If you have a SmarTrip that is at least nine years old...it is time to upgrade.
Metro is installing new fare gates in rail stations and new fare boxes on buses starting June 2021 and the older chips in cards made before 2012 won’t work on the new system.
Cards with 0167 somewhere on the back are still good, but everything else will eventually won't work.
If you still have money on your SmartTrip you can easily transfer the balance on the old card to your virtual wallet (but it is only available for iPhone users right now).
And if you think your commemorative card is the exception...sorry, it is not!
Luckily you do not have to destroy your old cards so maybe you could keep it in your wallet as a small memento.
Source: DCIST
Photo: Courtesy of Kala Simmons (her personal card)