I wasn't sure whether to put this under Coin Chat, or General Discussion, but because my most recent exchange with USPS had to do with mailing coins, that go missing along the way, I decided this would be a good place to post. @lordmarcovan mailed me some coins a while back, and they never arrived. I mailed him some coins April 3, and they never arrived. I had sent them with signature required and the standard $100 insurance, so I filed a query with the Postal Service to look into my package. This is what I just received: Reviewing the tracking history of your package, Tracking #9517711664723093216985, there have been no new live scans since 4/3/2023 in Great Falls, MT. Given the elapsed time since then, it appears something may have happened to the package to impede it from advancing further in the mail stream, possibly the label becoming damaged and illegible or the contents separating from the packaging. Is this a standard reply the postal service send out? No real investigation, just a blanket statement basically telling me, "Your package is lost. Live with it." I will be filing for the insurance, and maybe that will prompt them to further investigate? @Collecting Nut, you used to work for USPS. Any ideas? Others?
Once I had them refuse my insurance claim, despite my presenting the receipt for that. Apparently I had to "prove the value of the lost coin". So in I came with photocopies of the relevant Krause catalog page, highlighted. Not good enough. I ended up eating that one. Haven't tried to make an insurance claim since.
H'mm, so what do you think the USPS would accept as adequate proof? Do we have to photograph/video the actual packaging of the coin with closeups of the coin and slab. And what's to prevent them from saying that even that could be faked?
My question exactly. The branch post office I was dealing with at the time (this was in NC) later got mired in some controversy when several full mailbags were found in the river (seems someone didn't want to complete their route). So I don't expect every postal branch will be as bad as the one I was dealing with back then.
Never call them "coins." I think they have some weird exclusions for what they consider "cash." Call them historical numismatic fungibles or medals. Z
A Lord Marcovan shipment to me went astray six weeks ago or so. It finally made its way back to the Marcovan complex this week. Rob's gotta stop using NPS - the Nigerian Postal Service. Z
Would it help to take the postal service to small claims court. $5000 limit I THINK, but the value of the coins ( your assessed value because they are your unique coins )
It seems it never left?? Hmm is right. Not accusing but is it seen or known on the package that it is insured?
I'm reminded of a Seinfeld episode where either Newman or Kramer (can't recall which) was dumping the mail for Newman's route.
That has happened around holiday time as well, in Louisiana. You would think the postal worker would be aware of they know it’s their route from the addresses. But then they probably could care less.
That is why I stopped selling on Ebay. One time the post office lost a package and the seller filed a claim. I refunded them and never listed again.
It’s really difficult to trust. One bad apple can destroy the good. I mean if one tries to camouflage what is being mailed, meaning if they don’t bother looking for it, makes you think why get the insurance.
Just states that it's First Class Mail I know you were thinking that if someone saw it was insured, they might steal it, thinking it was something of value.
I always wondered what would happen if an insured package containing coins I've sent to NGC or PCGS for grading or a package containing slabbed coins to GC for auction were lost/stolen. The max insurance the USPS will allow per package is $5000. Certified coins are one thing but I'm sure proving a shipment of raw coins would be more difficult. So far I'm glad that I've had no problems but can see a case like the one in TX where a postal employee stole packages before they even left their facility.
Best to be careful. IF anyone figures out who what and why a package is being sent there, enough said. It seems MM package did not even leave. It’s sad to think negatively but gosh so many things are going on.
$25000 for registered mail, according to the Post Office. And insuring registered mail is a lot cheaper than other service levels for high-value shipments.
Sounds like typical USPS (and I would get banned if I said the rest) to me. He also mailed me a letter with a coin and it took over two weeks to arrive. Once I had it in hand I could tell from the envelope that it had been missent several times. It needs to be mailed with a tracking number and the only proof I know they will accept is a receipt for the amount it was sold for. It must also be packed to their specifications and that is difficult to prove. A customer once brought a letter they received from the USPS insurance department that the photos they submitted of packing were not enough evidence to prove it was mailed that way.