As long as you all are going to get replacement certs, consider this:
I'm sending in the form for changing my cert# (as they all have been
issued as SSNs but now they realize thats a bad idea; they wont change
it to a random # unless you ask).
I figure if they need to send me a new certificate with the new number
on it, theyre going to send the new kind. Kill two birds with one
stone.

http://registry.faa.gov/airmen.asp#C...tificateNumber

From there you can print out a form to mail in authorizing the change
of cert#