So... I tried to pick up a few GCs of various stores & restaurants tonight for Christmas gifts.
So the clerk runs all of them through the register, I swipe my card, charge accepted. THEN the register rejects one of the brands and insists the clerk refunds me in cash, which the clerk does muttering something about the card being defective. So I grab another one of those GCs, this time doubling the amount I want to put on it. Sure enough, same thing happens, more Benjamins handed over to me. I thanked the clerk for their time and carried the GCs which did work back to the car, where I couldn't stop giggling at the easiest and fastest MS I've ever hit.
Has anyone else ever encountered this? I haven't and I've been playing the MS game lightly since the US Mint days. That said, as soon as I hit Submit on this post, I'm hopping back in the car to hit a different store and play the GC/cash register slot machine again! I'll update my post, positive or negative when I get back.
UPDATE: I just tried a different store with the same purchase. Everything went through normally. Darnit. I'm heading back to the original store when they open tomorrow, but unfortunately this looks like it truly is an anomaly and not systemic.