Patent ID: 7899755

Claim:
A computer certificate system, comprising: a certificate authority connected to a network, said certificate authority comprising a first set of program instructions stored in a tangible computer readable medium, that when executed by a computing device, causes said certificate authority to: display an issuer interface for receiving input, wherein said input defines a virtual certificate comprising a redemption denomination; and associate a first public key identifier with said virtual certificate; a certificate issuance module comprising a second set of program instructions stored in a tangible computer readable medium, that when executed by a computing device, causes said certificate issuance module to: receive a private key identifier established by an acquirer; and create an issued certificate said issued certificate comprising unique identifier information, wherein said unique identifier information comprises said redemption denomination, said private key identifier, and said first public key identifier, wherein said unique identifier information is stored at said certificate authority in association with said issued certificate; and a certificate authentication module comprising a third set of program instructions stored in a tangible computer readable medium, that when executed by a computing device, causes said certificate authentication module to: authorize a redemption of said issued certificate at a redemption location, based upon receiving said redemption denomination, said first public key identifier, and said private key identifier, and a matching comparison to said unique identifier information stored at said certificate authority; and cancel further redemption of said issued certificate at said certificate authority.