A transaction card having a length (L) and width (W), comprising: a metallic member extending from edge-to-edge across the length and width of the transaction card, wherein said metallic member defines a first area of at least about 80% of a second area defined by the length and width of the transaction card, and wherein a weight of the metallic member comprises not less than about 40% of a total weight of the transaction card; a transparent first polymeric core layer interconnected to a first side of the metallic member and extending from edge-to-edge across the length and width of the transaction card, wherein said first polymeric core layer includes printing on an inward-facing side thereof, wherein the printing and the metallic member are visible through a first side of the transaction card; a second polymeric core layer interconnected to a second side of the metallic member and extending from edge-to-edge across the length and width of the transaction card, wherein a thickness of the metallic member is at least 1.5 times greater than each a thickness of said first polymeric core layer and a thickness of said second polymeric core layer, and wherein the metallic member and the first and second core layers each extend continuously about and are visible about an entire peripheral edge of the transaction card; a transparent first inner polymer-based adhesive layer disposed between and interconnecting the metallic member and said inward-facing side of said first polymeric core layer, in direct contact with said inward-facing side of the first polymeric core layer and said printing thereupon, in direct contact with the metallic member; and, visible indicia indicative of an account associated with the transaction card, wherein the visible indicia is provided at least at one of an outward-facing surface of the first side and an outward-facing surface of an opposing second side of the transaction card, free from embossment of the transaction card. a metallic member extending from edge-to-edge across the length and width of the transaction card, wherein said metallic member defines a first area of at least about 80% of a second area defined by the length and width of the transaction card, and wherein a weight of the metallic member comprises not less than about 40% of a total weight of the transaction card; a transparent first polymeric core layer interconnected to a first side of the metallic member and extending from edge-to-edge across the length and width of the transaction card, wherein said first polymeric core layer includes printing on an inward-facing side thereof, wherein the printing and the metallic member are visible through a first side of the transaction card; a second polymeric core layer interconnected to a second side of the metallic member and extending from edge-to-edge across the length and width of the transaction card, wherein a thickness of the metallic member is at least 1.5 times greater than each a thickness of said first polymeric core layer and a thickness of said second polymeric core layer, and wherein the metallic member and the first and second core layers each extend continuously about and are visible about an entire peripheral edge of the transaction card; a transparent first inner polymer-based adhesive layer disposed between and interconnecting the metallic member and said inward-facing side of said first polymeric core layer, in direct contact with said inward-facing side of the first polymeric core layer and said printing thereupon, in direct contact with the metallic member; and, visible indicia indicative of an account associated with the transaction card, wherein the visible indicia is provided at least at one of an outward-facing surface of the first side and an outward-facing surface of an opposing second side of the transaction card, free from embossment of the transaction card. <EOS>