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A Lost / Stolen Coin of Yours Turns Up in Auction

Hypothetical question:

Lets say about 4-5 years ago you sold a unique toned 1881-S dollar in NGC MS67 on Ebay. You shipped the coin via overnite insured to the buyer in Cairo, NY and the package somehow ended up in Cairo, Egypt and was subsequently deemed lost 3 weeks later. The carrier paid the full insurance claim and the buyer was refunded in full.


A couple months ago (4-5 years after the loss) you see this EXACT coin listed in a major auction and the coin is now in a PCGS MS67 holder. The coin has a unique toning pattern and is unmistakeable.

Would you contact either the auction house or the original carrier to inform them this particular coin was lost or stolen in transit several years ago, and an insurance claim was paid, or just forget about it?

dragon

Comments

  • rlawsharlawsha Posts: 1,033 ✭✭✭
    I just bought an 1881-S PCGS MS67 off of eBay. I sure hope it's not this one:

    LINK
  • dragondragon Posts: 4,548 ✭✭
    LOLOL, nope, that ain't it.
  • Contact the USPS....they paid for it.

    IMHO,

    TBT
  • BAJJERFANBAJJERFAN Posts: 31,082 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If it was truly lost I would fergittit; if I suspected shenanigans I would teach em a lesson.
    theknowitalltroll;
  • rlawsharlawsha Posts: 1,033 ✭✭✭
    Whew!, I was about to have a stroke...
    image
  • ziggy29ziggy29 Posts: 18,668 ✭✭✭
    How valuable was it? That might determine if the insurer is interested in trying to recover it and return it to you in exchange for returning the settlement amount to them (possibly plus interest)? Good question -- I think it would work that way with a regular insurance policy, but with insurance from a common carrier, I'm not sure.
  • I would inform whoever paid the insurance claim.


    Jerry
  • The insurance company has the right to recover objects that they made a payout on. I doubt that years later they would expect you return the money they paid you on your claim as it might cause financial hardship. More likely they would auction it off and get their money back that way. You should do the right thing and notify the insurer that you saw the lost/stolen coin for sale somewhere and let their investigators handle it.
    image
    image
  • When property is stolen, the victim does not lose title, only possession. Thus, no one thereafter can obtain title to that item. Even a bona fide purchaser for value still does not acquire legal title.

    Thus, if someone who has no notice that an item is stolen buys that item for fair market value, they do not acquire legal title. If the true owner can prove it is the same item then the innocent subsequent purchaser could lose that item.

    The catch here is "proving" that it is the same item. Further, the only place to do this is in a Court of Law with it associated costs and expenses.

    Likely not something most folks would deal with unless it was an item of high value.
    Joe
    image
  • I've noticed recently that with any insurance covered theft that when the property is recovered, there is no first right or refusal to the person who owned it when it was stolen.

    I thought it was law that the owner was given that right and could buy it back for a deemed value, if not then the insurance company could do as they pleased with the property.

    reason is, my brother built his first prerunner about 7 years ago and it was stolen when I was driving it. We got a decent payoff from the insurance company but if that truck every turned up, we would love to get it back if possible. I'm not sure how to even make sure that we could get notified if it ever was recovered, the police dept. and the insurance company is playing dumb and just saying they don't know and referring us to each other. Plus if I ever see the truck, I want to make sure that it's not someone that legally aquired it at auction or something. Either way I'm following and calling the police to come check it out, chances of that are slim since the truck is most likely deep in Mexico or oversea.


  • << <i>When property is stolen, the victim does not lose title, only possession. Thus, no one thereafter can obtain title to that item. Even a bona fide purchaser for value still does not acquire legal title.

    Thus, if someone who has no notice that an item is stolen buys that item for fair market value, they do not acquire legal title. If the true owner can prove it is the same item then the innocent subsequent purchaser could lose that item.

    The catch here is "proving" that it is the same item. Further, the only place to do this is in a Court of Law with it associated costs and expenses.

    Likely not something most folks would deal with unless it was an item of high value. >>



    This is nonsense. What law school did you attend?
    Ever hear of the statutes of limitations?
    Of course you can gain clear title to stolen goods. The governmental units all across the country sell confiscated goods all the time that are stolen.
    On top of that, any fungible items that are stolen belong to anyone aquiring them other than the thief or someone knowing they were stolen.
    The money in your pocket may have been stolen from me at some time in the past. Ready to fork it over to me? PM me for my address.

    Ray
  • TypetoneTypetone Posts: 1,621 ✭✭
    lathmach:

    I understand the statute of limitations. However, suppose that the coin is clearly identifable. It would not be fungible then would it? Who has the right to recovery in this case? The original seller or the insurrer?

    Greg
  • Any right of recovery is to the insurer. The insured has been made whole.

    Ray
  • LincolnCentManLincolnCentMan Posts: 5,347 ✭✭✭✭
    Well, the coin would actually belong to the carrier since they paid out the insurance. If I had the paper work availible and could 100% prove that that coin was the one lost, I would probably contact the carrier so they could claim their property. If I couldnt 100% prove it... then it's pretty much irrelivant.

    David
  • dorkkarldorkkarl Posts: 12,691 ✭✭✭
    i think fugettaboutit.

    K S
  • Steve27Steve27 Posts: 13,274 ✭✭✭
    While it would probably be a good idea to notify the "carrier," just realize that they may have recovered coin at some point and sold it to the current owner/seller.
    "It's far easier to fight for principles, than to live up to them." Adlai Stevenson
  • BigEBigE Posts: 6,949 ✭✭✭
    Dragon, I think I would report it, It could help capture the theif who may still be out there scammingimage-------------------BigE
    I'm glad I am a Tree

  • Nah. If insurance wants their products back, they can look for 'em. I am not their private investigator and my time is not free.

  • You can't prove a thing.

    forgetaboutit
  • photogphotog Posts: 242 ✭✭
    Question:

    What if he could prove it was his?

    Reminder:

    The person from Maine who called our offices with the DuPont dollar had acquired it in a fair transaction, not knowing what it was for years. Does that mean then, based on what some of you have said, that the coin was rightfully his? His to consign, sell, or trade? No. That's why we facilitated the return.

    Stolen goods are stolen goods, a stolen coin is a stolen coin. Now, if it could be proved then by all means it should be returned, based the precedent I stated above. Right?

    Jenna
    ANR

    (edited for spelling)
  • Ya know, come to think of it, That strawberry cent looks like one that was stolen from me. I can tell from the picture. if I let them know, do you think they will send it to me.


    Easier said than proved.
  • photogphotog Posts: 242 ✭✭
    Agreed, but proof of ownership should be worth SOMETHING. We all knew who the 1866 belonged to, that's my point. When you know who the owner is it needs to be returned.

    Jenna
    ANR

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