Lost Shipment All I can say is WOW and Ouch!

amwldcoin

A package being shipped from Germany to the United States has been reported stolen/lost by

Atlas Numismatics. The package contained coins bought in the March Kuenker sale. The coins are presumed to be stolen. 1 of these days I'll learn how to do a linky!

Any collector or dealer with information should contact:

James Ricks

Atlas Numismatics

rick.james@atlasnumismatics.com

718-643-4383

or

Doug Davis

817-723-7231

Doug@numismaticcrimes.org

Link to coins lost:

http://library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102927891983-68/German+Lost+Package.pdf

JCMhouston

That's quite a large group to go missing, and a few of those will be very hard to replace.

harasha

Link

YQQ

this is a lot of "coin"!!! (s), and without any doubt , great coins.
Going back on my experience with another German auctioneer, the coins must have been insured by Kuenker through their Corporate Insurance for Valuables, which covers the shipping of the items.
In my case, the shipper Insurance eventually paid up, so I was not out any serious money.
I will contact the buyer here to discuss any possible similarities.

Aethelred

With such detailed photos the coins will be easy to ID

Atlascoin

James Ricks from Atlas Numismatics here-- many thanks for posting this.

We purchased these coins in March and had them sent to us via German registered mail on our own private insurance. They made it to the US, where they were initially tracked by USPS and then went missing. We are still waiting to finalize the settlement with our insurers. Unfortunately we couldn't give a file of high-resolution photographs to Doug at the numismatic crime website, but large images are available with the corresponding lot numbers here: https://www.kuenker.de/Downloads_en.kuenker
Any help or information about the whereabouts of these coins would be greatly appreciated.

Some of you may know me from my 18 years at Northeast Numismatics, where I directed the world coin department for the last 14 years. It was a difficult decision to leave Northeast but I believe it will prove a successful move for both companies. We are separating on amicable terms and will continue to work together in some ways (I'm still helping Northeast with some world coin cataloguing and sales).

I hope to have the website for Atlas Numismatics launched within a month or so.

ajaan

James, welcome to the Forum. Terrible what happened.

P.S. Great author icon image. Go Gunners!

bosox

I had a $3,500 shipment from Canada go missing last year. Registered mail from Canada Post. The coin dealer's insurance policy paid me back, which was good, but.....

Many may not know, but when non-U.S. postal service registered mail hits the U. S., usually through JFK airport, the U. S. Postal Service treats it as first class mail. No tracking, no chain of custody, nothing. In my conversations with USPS, I found out my package was in a bin of over 200 non-U.S. registered mail packages that completely disappeared after being checked in at JFK airport. I made a complaint with the Inspector General of the U. S. Postal Service. I got a call back which yielded a vague statement that "we should change that."

So what you have are foreign originated packages, marked as registered mail, losing all accountability once they hit the U.S. It's like putting a label on them that says steal me. Use Fedex instead.

amwldcoin

<< <i>I had a $3,500 shipment from Canada go missing last year. Registered mail from Canada Post. The coin dealer's insurance policy paid me back, which was good, but.....

Many may not know, but when non-U.S. postal service registered mail hits the U. S., usually through JFK airport, the U. S. Postal Service treats it as first class mail. No tracking, no chain of custody, nothing. In my conversations with USPS, I found out my package was in a bin of over 200 non-U.S. registered mail packages that completely disappeared after being checked in at JFK airport. I made a complaint with the Inspector General of the U. S. Postal Service. I got a call back which yielded a vague statement that "we should change that."

So what you have are foreign originated packages, marked as registered mail, losing all accountability once they hit the U.S. It's like putting a label on them that says steal me. Use Fedex instead. >>



If that is truely the case is is no wonder so few coins are safe shipped via USPS Registered overseas. Do unto others as you wish done to yourself.

If anyone is going to make the international postal system step up to the plate and do the right thing I think it will be ebay.

bosox

Stuff that is originated as USPS registered mail is tracked by USPS as registered mail within the U.S. Stuff that originates as registered mail within a non-U.S. postal system is not.

CIVITAS

<< <i>Stuff that is originated as USPS registered mail is tracked by USPS as registered mail within the U.S. Stuff that originates as registered mail within a non-U.S. postal system is not. >>



The reverse is also true in that Registered Mail from the U.S. is not always treated the same way in other countries. That's why you can insure up to $25,000.00 in the USA, but cannot get it at all for international. (It used to be capped at $42.15 max insurance value or some weird number like that, but they eventually just dropped it all together.) Tracking is typically unavailable once it leaves NY as well.

Also, I've found that "Registered Mail" is a pretty generic term that means different services in different countries. Sometimes customers from other countries are upset that we have to charge $15-$20 for Registered Mail because they are used to their country's version of "Registered" mail that costs much less because their postal system handles it differently from the start. Most misunderstandings seem to be from Asian nations regarding this difference.

LochNESS

<< <i>Tracking is typically unavailable once it leaves NY as well. >>


Priority Mail International includes tracking, does it not? I've used that service numerous times. It won't show point by point along the route, but it'll show when the item arrives.

Last week I was on the interstate hwy and passed a truck (regular, generic tractor-trailer) with a big red stamp "U.S. Mail" across the rear doors of his trailer. The license plate was not government, the truck cab was marked with a private company's logo and registration info, and the driver was wearing plain civilian clothes.

Zohar

Hi James - hope all is well.

When do you launch your site? Are you live with your business?

Best,

Zohar

Atlascoin

Hi Zohar-

All is well, thank you. There will be a soft launch of the site by next week. We'll try to get the word out about it after the ANA.

LochNESS

<< <i>We'll try to get the word out about it after the ANA. >>


My advice would be to get the word out at the ANA, if possible. Huge captive audience and many if not all are your target demographic. Hand out business cards, handbills, flyers, and leave a stack near the entrance/exits and cafeteria eatery section(s). Hotel lobbies, concierge desk, etc.

edit to add: I've only just browsed the first page of your inventory, and already see a half dozen pieces I wouldn't mind adding to my collection. Unfortunately things are tight right now but well done! Really like the layout/design, too