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Ian,

A business card has to communicate clearly and unabiguously. Otherwise what's the point? And not everyone has 20/20 vision.

So, in general, I'd be very cautious about any information smaller than about 8 pt with typical high x-height fonts. 7 pt? No, not unless you want something that may be pretty, but largely unusable. Phone and fax numbers, email addresses and company URLs are hard enough to decipher clearly in larger point sizes. On the other hand, for most cards, 11-12 point generally looks too large. (I generally use 8-9 point for the bulk of information on cards.)

I also would not be mixing a lot of fonts or type size for a business card. Keep it simple. Maybe one size for the company name or person's name, and a point size or two down for the other info. That's two sizes, maximum. Maybe bold for the company and person names. Watch your logo size as well. White space or unadorned negative space is important in creating a professional looking, respectable, inviting card.

Nothing wrong with serif fonts as long as they are not used too small and you choose wisely. And forget Verdana. It was designed for and is optimized for screen and Web use and there are certainly more interesting fonts to choose from.

Optima is OK, but to my eyes a bit dated. It had its heyday a several decades ago, so it would have to fit the persona of the company. 

      Can anyone recommend what is the best font / types of fonts to use for
      business cards, again i know this can depend.




There is no such thing. Which brings me to the next and most critical point...too many new (and not-so-new) designers fall into the trap of thinking of business cards as an end to a means, instead of the other way around.

A business card (and logo) should never be designed in a vacuum. This should be a part of a well-considered corporate identification program, that includes other stationery items, and possibly signage, advertising, Website, packaging, etc., etc.-- however the mark and fonts might ever conceivably be used.

Choice of typeface is also dependent upon the specific logo or mark the company uses. Both have to work together harmoniously. If there is a corporate typeface already, that has to be factored into the equation.

In addition, choice of color and stock should work harmoniously as part of the overall design choices, and are as important as determining factors as typeface choices (yes, you should be exploring different paper choices for weight, grade, finish, and "hand", and suitable colors etc.).

And it doesn't matter whether you are designing for a Fortune 500 company, or the pizza shop on the corner -- although different in scale, the basic process is the same.

My point is, that WE cannot choose a font for you, any more than we could choose a good logo or colors without knowing some background. YOU are the one who understands (or should understand) the business and persona of the business you are designing this for and choose appropriately. That's why there are literally tens of thousands of typefaces to consider and choose from. YOU are the designer and it is your job to research, digest, and analyse all factors I've discussed beyond fonts before putting pen to paper (or mouse to screen).

So perhaps if you can give us some general information about the company and industry, and how the company perceives itself, and what, kind of competition there is, we can offer some ideas.

Neil