Jump to content

Missing Coins In The Mail.


GeoCrickets

Recommended Posts

Hello, how many people have had coins or other items sent to you using the USPS mail system and it never arrived or something else come in it's place.

 

I had a trade set up and he shipped out some coins to me. However after a week of waiting nothing arrived. I emailed the person and the other coins he had sent to other people have arrived to them. So it this point we think the coins are the result of someone taking them in the mail system. The person that I set up the trade with was able to replace all but of of the coins I was to get.

 

This get's me so mad...

 

Richard of the GeoCrickets

Link to comment

If the coins are properly packaged, the carriers would have no way of knowing what was in the package.

 

I think the number of times something is truly "lost in the mail" is extremly small and rare. I'll bet that most times when something is lost, it's the shippers (or info given to the shipper) fault a package never arrived (wrong address with no return address).

 

I have never had something truely lost in the mail, nor know of anyone who has.

 

Ed

Link to comment

Yes, I have had that happen. One coin never got to me even after 3 weeks. Luckily the person who sent me the coin sent me a replacement. When I got it the envelope had a slit in the side near the bottom where the coin was. However, the sender put the coin inside another smaller envelope inside, and I received the coin anyway. Since then I have been very suspicious of the USPS.

Link to comment
If the coins are properly packaged, the carriers would have no way of knowing what was in the package.

 

I think the number of times something is truly "lost in the mail" is extremly small and rare. I'll bet that most times when something is lost, it's the shippers (or info given to the shipper) fault a package never arrived (wrong address with no return address).

 

I have never had something truely lost in the mail, nor know of anyone who has.

 

Ed

You are right I would say most of the time it was not "LOST" it was taken. One time I did see a show and they sent out 20 cards different color envelopes and only 15 or got to where that were addressed to.

Link to comment

a while back I bought a benchmark gpsfun.com was selling. It was mailed via the USPS, and I never received it. I emailed the guy and sure enough it was sent, but seems that it was actually Lost. I'm a bit leery of it all now too, but haven't had any other issues than that one (and that was a box, not just an envelope). Well I guess one time I received an envelope that was slit open, and the coins were just loose in it, but amazingly none were missing.

Link to comment
I had a trade set up and he shipped out some coins to me. However after a week of waiting nothing arrived. I emailed the person and the other coins he had sent to other people have arrived to them. So it this point we think the coins are the result of someone taking them in the mail system. The person that I set up the trade with was able to replace all but of of the coins I was to get.

or maybe it's a scam? Can he prove all the coins were in the "lost" package? Was the missing one the one you wanted most? - that maybe he never had.....??? there's all kinds o' people. <_<

Link to comment

Well, I don't know the exact percentage, but when I used to heavily sell on eBay, I had 2 items get lost in the mail and one get taken off a person's front porch (they left the box but took the contents). All were insured, so it wasn't a big deal. The receivers actually made a little money on the lost items because I insured them for more than they're actual value.

 

I've also had 3 cases where the items were returned to me... either through insuficient address or they were never claimed at the post office.

 

I've probably completed 40 coin trades so far and all have arrived (on both ends of the trade).

Link to comment

I've only had one or two problems I can think of. I traded AGA coins all over, and never had a problem with delivery other than slow transit. One of those trades was for a Washington coin. And ya'll know how heavy those are... it was put in a regular paper envelope, held with scotch tape. I got an empty envelope in my mailbox, with a hole in the side where the coveted coin made its bid for freedom.

 

And the devil of it is, the person I traded with thought I was trying to get another coin out of them... funny, seems as though I would have ASKED for a replacement coin if I were -- but I didn't! I advised them to package the coins more securely... the advice wasn't exactly taken well. <_<

Link to comment

no never lost a coin like that.

I did however send a first class letter (money order) to Groundspeak that took 6 weeks to get there. Turns out (according to Groundspeak) it made to the correct post office (it was addressed to a PO box), but someone there shoved it into the wrong box <_< . So how long it took to get to washington state, and how long it was in these other peoples mailbox/or possesion, noone knows.

Link to comment
no never lost a coin like that.

I did however send a first class letter (money order) to Groundspeak that took 6 weeks to get there. Turns out (according to Groundspeak) it made to the correct post office (it was addressed to a PO box), but someone there shoved it into the wrong box <_< . So how long it took to get to washington state, and how long it was in these other peoples mailbox/or possesion, noone knows.

I once got a post card from a friend that had about 10-12 different postmarks on it from all over the US and it took 3-4 months to arrive. It was very strange! I can't imagine what got messed up to cause that, but something did!

Link to comment
no never lost a coin like that.

I did however send a first class letter (money order) to Groundspeak that took 6 weeks to get there. Turns out (according to Groundspeak) it made to the correct post office (it was addressed to a PO box), but someone there shoved it into the wrong box <_< . So how long it took to get to washington state, and how long it was in these other peoples mailbox/or possesion, noone knows.

I've had a similar situation like that happened. It wasn't in the wrong box but for some reason it took about two months to get there. Just a check in an envelope.

 

Recently I had a check I sent just to the other side of town (non Groundspeak related) that they never received and I haven't got back, and the check was never cashed and that was about 3 months back or so.

 

It did have a return label on it.

 

I do A LOT of mailing through the USPS and I must admit amazingly only a very small percentage of packages haven't made it to their destinations. It's a percentage WELL under 1 percent.

 

I've also sent dozens of packages overseas and while one took a while to get to it's destination they have all made it to the reciever.

Link to comment
no never lost a coin like that.

I did however send a first class letter (money order) to Groundspeak that took 6 weeks to get there. Turns out (according to Groundspeak) it made to the correct post office (it was addressed to a PO box), but someone there shoved it into the wrong box  <_< . So how long it took to get to washington state, and how long it was in these other peoples mailbox/or possesion, noone knows.

I once got a post card from a friend that had about 10-12 different postmarks on it from all over the US and it took 3-4 months to arrive. It was very strange! I can't imagine what got messed up to cause that, but something did!

My father received a letter once that had been postmarked 13 years earlier. It was something about a drivers license suspension. Thing is since the time the letter had been mailed he had moved to another state for quite a while and moved back a couple of years before the letter arrived. So, obviously he had to have gotten a new license in the new and again when he moved back.

 

We had a good laugh at the USPS expense.

 

But, I mean, come on, for the modest price of a stamp, you get a letter delivered just about anywhere in the US. For a little bit more, anywhere in the world. With the billions of pieces they move every year, it's a wonder more stuff doesn't get lost.

 

We ship stuff all the time USPS and rarely has there been a problem.

Link to comment

I had a problem with my Blockbuster DVD's being opened before they got to my house. I e-mail the USPS, and got a call back the next day from the local Postmaster.

He told me that if any package is opened, either purposely or accidentally, the Post Office is required to stamp it with a note saying it was opened, and why.

He also said they track these complaints to see if they are related to a specific carrier, or routing office.

After my complaint to him, all my DVD's have arrived on time, and unopened.

So if you get an opened package, or don't get one at all, I suggest e-mailing the Post Office using the address on their web site.

Link to comment
I've only had one or two problems I can think of. I traded AGA coins all over, and never had a problem with delivery other than slow transit. One of those trades was for a Washington coin. And ya'll know how heavy those are... it was put in a regular paper envelope, held with scotch tape. I got an empty envelope in my mailbox, with a hole in the side where the coveted coin made its bid for freedom.

 

And the devil of it is, the person I traded with thought I was trying to get another coin out of them... funny, seems as though I would have ASKED for a replacement coin if I were -- but I didn't! I advised them to package the coins more securely... the advice wasn't exactly taken well. <_<

Coins in letters are the worst. The atomatic canceling machine will just rip them out and once a coin is seperated from it's envelope there is no way of knowing which coin goes with which envelope.

 

So when sending coins in the mail use a larger padded envelope requiring hand canceling.

 

Team Sand Dollar

ex-disgruntal postal employee (quit before I shot someone - my supervisor)

Link to comment
Yes, I have had that happen. One coin never got to me even after 3 weeks. Luckily the person who sent me the coin sent me a replacement. When I got it the envelope had a slit in the side near the bottom where the coin was. However, the sender put the coin inside another smaller envelope inside, and I received the coin anyway. Since then I have been very suspicious of the USPS.

That's happened to me twice. The envelopes had obvious slices - like from a pocket knife - in the side and the coins were gone. These padded envelopes were from two different people in California. The first time, there was insurance we filed for. The second time, I filed a complaint with the postmaster. It's been OK since then. I'm sure at least 99% of the people at USPS are trustworthy, but they have thousands of employees...

 

My advise to people shipping coins: put the coins in some kind of plastic holder (even a ziplock), secure them between two pieces of cardboard with lots of tape, then put the whole thing into a padded envelope. Loose coins floating around inside an envelope, even a padded one, is the kiss of death.

Link to comment

The postal service "snail mail" is not the same in all areas. I went to mail a letter outside a post office in Ft. Lauderdale FL at 3pm on a normal workday - the box had so many letters in it, they were coming out of the top. I could have grabbed about a dozen or so - instead I went inside, mailed my letter, and notified the postmaster. He just shrugged his shoulders and said the mailbox would be emptied at the time posted on it. I know in other areas the attitude would be different.

Link to comment

Anyone who thinks that the mail is sorted by hand, and not by a machine has a rude awakening coming to them. If you must mail coins, which can jam up these machines in an envelope, I suggest a sturdy box. Also check out media mail at your local post office, it's cheaper than parcel post. You can find out more about mailing through the USPS on this USPS site.

 

(edit for typo)

Edited by Eartha
Link to comment

The procedure I have been using for 8 trades by mail, and discussed in another topic and in the Yahoo Geocoin site:

Tape the coin to a piece of card, fold the card over, and tape it all up. It will be about 4"x6". Mark return and delivery address on this. Put this inside a kraft padded envelope (bubble padding.) I use the 5"x9" ones from Staples. Total weight will be about 2.2 to 2.5 ounces. Postage is .83 in the USA.

No loose coins and you can't even feel what it is.

Link to comment

For those of you getting slit envelopes with nothing in them, I have a wild, paranoid theory from another chat group. Their theory says that any plain white envelope that feels like it contains more than just a letter is rerouted to be 'inspected' and everything removed, in case something dangerous is inside.

 

Of course, I just believe the postal worker above who says they get caught in the machines and slip out. I definately suggest packing it in something more durable and marking it as "hand stamp only" or something to that effect.

Link to comment
...

Tape the coin to a piece of card, fold the card over, and tape it all up.  It will be about 4"x6".  Mark return and delivery address on this.  Put this inside a kraft padded envelope (bubble padding.) ...

Let me heartily endorse this procedure! I have a "consulting" friend, who worked many years in an industrial shipping center. He is helping me with shipping the CO Geocoins and he looked over the procedure and recommended it.

 

The inner return and delivery address is highly recommended.

Securing the inner package to the side of the envelope also helps in reducing shaking and shifting noises.

 

Have carried on 7 personal coin trades through the mail and haven't had a problem yet and don't foresee any when I use the method on the CO GeoCoins.

Link to comment
Anyone who thinks that the mail is sorted by hand, and not by a machine has a rude awakening coming to them. If you must mail coins, which can jam up these machines in an envelope, I suggest a sturdy box. Also check out media mail at your local post office, it's cheaper than parcel post. You can find out more about mailing through the USPS on this USPS site.

I don't know if your supposed to use media mail for just everything :

Media Mail (Book Rate)

Description

 

Used for books, film, manuscripts, printed music, printed test materials, sound recordings, play scripts, printed educational charts, loose-leaf pages and binders consisting of medical information, videotapes, and computer recorded media such as CD-ROMs and diskettes. Media Mail cannot contain advertising.

 

:D

Link to comment

Well, many postal people used to use media for everything.. Then the PO cracked down and there was so much abuse of it that now they can check at their descretion anything marked media that is sealed when you bring it in to mail it.

 

As for packages getting lost, I belong to a couple groups who mail things *much* more often than normal people do, and stuff does get lost frequently.

 

Then again, so many postal people are so stupid (Yes, New Mexico is part of the USA, and Yes Austria is an actual country and not just Australia spelled wrong) it's amazing that more doesn't get lost in the process.

Link to comment

Then again, so many postal people are so stupid (Yes, New Mexico is part of the USA, and Yes Austria is an actual country and not just Australia spelled wrong) it's amazing that more doesn't get lost in the process.

:lol: Did you make them open the big book of postal regs and see whats legal to mail to New Zealand again? :lol:

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...