Thrace, Maroneia, AR Triobol Stolen

This coin was stolen from my US Post Office Box in a rather bizarre event that was partially my own fault. I have always been a big fan of the USPS and I still am, I think this was my bad in a lot of ways. This long story includes a warning and advice for other US PO Box users.

Stolen:


Thrace, Maroneia, 398-385 BC, AR Triobol 17 mm , 2.9 Gm

A long time dealer sent me an insured package to my PO box containing two coins: the Maroneia and a Punic tetradrachm. Both coins were in flips, wrapped in layers of cardboard, and in an envelope.

I have "signature on file" for my PO box, so that the post office can sign for me and leave my packages in my locked PO box so I can pick them up after work. Otherwise it is an hour round trip at lunch from where I work to get them while the post office is open.

"Signature on file" is a really bad idea, don't do it!

Without going into all the details, I went to the post office, opened my box, and the tetradrachm is sitting in my PO box naked. No envelope, no cardboard, no flips. Really weird to open your box and see a naked tetradrachm from 325 BC sitting there.

I reported the incident to the post office manager. I started out saying I have no way to prove my story. The dealer had sent me a copy of the receipt. The post office manager looked up the tracking information on the package that matched my receipt. The post office manager said they believed me and maybe the sender can collect on the insurance (but they doubted it). The post office manager offered to write a letter in support of the claim. The manager went to the post office where my box is located, talked to all the clerks about it, went through every PO box and did not find any trace of the package. I looked through all the trash cans and found nothing. The manager said the post office does not have surveillance video and does not investigate claims worth only $400 (the price of the Maroneia).

PO Boxes are a great idea for keeping your home address more secure, but do not use signature on file. Sign for your packages in person after inspecting them carefully. Hope this is helpful. A really weird experience altogether.

John

 

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I am sorry for your bad luck, shame it is a beautiful coin, sure another one will come up for you.

 

Terrible story.

 

Geesh, that truly sucks. The Maroneia was a lovely coin.

 

Wow! I'm sorry for your loss.

 

I am sure this coin will end up in a garbage can somewhere, which is a shame. Maybe it will be re-discovered in 100s of years? I will check the local coin shops in case the person is stupid enough to try to sell it.

My real point is to make sure others don't make this mistake.

 

This is confusing. The packaging was stolen but the coin was returned bare to the box?

 

I have 'signature on file' for my PO box for the same reasons you do. After that strange story I'm rethinking the option!

Hopefully the other coin will turn up.

 

Are you saying that one coin showed up in your box, no flip, no envelope, nothing? Just a coin sitting in a bare metal mailbox? That would be weird, and certainly I would hope within the realm of an insurance claim. Never heard of such a thing. I hope it works out well for you. I am sure like most collectors the money means far less than the coin itself.

 

How did the P.O. explain how a loose coin was even placed in your box with no address or packaging ? Someone had to put it there. Looks like an inside job.

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

Yes, that was what was so weird about it. Someone opened the envelope, opened the cardboard, took the coins out of the flips, left the really valuable one, and took off with the rest. Why leave the valuable coin behind? Maybe they were interrupted by someone else coming over? I doubt we will ever know.

I am sure it was an inside job and so does the post office manager. I asked the manager, "how did this naked coin get here from across the country"? It didn't. It got here in an envelope to this post office according to the tracking info, was "signed for", and then opened up and (partly) stolen. The post office does not investigate losses of $400, so that is the end of it.

Do not use signature on file...it is an invitation to have your package "signed for" and then disappear. You have no way to prove it. "You" signed for it. When you look at the tracking information it says signed for by you (your name).

 

That is bizarre, my guess is the package got shredded and whoever handled the package tossed that coin in your PO box. Its the only explanation I can think of, why steal one coin and leave the other one in the box? Its like leaving evidence.

 

I agree Iceman. I was thinking why not just disappear the whole thing? I think they were caught while trying to figure out what the heck these things were.

I have had packages damaged before and they show up re-wrapped by the post office. This was just totally weird. It took a minute or so before I even recognized this as a coin sitting in my PO Box:



Sicily, Panormos, 340-320 BC, AR Tetradrachm
Obverse: Quadriga to right, Nike flying to left, crowning to the driver of the car. Reverse: Feminine head with crown of right ears, around three dolphins. SE-893 Variation. Good Very Fine ( 25 mm , 17 Gm )

The reverse is off center but I liked the quadriga. It is a satisfying chunky piece in hand.

 

man, i'm sorry to hear that!

what a bizzare story...i can't figure out what the person was thinking that did this?

oh thank goodness that one made it in there....lovely!

 

I would've been pissed, the foul coming out of my mouth would've emptied the building.
You must have the aditude and temper of a saint.

Also I don't see why they won't investigate. That's a felony last I looked, tampering with mail.

 

Oh no, I swore to take the paint off the walls.

I was very calm and polite later on talking to the Post Office Manager, which I think helped them to believe me. I think it also helped by starting out stating I had no way to really prove my story. I also said I was not looking for money and was not calling the police or anything. I wanted them to know what kind of person was working for them so they would be on guard or perhaps add evidence to a series of incidents they were having.

 

Really? I couldn't have been so polite or understanding. Paint off the walls? Nope. The building would be in rubble till I found the culprit. My father, God rest is soul, always said he would never abide by a thief or a liar in his family. I suppose I'm nearly as adamant about both.

 

That sucks

 

Been having trouble with my local PO as well. Last week they delivered my coin to the wrong house (got it back a few days later). And last Saturday I slept in so I missed another coin I was expecting. Figured it would be the usual trip to the post office to pick it up. Went Tuesday (Monday that just passed was a holiday here in the US, for those that don't know), and apparently the package went missing. They said they would call me back when they found it so I waited a couple of days. Tried calling today but all I got was a disconnected tone, so I scheduled for a redelivery for tomorrow. If it doesn't arrive I'll have to go back to the PO.