Patent ID: 7822640

Claim:
A method of activating a plurality of gift cards, said method comprising: providing a package of multiple presentation instruments, wherein each presentation instrument includes a unique presentation instrument identifier used to associate funds with the presentation instrument such that each presentation instrument has a separate independent account, yet is processed by a common processor, wherein each separate account may be activated for a predetermined activation amount, wherein at least some of the accounts have different values associated therewith, wherein the presentation instrument identifiers and associated account values are stored within a database of a host computer system prior to activation of any of the accounts, and wherein the package includes a package identifier, and each such presentation instrument identifier is associated with the package identifier; reading the package identifier from the package and transmitting the package identifier over an electronic network to the host computer system; generating a batch number contemporaneous with or subsequent to transmitting the package identifier to the host computer system; associating the batch number with the package of presentation instruments at the host computer system; evaluating the package identifier at the host computer system to determine whether the package identifier is valid; and activating at the host computer system each of the presentation instruments in the package for the activation amount based on the package identifier that was read from the package.