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Registered mail is becoming much slower and unsafe
numis1652
Posts: 21 ✭✭
An expensive pkg was mailed from TroY OH containing ex rare political tokens on May 28 to me in So CA.
Since May 30 it’s been in Chicago with no movement per tracking. I spoke to a postal supervisor who was a bit concerned but admitted something to me that I’d not known and which may concern many members.
Registered mail sent long distances is no longer transported by plane! It is now transported by TRUCK, evidently to save money by a besieged postal service. This may be due to DOGE cuts. But in any case this trucking method with its many stops and transfers will result in long delays and a likelihood for more thefts and pkg tampering.
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So, you have no actual evidence that it is less safe, merely your opinion?
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
With all due respect, this sounds like a bit of misinformation and/or misconception.
First, I highly doubt "DOGE cuts" are any kind of factor in this case.
Second, long-haul trips by truck don't stop at every little town along the way and log registered packages in and then out again.
I sent a couple packages across the country by Ground Advantage and it took four days with no stops recorded in the tracking for most of the route. The packages both made it door to door in four days. That means they were loaded onto a truck, the door was closed and presumsbly locked, and then the truck drove across the country.
Registered definitely is slower, but if your package has been sitting in Chicago for a week that has nothing to do with the things you mentioned.
In over 25 years I have had one issue and the item arrived but was damaged. I live in Canada and 99% of the time buy from the USA or outside the USA. Registered or express mail.
I have done over 1000 transactions (dvd's, video games and other stuff like collectibles) over those years not once did any package get lost. A few I worried about they took longer than expected that was it.
For the past 25 years I have used registered mail whenever I send something of high value --- the travel time has remained consistent and I have never had a package lost or stolen.
"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety," --- Benjamin Franklin
Over the past 40 years, I have sent and received over 1,000 Registered Mail packages and every one of them has arrived safe and sound. While the average travel time has been between 7-10 days, I've had some make it in as few as 5 days while one package (from New York to Oklahoma) did take 17 days. For some reason, that latter package sat in the Jamaica, Queens, NY distribution center for 6 days.
Anyway, I think somebody needs to take their tin foil hat off.
Member ANA, SPMC, SCNA, FUN, CONECA
There actually have been several instances of dealers having to file claims for registered packages this past year, something that most of us will likely never encounter…I hope. Loss rates, and subsequently insurance premiums have gone up across the board, for all services, and being understaffed has probably led to less than rigid vetting policies for new hires.
I wouldn’t draw concussions based on that package alone, however, It’s not uncommon for a registered package to sit for a week with no movement. The priority express packages take priority , so it might take longer if there’s no employee available to handle the registered packages.
Even before I started dealing, I decided I didn’t have the patience for registered mail, so I signed up with Hugh Wood through the ANA program for collectors. You could also use a service like pirate ship and use priority mail as well, just make sure you read the fine print to confirm you are covered in the event of a loss. Filament tape is your friend, along with double boxing and adequate packing material. Consider using an air tag or equivalent tracking device for packages above your typical level of comfort.
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I just got a phone call from my USPO supervisor on my pkg inquirythis morning , which itself is amazing.
She verified trucking from Chi to LA is the mode of shipping, based on availability of flights. She says my Regist pkg will take 15-20 days to arrive ! To keep tracking it. 15-20 days for a regist pkg originally from Troy OH to Los Angeles ! I can remember not too long ago it was a week. But at least members know now to have patience on the USPO arrival - or use FedEx.
Wait, wait. Registered mail is slow?!? Thank you, now I know!
chopmarkedtradedollars.com
i'm surprised the first call didn't have someone tell you it can be slow
the long timers here know of months worth of waiting for a few. just like regular mail, they can go the wrong direction. but registered has never been known, here at least, for timely scans
a week so far is nothing, even if in the past previous packages have taken days.
it is nice, though, you have someone willing to help you at this point. perhaps they can get a scan for you at the next stop. we'll all hope it's not miami.
Take a deep breath. It has only been a bit over one week.
Many fallacies in the post. Please consider deleting our editing.
PCGS makes no bones about it.............
Regjistered mail must be signed for by all who handle it. This alone adds time to the delivery. It is still the safest way to mail things, although could be a very slow process.
The PO has made a lot of changes. You can get more packages on a truck than a plane. Actually, something is working as they reported $144 net income in the first quarter of 2025 (pre DOGE as it was Oct, Nov and Dec 2024). Just say'n.
bob
JFK Airport. Waiting to be batched up with other similar (Registered?) packages and loaded on a cross-country flight.
Happens to me quite often when sending to PCGS. One day, like magic, it appears in some random SoCal distribution center.
Getting ready to leave the computer, so not looking anything up... Is "Polly C Gilmore" (PCG...S?) a real person?
Ed. S.
(EJS)
Moreover, that assertion undermines the credibility of the rest of the post.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
In the past 4 years, US Postal theft by employees have gone up 47%. I would think it would be easier to steal from a truck than mail by plane. Supposedly outside of postal employees, mail theft has gone up 87% in the last 4 years.
TO ADD: JUST QUOTING FROM GOOGLE! LOL
My Original Song Written to my late wife-"Plus other original music by me"
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What was the source for those numbers?
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
This could be true but I'm not so sure.
A shipment by truck is loaded and the doors locked. The contents aren't handled until the truck reaches it's destination, and all handling is done by USPS employees. On an airplane, baggage handlers are involved and there is more loading/unloading involved.
It is faster by airplanes so there is less time for shenanigans, but I'm not sure it's safer.
You have to manage your own tolerance for risk and patience. Speed, Cost, Safety - pick two.
If you want fast and safe, use express or priority and private insurance. But it will be expensive.
If you want cheap and safe, use registered. But it will be slow.
Google of course Mark. Lol
I also edited my post with source.
My Original Song Written to my late wife-"Plus other original music by me"
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8A11CC8CC6093D80
https://n1m.com/bobbysmith1
Google is not a source. Google doesn't research and write its own news stories. Google aggregates info from many different sources.
chopmarkedtradedollars.com
It's from the USPS inspector general report
Just think, this is just in a 6 month period. Wow!
My Original Song Written to my late wife-"Plus other original music by me"
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8A11CC8CC6093D80
https://n1m.com/bobbysmith1
In fiscal year 2024, the USPS shipped 7.2 BILLION packages which generated total revenue of $32,000,000,000 (BILLION).
And you think it's a WOW that there have been a few hundred total issues? The numbers that have so impressed you might almost become a rounding error if you multiplied them by a thousand.
How many misinformed and misleading posts are you intending to make about the postal service? Do you enjoy being misinformed or you just don't care? Get real.
chopmarkedtradedollars.com
She personally receives and inspects each package with loving care.
And that's $32 billion in fees not package value. It's probably more than a $100 billion dollars in package value. I bet more packages are simply lost or damaged than stolen.
$12 million in restitution (annualized) out of $100 billion in packages amounts to 0.012% or roughly 1 out of 10,000.
Well to me that seems like a lot of theft. And for your info, that was off the uspsoig.gov website! If you would have looked at the top of the screenshot I posted, you would have known that instead of jumping to conclusions!!!!!!
My Original Song Written to my late wife-"Plus other original music by me"
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8A11CC8CC6093D80
https://n1m.com/bobbysmith1
It's actually a tiny amount representing somewhere between 1 in $10,000 to 1 in $100,000. That's a tiny fraction of the theft at any retail store in the country.
Home thefts in the country result in property losses of over $3 billion per year (per FBI statistics). That Is over 200 TIMES mail losses. Think about that...
Better to store your coins in the mail.
You still don't get it. I don't doubt your data. Your analysis of the data ("WOW! That's a lot of theft!!") is absurd. See @jmlanzaf 's post above.
YOU have jumped to conclusions, and badly incorrect conclusions at that. I have just called your conclusions out as ridiculous.
chopmarkedtradedollars.com
Like I stated, to ME that seems like a lot of theft. No reason to get rude!!!
My Original Song Written to my late wife-"Plus other original music by me"
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8A11CC8CC6093D80
https://n1m.com/bobbysmith1
My personal preference is FedEx overnight or 2 day for less expensive packages and I have it taken directly to my main FedEx center at the airport. For really valuable items/collections I've made personal pickup or delivery First Class American Airlines. If I had a high value item(s) to auction I would just drive to HA 3 hours west in the DFW area. Of course, I am retired so personal delivery is a positive when the destination is desirable.