The post office used to have a form you could file for lost or rifled mail. I think it was Form 1510. I couldn't find it on their website though. Ask your postmaster about it.
Looks like the box is the 6 1/2" x 8 1/2" priority box. If that's correct, it weighs a little over 2 ounces empty. Also weighed the box with a PSA graded card and an ungraded card in soft sleeve and toploader and weight was right at 4 ounces. If the package weighed 8 ounces when posted, there had to be a lot of packing when mailed - 4 ounces of bubble wrap would be a ton of bubble wrap, approximately 30 pages of newspaper. So the box was completely empty when delivered?
These boxes are pretty tight and I've used them a lot. Takes some effort, even when not taped which I don't normally do, to open the end of the box like you showed. Get an empty box from the PO and try it. Even if it were to be accidently opened, hard to believe that all the packing would just fall out - would be understandable that cards would fall out if there was no packing, but from the posted weight it had a lot of packing. Finally, yes I will stop sometime, it's my understanding that priority mail or any parcels for that matter are not run through machines so the PO cannot use that as an excuse for the box being opened. The only conclusion that can be reached is that someone at the PO is a little less than honest. An earlier post said that the whole box would probably be taken; however, it would be much easier to put two cards in your pocket and throw away the packing than putting the box in your pocket. For the dollar value taken, I would think the PO inspectors would want to look into this. I would report it and follow up on the investigation and expect the seller to do so also.
That being said, the seller should return the money to you. I don't think he was careless in his packing, but he was foolish in not paying the small amount to insure.
Comments
These boxes are pretty tight and I've used them a lot. Takes some effort, even when not taped which I don't normally do, to open the end of the box like you showed. Get an empty box from the PO and try it. Even if it were to be accidently opened, hard to believe that all the packing would just fall out - would be understandable that cards would fall out if there was no packing, but from the posted weight it had a lot of packing. Finally, yes I will stop sometime, it's my understanding that priority mail or any parcels for that matter are not run through machines so the PO cannot use that as an excuse for the box being opened. The only conclusion that can be reached is that someone at the PO is a little less than honest. An earlier post said that the whole box would probably be taken; however, it would be much easier to put two cards in your pocket and throw away the packing than putting the box in your pocket. For the dollar value taken, I would think the PO inspectors would want to look into this. I would report it and follow up on the investigation and expect the seller to do so also.
That being said, the seller should return the money to you. I don't think he was careless in his packing, but he was foolish in not paying the small amount to insure.
Good Luck!!