I forgot to mention that after I returned from Spain (where I'd used the card in chip terminals, including one that almost ate my card and took some coaxing to spit it out!) in early May, my DC MC chip card had trouble swiping at over half the places I used in the US the week or two thereafter, including finally a merchant who refused to try it any more and demanded a different card. After finding out on a first call that the moment I request a replacement card the original card is voided until I receive and activate my replacement card (despite the replacement card, in this case, having same everything, same card number, same CSV number on the back, and same PIN for the chip), I waited a few days for the "right" time to request it (when I would be home the next day, and when I'd be in a "window" between automatic billings that go to this card). Once I called in, early in the day (they had earlier told me of a cutoff time and I made sure to call in well before that, but I don't remember any more what that stated cutoff time was), and requested the replacement card, it also arrived early the next morning (overnighted).
