dielectric metal oxides, silicon dioxide, polymeric, films paints, varnishes, and paper. 7. The combination of claim 5, wherein said laminar polymeric substrate incorporates a querryable embedded integrated circuit chip. 8. In combination with a readable card having a laminar polymeric substrate incorporating a readable magnetizable strip, a protective case comprising: a receptacle formed from no more than two pieces of ferromagnetic metal; a lid formed from a single piece of ferromagnetic metal, said receptacle and said lid forming an entirely closed container; and means for retaining a card stored within the protective case so that said card is not in direct contact with the ferromagnetic metal of either said receptacle or said lid. 9. A protective case for storing a readable card, said protective case comprising: a receptacle formed from no more than two pieces of ferromagnetic metal; a lid formed from a single piece ferromagnetic metal, said receptacle and said lid forming a closed container; and a polymeric plastic insert within said receptacle for retaining a card stored within the protective case so that said card is not in direct contact with the ferromagnetic metal of either said receptacle or said lid, said insert having: a generally rectangular recess sized to receive said readable card; at least one tab positioned on each of two opposing sides of said rectangular recess, each tab projecting from an upper portion of said rectangular recess and serving to retain said readable card within said rectangular recess; at least one finger depression positioned along a side of said rectangular recess, said finger depression enabling said readable card to be removed from said rectangular recess; and wherein said insert is retained within said receptacle by a bead formed along an upper edge of said receptacle. 10. In combination with a readable card having a laminar polymeric substrate, a protective case comprising: a receptacle formed from no more than two pieces of ferromagnetic metal; a lid formed from a single piece of ferromagnetic metal, said receptacle and said lid forming an entirely closed container; and a polymeric plastic insert within said receptacle for retaining a card stored within the protective case so that said card is not in direct contact with the ferromagnetic metal of either said receptacle or said lid, said insert having: a generally rectangular recess sized to receive said readable card; at least one tab positioned on each of two opposing sides of said rectangular recess, each tab projecting from an upper portion of said rectangular recess and serving to retain said readable card within said rectangular recess; at least one finger depression positioned along a side of said rectangular recess, said finger depression enabling said readable card to be removed from said rectangular recess; and wherein said insert is retained within said receptacle by a bead formed along an upper edge of said receptacle.