Edit: Found! 1795 Flowing Hair $1 (PCGS AU-55)

TypeCollector87 · March 8, 2026 7:00PM

*** Edit 3/9/26: Thanks, all, for your concern and well wishes. The coin has been located. Unfortunately, I cannot share more details at this time. ***

lermish · March 8, 2026 7:03PM

Sorry to hear that. Best of luck getting this resolved.

ajaan · March 8, 2026 7:08PM

Sent Registered Mail?

TypeCollector87 · March 8, 2026 7:09PM

I do not believe it was sent registered mail. However, I believe it was insured.

TomB · March 8, 2026 7:30PM

Ugh...

johnny9434 · March 8, 2026 8:03PM

Bummer, bolo

PeakRarities · March 8, 2026 8:29PM

Oof, major bummer, why can’t they just stick with bullion and leave the Americana alone. I’ve had issues with that Jacksonville hub before, too.

Morgan13 · March 9, 2026 6:32AM

That's a dam shame!

jesbroken · March 9, 2026 6:51AM

So sorry to hear of the aggravation and loss. I'm starting to utilize familiar shipping bags by known companies unassociated with Coins. TEMU and AMAZON use specific labeled bags to ship their items in even when the items are in boxes. Just save those bags and reuse them. There are so many million shipped daily. Have friends and family save the bags. And everyone is using both. JMO
I wish you the best of luck with your ordeal.
Jim

Ebeneezer · March 9, 2026 8:00AM

It may also be a good idea to notify PCGS, NGC and CAC in the event this worthless individual tries to regrade it. It's not that often one of these are received for grading so it might standout to them in the future.

JBK · March 9, 2026 8:24AM

Terrible news, shouldn't have happened, hope it's recovered, etc.

I looked up the cert and PCGS price guide is just under $50,000. I realize that for some people that's not a lot of money but if it were me it would have been shipped Registered Mail.

As for it being insured, I just hope it wasn't USPS insurance. I'd hate to be waiting on that claim to be paid out.

I realize none of this helps you now, but it might help someone else reading this.

Crypto · March 9, 2026 8:58AM

I had postal theft

PerryHall · March 9, 2026 9:21AM

It's hard to believe that registered mail wasn't used to ship a coin like this.
If the thief knows anything about coins, it's probably been cracked out and dipped by now to disguise its identity. After some time in a kraft envelope to give it some toning, it can probably be reslabbed again at NGC or CACG.
I asked my mailman about postal theft and he said it mostly happened by contract truck drivers.

Davidk7 · March 9, 2026 9:32AM

Registered mail is not always the answer to shipping expensive items. Especially considering the lengthy amount of time it takes, and stuff still gets stolen registered.

By the way, guide is $50k but this coin is likely not worth $50k considering the lack of a CAC sticker. However, even as a $35k-40k coin, that's something that we would send ONLY overnight all day. Why wasn't it sent overnight?

JBK · March 9, 2026 9:37AM

I have to believe that the incidence of theft of Registered Mail is infinitesimal compared to all other service levels.

In any case, at some price point I'd just buy a round trip plane ticket.

jmlanzaf · March 9, 2026 9:39AM

@Davidk7 said:
Registered mail is not always the answer to shipping expensive items. Especially considering the lengthy amount of time it takes, and stuff still gets stolen registered.

By the way, guide is $50k but this coin is likely not worth $50k considering the lack of a CAC sticker. However, even as a $35k-40k coin, that's something that we would send ONLY overnight all day. Why wasn't it sent overnight?

What an odd post?

I assume you have private insurance?

jesbroken · March 9, 2026 9:41AM

Is there not private delivery services available for just such valuable shipments?
Just curious.

jmlanzaf · March 9, 2026 9:46AM

@jesbroken said:
Is there not private delivery services available for just such valuable shipments?
Just curious.

Yes. But very expensive.

Davidk7 · March 9, 2026 10:05AM

@jmlanzaf said:

@Davidk7 said:
Registered mail is not always the answer to shipping expensive items. Especially considering the lengthy amount of time it takes, and stuff still gets stolen registered.

By the way, guide is $50k but this coin is likely not worth $50k considering the lack of a CAC sticker. However, even as a $35k-40k coin, that's something that we would send ONLY overnight all day. Why wasn't it sent overnight?

What an odd post?

I assume you have private insurance?

How is that odd? Every coin dealer has insurance, and sending a mid five figure coin overnight is the best option considering the theft occurrences that seem to plague lower shipping levels.

OnlyGoldIsMoney · March 9, 2026 10:23AM

The words "USPS" and "theft" seem to get associated together a great deal these days.

coastaljerseyguy · March 9, 2026 10:43AM

The high insurance was probably a tip off to the thief. Small package and large insurance. Someone once posted that to deter, ship the coin in a box taped with that reinforced tape inside another larger box. Hard time sticking that under one's shirt or down their pants.

TallahasseeCoinClub · March 9, 2026 10:43AM

@OnlyGoldIsMoney said:
The words "USPS" and "theft" seem to get associated together a great deal these days.

Yes, indeed. I recently had a package arrive missing its two coins. As it happens, the thief got away with a grand total of $30 value for his "effort".

I hope it made his day. I really do.

Walkerfan · March 9, 2026 10:44AM

That would be heartbreaking. This is becoming more and more prevalent. I cross my fingers every time I send or receive a shipment. Good luck with getting this resolved.

pcgscacgold · March 9, 2026 10:52AM

Hopefully the day comes when the chip in the slab can be turned off during shipping. Anyone with a phone and the PCGS App can scan the box and know exactly what is inside. I am thankful to collect old slabs that do not have that technology.

BillJones · March 9, 2026 10:53AM

I am sorry to hear about this. It seems like it's happening more and more.

This is one of the reasons why I avoid all pressure some people put me for sending my coins to CAC. What you pay to CAC is minor compared with risk of losing your coins to mail thieves.

BillJones · March 9, 2026 10:54AM

@OnlyGoldIsMoney said:
The words "USPS" and "theft" seem to get associated together a great deal these days.

It's not just the Post Office. The notices from the numismatic theft messages also frequently list UPS and Federal Express.

Coin Finder · March 9, 2026 10:55AM

Some coins I receive are wrapped in foil. This hides the chip so I’m told…

jmlanzaf · March 9, 2026 10:57AM

@Davidk7 said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@Davidk7 said:
Registered mail is not always the answer to shipping expensive items. Especially considering the lengthy amount of time it takes, and stuff still gets stolen registered.

By the way, guide is $50k but this coin is likely not worth $50k considering the lack of a CAC sticker. However, even as a $35k-40k coin, that's something that we would send ONLY overnight all day. Why wasn't it sent overnight?

What an odd post?

I assume you have private insurance?

How is that odd? Every coin dealer has insurance, and sending a mid five figure coin overnight is the best option considering the theft occurrences that seem to plague lower shipping levels.

It's just odd because we don't know who the shipper was, whether they had private insurance, what the tens were, or even how it was shipped. The only thing we know is that it was NOT shipped registered.

OnlyGoldIsMoney · March 9, 2026 11:11AM

@BillJones said:

@OnlyGoldIsMoney said:
The words "USPS" and "theft" seem to get associated together a great deal these days.

It's not just the Post Office. The notices from the numismatic theft messages also frequently list UPS and Federal Express.

I agree, not just USPS. All of these shipping services have increasing employee theft issues.

Davidk7 · March 9, 2026 11:18AM

@jmlanzaf said:

@Davidk7 said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@Davidk7 said:
Registered mail is not always the answer to shipping expensive items. Especially considering the lengthy amount of time it takes, and stuff still gets stolen registered.

By the way, guide is $50k but this coin is likely not worth $50k considering the lack of a CAC sticker. However, even as a $35k-40k coin, that's something that we would send ONLY overnight all day. Why wasn't it sent overnight?

What an odd post?

I assume you have private insurance?

How is that odd? Every coin dealer has insurance, and sending a mid five figure coin overnight is the best option considering the theft occurrences that seem to plague lower shipping levels.

It's just odd because we don't know who the shipper was, whether they had private insurance, what the tens were, or even how it was shipped. The only thing we know is that it was NOT shipped registered.

There were several comments above my original comment about how it "should have been shipped registered" so I opined that registered mail would not have been the solution.

MasonG · March 9, 2026 11:28AM

@Davidk7 said:
There were several comments above my original comment about how it "should have been shipped registered" so I opined that registered mail would not have been the solution.

Registered mail is handled separately from other mail, it's quite possible that it would have been the solution.

Proofmorgan · March 9, 2026 11:58AM

May be a naive question, but how are the chips used to identify the coins? I've never used that feature personally. Would the app detect the chip and identify the coin within the box? Would make sense as it seems some pretty big coins are targeted. Unless itis just by luck within many smaller value thefts that don't make it here for us to read about.

oldglorycoins · March 9, 2026 12:12PM

Its called PCGS coin cert. If you have your phone on, and able to detect RFID chips then when you place it within a foot or two of the box, it brings up the coin that's in the holder. We ship coins in foil if they have RFID chips.

ChrisH821 · March 9, 2026 12:20PM

@Proofmorgan said:
May be a naive question, but how are the chips used to identify the coins? I've never used that feature personally. Would the app detect the chip and identify the coin within the box? Would make sense as it seems some pretty big coins are targeted. Unless itis just by luck within many smaller value thefts that don't make it here for us to read about.

Yes. If a slab has the NFC chip, scanning it with your phone brings up the PCGS certification. It has to be very close to it though, like within an inch or two, hence the "near" part of "NFC"

jesbroken · March 9, 2026 12:26PM

@jmlanzaf said:

@jesbroken said:
Is there not private delivery services available for just such valuable shipments?
Just curious.

Yes. But very expensive.

What is the cost to insure $50k and what insurance do you have you would recover the actual value if collected. I have never had to incur an insurance loss on a coin, so do not claim to know much at all, that's why I ask. I know that I sent a $25k axle hub to Kansas City by local delivery service for $500 and it weighed a couple thousand pounds. I cannot imagine that a bonded delivery service would be so expensive as not to be used just for the comfort and lack of worry. Jus' sayin'.
Jim

oldglorycoins · March 9, 2026 12:40PM

@jesbroken said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@jesbroken said:
Is there not private delivery services available for just such valuable shipments?
Just curious.

Yes. But very expensive.

What is the cost to insure $50k and what insurance do you have you would recover the actual value if collected. I have never had to incur an insurance loss on a coin, so do not claim to know much at all, that's why I ask. I know that I sent a $25k axle hub to Kansas City by local delivery service for $500 and it weighed a couple thousand pounds. I cannot imagine that a bonded delivery service would be so expensive as not to be used just for the comfort and lack of worry. Jus' sayin'.
Jim

Plane tickets are cheaper and faster

TomB · March 9, 2026 12:46PM

There is quite a bit of talk about insurance and shipping methods in this thread and I don't recall that these specifics were shared regarding the coin in question.

However, as someone who has shipped quite valuable numismatic packages, I am willing to share some of my experience. I would expect most dealers to have private insurance, like I carry, and the parameters of the policy can include things such as specifying the courier (FedEx, USPS, UPS, etc...) that can and/or cannot be used for any given shipment and this requirement can vary based upon the courier service level chosen (overnight, express, priority, registered, restricted delivery, first class, etc...), the value of the package (total value or value of the most expensive piece inside), the time of day the package dropped off for possession of the courier, the days that the shipment is expected to be in the possession of the courier (weekdays only, weekends only, both weekdays and weekends, holiday weekends, etc...) and, depending upon the insurance amount, the destination city (zip code, city, country, etc...). Of course, there is the plain paper packaging requirement that must be universal at this point and the requirement for secured packaging with tape, often times requiring at least a box-in-a-box level of packaging.

If I had been shipping a coin valued at $35k or thereabouts, and I have done it many times, it would have been packaged securely within a small box that would have been packaged securely within a larger box that would have been packaged securely within a large Express Mail box and each box would have had several layers of tape along and across the seams and corners, such that nothing inside moved or rattled at all, and then it would have been dropped off personally at the USPS in the AM timeframe. No additional insurance would be purchased and I would simply pay shipping costs with my private insurance being in force.

airplanenut · March 9, 2026 12:46PM

@jesbroken said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@jesbroken said:
Is there not private delivery services available for just such valuable shipments?
Just curious.

Yes. But very expensive.

What is the cost to insure $50k and what insurance do you have you would recover the actual value if collected. I have never had to incur an insurance loss on a coin, so do not claim to know much at all, that's why I ask. I know that I sent a $25k axle hub to Kansas City by local delivery service for $500 and it weighed a couple thousand pounds. I cannot imagine that a bonded delivery service would be so expensive as not to be used just for the comfort and lack of worry. Jus' sayin'.
Jim

My dealer policy has blanket coverage over everything I ship, up to various limits based on shipping method. Compared to what big dealers would do I have what's probably a pretty light policy, but I'd assume a dealer handling coins like this also has blanket insurance, so they aren't paying anything to specifically insure this one package.

2windy2fish · March 9, 2026 12:48PM

When i hear about a coin (or multiples of coins) with this kind of value being stolen i wonder why the buyer or seller wouldn’t fly to pick up the items in person? Granted there could be some scenarios where this wouldn’t be possible but the cost of a round trip ticket and a one day car rental pale in comparison to the value of the coin much less the worry…

MFeld · March 9, 2026 12:48PM

@oldglorycoins said:

@jesbroken said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@jesbroken said:
Is there not private delivery services available for just such valuable shipments?
Just curious.

Yes. But very expensive.

What is the cost to insure $50k and what insurance do you have you would recover the actual value if collected. I have never had to incur an insurance loss on a coin, so do not claim to know much at all, that's why I ask. I know that I sent a $25k axle hub to Kansas City by local delivery service for $500 and it weighed a couple thousand pounds. I cannot imagine that a bonded delivery service would be so expensive as not to be used just for the comfort and lack of worry. Jus' sayin'.
Jim

Plane tickets are cheaper and faster

Often, plane tickets are more expensive. So, stating what you did could give readers the wrong impression.

jacrispies · March 9, 2026 12:52PM

@2windy2fish said:
When i hear about a coin (or multiples of coins) with this kind of value being stolen i wonder why the buyer or seller wouldn’t fly to pick up the items in person? Granted there could be some scenarios where this wouldn’t be possible but the cost of a round trip ticket and a one day car rental pale in comparison to the value of the coin much less the worry…

As a one time purchase, this makes sense. On the other hand, many individuals purchase high value coins frequently, while major dealers sell quantity at the same time. Constant plane flights get inconvenient quickly. There is a lot of money in this business.

Davidk7 · March 9, 2026 1:16PM

@MasonG said:

@Davidk7 said:
There were several comments above my original comment about how it "should have been shipped registered" so I opined that registered mail would not have been the solution.

Registered mail is handled separately from other mail, it's quite possible that it would have been the solution.

Registered Mail still has theft issues, I know of 1 dealer who had a large package stolen within the last week at a major hub.

JBK · March 9, 2026 1:19PM

@Davidk7 said:

@MasonG said:

@Davidk7 said:
There were several comments above my original comment about how it "should have been shipped registered" so I opined that registered mail would not have been the solution.

Registered mail is handled separately from other mail, it's quite possible that it would have been the solution.

Registered Mail still has theft issues, I know of 1 dealer who had a large package stolen within the last week at a major hub.

Yes, it can happen with Registered Mail, but it is far, far less likely than with other shipping options. And registered mail has a very strict tracking procedure within the post office.

MasonG · March 9, 2026 1:19PM

@Davidk7 said:

@MasonG said:

@Davidk7 said:
There were several comments above my original comment about how it "should have been shipped registered" so I opined that registered mail would not have been the solution.

Registered mail is handled separately from other mail, it's quite possible that it would have been the solution.

Registered Mail still has theft issues, I know of 1 dealer who had a large package stolen within the last week at a major hub.

I didn't say there was no risk of loss, just that it's reduced.

Kliao · March 9, 2026 1:26PM

@pcgscacgold said:
Hopefully the day comes when the chip in the slab can be turned off during shipping. Anyone with a phone and the PCGS App can scan the box and know exactly what is inside. I am thankful to collect old slabs that do not have that technology.

I like to wrap any slab with a chip in it with foil before I ship. This prevents the chip from being scanned. Another option is to have packaging thick enough to where the device can't detect the chip. I've tested both and they've prevented my phone from picking up the NFC chip.

lermish · March 9, 2026 1:27PM

@MFeld said:

@oldglorycoins said:

@jesbroken said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@jesbroken said:
Is there not private delivery services available for just such valuable shipments?
Just curious.

Yes. But very expensive.

What is the cost to insure $50k and what insurance do you have you would recover the actual value if collected. I have never had to incur an insurance loss on a coin, so do not claim to know much at all, that's why I ask. I know that I sent a $25k axle hub to Kansas City by local delivery service for $500 and it weighed a couple thousand pounds. I cannot imagine that a bonded delivery service would be so expensive as not to be used just for the comfort and lack of worry. Jus' sayin'.
Jim

Plane tickets are cheaper and faster

Often, plane tickets are more expensive. So, stating what you did could give readers the wrong impression.

For people with the expendable income to purchase 5 and 6 figure coins, the time spent flying somewhere is often more precious than the potential cost of a plane ticket (or shipping).

NJCoin · March 9, 2026 1:29PM

@jmlanzaf said:

@Davidk7 said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@Davidk7 said:
Registered mail is not always the answer to shipping expensive items. Especially considering the lengthy amount of time it takes, and stuff still gets stolen registered.

By the way, guide is $50k but this coin is likely not worth $50k considering the lack of a CAC sticker. However, even as a $35k-40k coin, that's something that we would send ONLY overnight all day. Why wasn't it sent overnight?

What an odd post?

I assume you have private insurance?

How is that odd? Every coin dealer has insurance, and sending a mid five figure coin overnight is the best option considering the theft occurrences that seem to plague lower shipping levels.

It's just odd because we don't know who the shipper was, whether they had private insurance, what the tens were, or even how it was shipped. The only thing we know is that it was NOT shipped registered.

No. We also know that it's a ~$50K coin.

What was "just odd" was sending it regular USPS by anything other than registered. Overnight would not have been "odd," given that is routinely done with high value shipments. Either with private insurance or with insurance sold by the overnight shippers.

Davidk7 · March 9, 2026 1:32PM

@MasonG @JBK

We can all agree that registered mail has much lower odds of being stolen, great! I never said registered mail was not a good option in general. By the way, usually coin dealers don't ship via registered mail either TomB nailed his response.

I was replying to the various comments regarding the stolen coin which should have shipped registered mail, which were neither helpful to the OP or the coin seller.

JBK · March 9, 2026 1:43PM

@Davidk7 said:

I was replying to the various comments regarding the stolen coin which should have shipped registered mail, which were neither helpful to the OP or the coin seller.

My comment about using Registered Mail ended with this sentence:

I realize none of this helps you now, but it might help someone else reading this.

It's possible to both commiserate with the OP and help people avoid the same fate in the future.

blitzdude · March 9, 2026 2:29PM

@lermish said:

@MFeld said:

@oldglorycoins said:

@jesbroken said:

@jmlanzaf said:

@jesbroken said:
Is there not private delivery services available for just such valuable shipments?
Just curious.

Yes. But very expensive.

What is the cost to insure $50k and what insurance do you have you would recover the actual value if collected. I have never had to incur an insurance loss on a coin, so do not claim to know much at all, that's why I ask. I know that I sent a $25k axle hub to Kansas City by local delivery service for $500 and it weighed a couple thousand pounds. I cannot imagine that a bonded delivery service would be so expensive as not to be used just for the comfort and lack of worry. Jus' sayin'.
Jim

Plane tickets are cheaper and faster

Often, plane tickets are more expensive. So, stating what you did could give readers the wrong impression.

For people with the expendable income to purchase 5 and 6 figure coins, the time spent flying somewhere is often more precious than the potential cost of a plane ticket (or shipping).

I should start a side gig offering to fly around and transport peoples high value coins due to their time being too precious to do themselves. Think I will call it "Gutter R Us" RGDS!

P.S. Sorry for the OPs loss.

Walkerguy21D · March 9, 2026 2:59PM

I thought shipments via the USPS insured for over $5k required it to be registered?
Or maybe the clerk at my PO was mistaken.

I also hope this gets resolved to the OPs satisfaction.
I’m sweating a missing $200 shipment, the first lost package I’ve had in many years and hundreds of shipments. Not a big deal I realize, but dealing with the USPS to track it, and then filing a claim, been very tedious.

Edit: Found! 1795 Flowing Hair $1 (PCGS AU-55)

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