Wallet
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WalletMpegMan.jpg
A wallet is a small (usually pocket-sized) storage device. It is generally made of fabrics such as leather or PVC and is used to keep credit cards, cash, driver's licenses and other such items in one place.
Wallets are usually associated with men, but women also carry them inside purses.
Wallets were developed almost immediately after the introduction of paper currency to the West in the 1600s. (The first paper currency was introduced in the New World by the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1690.) Prior to the introduction of paper currency, purses (resembling simple drawstring leather pouches) were used for storing coins. Early wallets were made primarily of cow or horse leather and included a small pouch for printed "calling cards" (calling cards were an early form of personal identification used for social purposes - not to be confused with modern telephone billing cards).
The modern bi-fold wallet with multiple "card slots" achieved its uniform standard size in the early 1950s with the introduction of the first credit cards in 1951. Wallet design remained mostly unchanged throughout most of the late 20th century with the exception of the velcro wallet which was introduced in the 1970s by Michael Steven Sandos. Today wallet design has exploded into myriad shapes, designs and colors from dozens of designers. Of special note is J. Fold [1] (http://www.jfold.com) who designs and carries the largest line of men's wallets in the world.
Wallets are frequently the target of pickpockets, but some wallet owners have employed chains attached to said wallets or placed the wallet in an inside pocket which cannot be reached without the owner's noticing.