Wrong Click Costs Dealer $38,000 In Coins

A coin dealer in Missouri clicked on the wrong name and $38,000 in coins, instead of being shipped to his customer in Missouri, were instead delivered to a man in Athens, GA. Now, surprise, surprise, the dealer cannot get the coins back from the Georgia man.

Dealer can't get rare coins back

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

This is why you don't buy stuff like this online. Mistakes that costs money like this can happen, even when people think they are invincible. If I were going to buy $38,000 in coins, I would travel to the coin shop and pick them up myself. I'm not saying this is the buyer's fault or the dealer's fault, just that is alot of money to risk mailing to someone.


It's like buying a car online, I would go pick it up, instead of leaving it to them to deliver.

 

I think you missed an important part of the article - the buyer is not out the coins, the DEALER is out the coins. The dealer shipped the coins to the wrong person and cannot get them back.

 

Well the messed up part is, that the dealer is selling something that expensive online. I mean, the insurance would be ridiculous on something like that, should it get lost. I wouldn't care if the dealer is 1200 miles away, I'd travel to the dealer and pick them up to avoid risks like that. And, to save money on shipping and insurance. And like you said, to avoid the dealer making a mistake like that.

 

Well, I think the Athens man has coming what he deserves. That signature definately helps the cause.

 

PCGS does it day in and day out. Look at the insurance costs for shipping $100k back and forth... it's really not that expensive.

In the U.S., you have options, but here in Canada we pay a set price for PCGS return shipping. For around $100 all my coins are insured up to $100,000.

 

For $38,000 I'd be making a trip to Georgia.

 

I believe that if you are sent something in the mail, addressed to YOU, whether you bought it, requested it, etc, there is nothing that says you have to send it back. Now with that being said, the 'wrong' guy is probably a customer of said dealer, and ETHICALLY, should send them back (and probably receive a nice 'thank you' in return for being honest. However, I believe if it's addressed to you, it's yours. I could be wrong, and would appreciate being corrected if I am.

I AM too lazy right now to look up the 'official' postal rules, but I am certain I heard this from my carrier....but most carriers are lucky if they can match the correct address of the residence to the address on the parcel/letter, etc..at least where I am. I had to fight tooth and nail for my $600 for an HK-19 that was delivered to a different address. It was ddressed to my residence, on Washington Ave .....and there is no other Washington in town, not Washington St, not washington Terr, Washington Pl, not another street in town with Washington. The carrier (who was a temp, as my regular carrier takes good care of my 'incomings' for me) signed for the package herself (how stoooopid can one be?). The Office of Internal Affairs got involved, carrier just went 'duh' when asked if she knew where it COULD have been delivered to. When questioned why SHE signed for it, she said the person wasn't home, so she signed for it and left it (the return address was NOT the kind to send a red flag, nothing but a normal residence return address, nothing indicating it was a coin, or any other collectible). I don't believe it was a 'postal theft' type of thing, just a case of yet another carrier with an IQ in the single digits (no offense to any letter carriers in the house). After 3 months, I got my money.

As an aside, any claim filed with sig confirm...if there is ANY type of signature, initials, etc....will be AUTOMATICALLY denied, as the original claim is handled by their computer system...the system shows a signature and BOOM, auto decline. The P.O. doesn't make it easy to file a claim.

But, back to the original issue with the seller/shipper putting on the wrong shipping address...like I said, I believe there is no legal responsibility on the part of the receiver to send it back. If it's addressed to YOU, it's YOURS, period (again, if someone knows my statement to be incorrect, please correct me).

 

Isnt there a thing called insurance?

 

If he doesn't return those coins, or make arrangements to get them back to the dealer, he should be prosecuted.

 

And I'd say it's highly probable that he will. If a bank accidentally deposits $1,000,000 into your account and you withdraw it, you'll be charged with a crime.

 

I would probably travel farther for less.

 

darn it shipped my box o crapola to another person..lol..

 

that much money in coins should be requiring pickup,, id go pick it up..

 

OUCH... $38K is a lot of money. We all make mistakes, so I feel for the poor guy. I hope they can arrange a suitable compromise.

 

Thank you!

 

Depending upon the buyer's location, that could require days of travel and/or hundreds of dollars in expenses. Shipping is generally far more efficient and practical, as well as less costly. And despite what happened in this instance, it is very safe in the vast majority of cases.

 

I still wouldn't want to risk that kind of money and items lost.