A contactless financial transaction card includes a plastic inlay having first and second substantially planar surfaces bounded by a continuous peripheral edge. An integrated circuit carried by the inlay stores card-specific data. An antenna carried by the inlay is operatively connected to the integrated circuit. The foil layer provides the financial transaction card with a decorative metallic reflective appearance and is constructed to permit the antenna to inductively couple with the card reader within the maximum coupling distance. Printed graphics or text may be disposed on or above the metallic foil layer. The card is constructed to inductively couple with a card reader that is spaced from the card in order to support limited-range wireless communication between the card and the card reader up to a maximum coupling distance, beyond which it will not couple.