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With all this talk about packages been lost or stolen how many have you had stolen or lost?
Early_Milled_Latin_America
Posts: 6,440 ✭✭✭✭✭
In my case 0 over the 25+ years. Only one package was damaged but it still arrived none the less.
In my case well over 1000 packages (during the 25+ years) containing all sorts of stuff from DVD's to books and so on. Never had a problem either when selling.
I use Registered or Express Mail when selling and at a minimum USPS 1st class mail when buying.
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In 50 years of mail orders and auctions. 2 James
We’ve had packages disappear from our front porch over the years. One was an Amazon delivery and Amazon promptly delivered a replacement. The 2nd was a box full of Christmas presents from my in laws. Two weeks later our next door neighbor brought it over, one of his friends stole it and when he found out he brought it back with nothing missing.
Mr_Spud
I had a valuable shipment of rare numismatic catalogs get destroyed by USPS. The shipper received only the original label back with a sorry note.
Last year I had a $150K shipment come Express from a well-known dealer. The box was crushed and the PCGS box cracked. You could almost see the coins (2) from outside the box. Against my better judgment I accepted the package and all was good minus a cracked holder on one of the coins. I was honestly worried the coins wouldn't make it back if I refused the package with a gaping hole and semi-loose coins inside.
30+ years. A couple with minor damages. One of those was from
Germany and a raw coin was lost along the line. Low value. Our local PO folks are excellent.
In three years four coin purchases undelivered—one of them the sender admitted to poor packaging. In the same three years three lost ones found churning between distribution points or with other undeliverables at the P.O.. In all three cases the local carrier did the work to catch them. One seller sent me a photo of the envelope. It was neon-colored, she found it immediately. Since then I put a neon label on the package, photograph the package with the label, and send it to the buyer.
Two in the last twelve months. Both Priority USPS packages.
I guess I am lucky....touch wood!!!
It might be helpful to know where the packages were missing from, such as PO Box or street delivery.
Porch pirates are not the USPS's fault. 🏴☠️
Only 2 missing so far this year by usps. It’s been a good year versus the last several.
Over the past twenty-five years: None missing; two or three seriously damaged but with no damage to the contents; one with the contents claimed as missing (a book, not coins) by the recipient but I don't believe his claim.
Knock on wood, so far, 0.
I've had some travel to weird places on their way to me (package sent from new jersey went to alaska on its way to texas....), and I've had a couple delivered to my neighbors instead of me that I was able to track down, but none have ever gone completely missing.
Only two, both eBay envelopes from a local dealer I'd been buying from for years. He had just switched from using padded envelopes to save shipping expenses, and suddenly these next two shipments mysteriously disappeared. USPS tracking said "Delivered" but nope.
24 years of usps with 0 lost packages. Since covid, I've had many get lost for 2-3 weeks then showup, which had never happened previously.
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
Recently USPS Priority Mail bag of Canadian Cents arrived empty.
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
The only packages I have sent that were “lost” were eBay standard shipping labels in envelopes. I have had close to a dozen items I bought on eBay mysteriously get lost on their way to me. I am currently dealing with a purchase “shipped” July 8th with no movement after acceptance pending.
It is peculiar that on many occasions when buying something low priced or priced below typical levels, the item vanishes in shipping. Many times when this happens, I half expect it due to questionable sellers.
Edited to add:
Often “lost” items on their way to me come from sellers with impaired feedback ratings on eBay. I have only had one order from a seller with 100% positive that disappeared.
https://www.autismforums.com/media/albums/acrylic-colors-by-rocco.291/
Zero — over about 10 years. Hope I didn’t just jinx myself!
Casual collector: Morgans & Peace Dollars & 20th Century Type Set. Successful BST transactions with ProofCollection, Morgan13, CoinFinder, CoinHunter4, Bretsan.
In 25+ years, none.
Complete Set of Chopmarked Trade Dollars
Carson City Silver Dollars Complete 1870-1893http://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/showcase.aspx?sc=2722"
I have only ever had 1 items go completely missing in the mail....it was a large TV!
Successful transactions with forum members commoncents05, dmarks, Coinscratch, Bullsitter, DCW, TwoSides2aCoin, Namvet69 (facilitated for 3rd party), Tetromibi, ProfLizMay, MASSU2, MWallace, Bruce7789, Twobitcollector, 78saen, U1chicago, Rob41281
Generally 1 or 2 per year out of 2000. Usually either non-domestic or eBay standard shipping. I can't remember the last time a Priority Mail package was lost. It must be pre-Covid, 10k or 20k packages ago.
Do not know how they ''lost'' that most likely stolen.
Agreed
My one loss scenario was when my mailman delivered a tracked package to the wrong house, a block away from my house and couldn't recall where. A canvas of the neighbors failed to recover my coins. I hope they burn in hell. 😎
BST: endeavor1967, synchr, kliao, Outhaul, Donttellthewife, U1Chicago, ajaan, mCarney1173, SurfinHi, MWallace, Sandman70gt, mustanggt, Pittstate03, Lazybones, Walkerguy21D, coinandcurrency242 , thebigeng, Collectorcoins, JimTyler, USMarine6, Elkevvo, Coll3ctor, Yorkshireman, CUKevin, ranshdow, CoinHunter4, bennybravo, Centsearcher, braddick, Windycity, ZoidMeister, mirabela, JJM, RichURich, Bullsitter, jmski52, LukeMarshall, coinsarefun, MichaelDixon, NickPatton, ProfLiz, Twobitcollector,Jesbroken oih82w8, DCW
I have been buying coins since 2019 and have more than 3,500 of them. Only one has been lost and it was refunded, and the whole order was less than $10.00. I ordered a coin in May and it was stuck at the postal service very early on and the seller refunded the price. Today on my informed delivery I see this coin is supposed to arrive. I will believe it when I see it, but it is not at all bad having ordered so many coins.
I don't remember now if it was fedex or ups, but whoever was shipping it said they often lost items in one specific hub...heavily implying a lot of stuff get stolen there without saying that. They shipped a new one almost instantly.
Successful transactions with forum members commoncents05, dmarks, Coinscratch, Bullsitter, DCW, TwoSides2aCoin, Namvet69 (facilitated for 3rd party), Tetromibi, ProfLizMay, MASSU2, MWallace, Bruce7789, Twobitcollector, 78saen, U1chicago, Rob41281
annoying porch pirates
God comes first in everything I do. I’m dedicated to serving Him with my whole life. Coin collecting is just a hobby—but even in that, I seek to honor Him. ✝️
Zero. Many hundreds purchased. Many hundreds sold.
Registered has given me some stress at times when packages went dark, but eventually they all showed up.
Last year the USPS delivered a package that I mailed to a wrong address, to a completely different city and zip code. 3 times they denied my insurance claims.
Sent hundreds with zero lost. One was damaged due to inadequate precautions by me.
Only one problem on the receiving end. An eBay package that was “delivered” had not been received and the seller was a jerk. eBay sided with him, wiped clean my negative review. The package eventually showed-up weeks later.
Of the last 3 packages from FedEx:
1 made it safe
1 showed delivered but had a picture of someone elses property, finally received 2 days later
1 showed delivered had a picture of a different property showing delivered, never recovered, took several weeks to recover funds from Liberty coin.
All 3 were those 10oz RCM gutter bars. I'm out in the country and our "fedex" drivers recently have been driving Penske rental vans. I don't believe they are actual fedex employees, just subcontractors but they do wear a fedex shirt. Anyway I have stopped ordering anything that states shipped Fedex as a result. RGDS!
Last year, had numerous packages with gold get stolen. Finally had to stop sending USPS.
When I worked in Everglades National Park, I had 2-3 packages lost/stolen from me. They contained about $300 worth of Barber quarters and a Northwestern vs Michigan football game program from 1975. I suspect the items were stolen by Park personnel at headquarters. When I'd bring the loss to the head of Park personnel's attention, all they did is scold me for having my mail delivered to the Park. They never bothered to even look for these items. I regret not notifying the US postal service and having postal inspectors pay Headquarters a visit and shake things up.
Since then, I've had a coin sent to a 10-year-old PO box address in south Florida when that address was not even on file with eBay. Somehow, that address popped up on the seller's computer, perhaps from a sale long ago. Anyway, some poor dude in Florida City received a $300 coin out of nowhere. eBay covered the loss.
I've also lost at least two orders in the past year or two that simply disappeared in the mail. eBay again covered the loss.
I'm at wits end with my local post office and with FEDEX for not getting my signature as required when delivering packages. They stick items in my mailbox and forge my signature with completely botched spelling (my only protection). They've left packages on my porch without getting my signature. In fact, THEY NEVER GET MY SIGNATURE! One package contained a PCGS Box of 20 with $14K worth of coins, was left on the porch for 14 hours before I found it.
I have not lost coins from someone opening a package, though. The packages simply never arrived.
2 in the last month and a third 9 months ago totaling about 15k
this happened about 10 years ago ordered a coin never was delivered got a refund from the dealer about 2 years later I received the coin and there was a story on the news that a post office mail carrier was arrested for not delivering packages had them in his house I returned the coin to the dealer and they were happy to get it back they sent me a coffee mug with there logo on it and I use that mug everyday this happened when I lived in Philadelphia PA
Reposting
I've had coins go missing, or arriving with nothing in the padded envelope. If you bought it on Ebay and used their tracking, they will cover the cost. The process is a bit hard to describe, but you need to open a "non delivery investigation" using the details page and contact the seller. I dont know what the sellers experiences are like, but on the Ebay app the tracking just ends.
To be clear, this has nothing to do with the Seller. It was USPS that F'd up.
My friend is a retired carrier, who says: If you really want it to get there, send it FedEX because if anything gets lost, they lose their job.
With my luck the only time this would happen is if I sent coins in for grading. I will just keep them ungraded I am happy just to own them.
Within the past year or so, two registered inbound, one stolen in Chicago, one stolen in Birmingham. One outbound rifled at Santa Clarita, CA.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
I've had things misdelivered and take forever (accidently routed the wrong way) but never lost or stolen.
That goes for UPS, FEDEX and USPS.
Sometimes, it’s better to be LUCKY than good. 🍀 🍺👍
My Full Walker Registry Set (1916-1947):
https://www.ngccoin.com/registry/competitive-sets/16292/
I have spent a good chunk of change insuring packages over the years. My one bad experience ended ok after 4 months of it being "lost" somewhere in the system. I filed a claim with the USPS, since it was insured, and after appealing it 3 times they denied my claim. Even though I had a statement of value from Heritage and a copy of the cancelled check. Fortunately it magically was delivered 4 months late.
The data does not show that.
In 20+ years I’ve had one go missing for a month, but eventually arrived safely with no damage. No other packages missing or lost out of hundreds coming or going.
- Bob -
MPL's - Lincolns of Color
Central Valley Roosevelts
And one inbound that should have gotten lost -- a single coin loose in a #6 3/4 envelope with a shiny sticker of a Christmas tree where the stamp should have been.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
I've just had one package get stolen and it was a birthday gift from my mom to my son when he was little. We were renting an apartment during the period when we were building our home and all the mailboxes for the complex were clustered together. In the event that you received a bigger package, the PO would leave a key in your mailbox that would unlock one of the larger mail boxes that held your package.
When I went to retrieve the gift that my mom sent, I was surprised that there was already a key locked in the opened door to the designated mailbox which was empty. I tried the other larger mailboxes to see if the key was just mislabeled but it didn't open any of those either. When I went to the PO to file a complaint, they told me that my story was impossible, had no answers as to what happened and I wasn't able to get any resolution.