Card Vanished While In USPS Facility; If You See This For Sale, Please Holla.

[Peter_Spaeth]

A postal worker can tell by the amount of postage (approximately anyhow) how much a package is insured for, so what's the difference whether something else is written on the outside?

[insccollectibles]

I had two cards I sent to a buyer stolen in the same manner. I never heard anything back from my complaint to USPS.

[pawpawdiv9]

Sad to hear MattyC,
Thats why i always use USPS priorty flate rate boxes...my 48/49 Jackie arrived the other day (that i posted post-war) had came in a bubble-mailer too. My first thought, Who the heck puts a 1k+ card in a bubble mailer, and this guy was a dealer too. I mean, i sent mine in a box, i expect the same in return.
I defintly be watching for ya MattyC.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by pawpawdiv9

Sad to hear MattyC,
Thats why i always use USPS priorty flate rate boxes...my 48/49 Jackie arrived the other day (that i posted post-war) had came in a bubble-mailer too. My first thought, Who the heck puts a 1k+ card in a bubble mailer, and this guy was a dealer too. I mean, i sent mine in a box, i expect the same in return.
I defintly be watching for ya MattyC.

Did it arrive safely? That would have been the first thought for most people.

There is nothing inherently wrong with shipping cards in bubble mailers, regardless of value. In fact, if they are supported well within the mailer, they are less conspicuous than a flat-rate box and may even be safer. My goal is to keep costs as low as possible while providing good service - sometimes that means a box, sometimes it doesn't. And before you get angry with sellers because you don't see 'insured' on the package, please keep in mind that a lot of sellers do their best to keep down costs while providing good service, and that includes either self-insuring or purchasing blanket insurance that covers items in-transit. None of this should matter to you, as long as the item arrives safely.

[Buythatcard]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Did it arrive safely? That would have been the first thought for most people.

There is nothing inherently wrong with shipping cards in bubble mailers, regardless of value. In fact, if they are supported well within the mailer, they are less conspicuous than a flat-rate box and may even be safer. My goal is to keep costs as low as possible while providing good service - sometimes that means a box, sometimes it doesn't. And before you get angry with sellers because you don't see 'insured' on the package, please keep in mind that a lot of sellers do their best to keep down costs while providing good service, and that includes either self-insuring or purchasing blanket insurance that covers items in-transit. None of this should matter to you, as long as the item arrives safely.

Scott, well said!

[Econteachert205]

Someone slit open my mail two days ago and took a t205 mullin. Savages.

[nsaddict]

Sorry this happened Matt, but your title is NOT fact. While I'm sure it does happen, it's a tiny percentage. The processing machinery has a much higher chance of being the culprit than theft when a card (or anything else) becomes separated from it's bubble mailer. Sometimes letters show up "received without contents" it could be the machinery and other times the sender never sealed it properly. Every item does come in contact with many hands and machines along the way. Have you continued to follow up with with USPS including pictures?

[MattyC]

Originally Posted by nsaddict

Sorry this happened Matt, but your title is NOT fact. While I'm sure it does happen, it's a tiny percentage. The processing machinery has a much higher chance of being the culprit than theft when a card (or anything else) becomes separated from it's bubble mailer. Sometimes letters show up "received without contents" it could be the machinery and other times the sender never sealed it properly. Every item does come in contact with many hands and machines along the way. Have you continued to follow up with with USPS including pictures?

Richard,

Good point and I apologize; I was going off of what my Post Office guy told me was likely the case, but it is not fact-- I have adjusted the title of the thread accordingly.

Thanks for all the good vibes, obviously not end of the world stuff but figured it could not hurt to put the word out among fellow collectors. It's a small world and ya never know.

[calvindog]

This is a crazy story -- I had no idea this sort of thing actually happens.

As an aside, the other day I received a letter sent regular mail from a client with a large check inside -- and the envelope was completely slit open from side to side -- with the check still there. Crazy.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by calvindog

This is a crazy story -- I had no idea this sort of thing actually happens.

As an aside, the other day I received a letter sent regular mail from a client with a large check inside -- and the envelope was completely slit open from side to side -- with the check still there. Crazy.

Jeff, I have that happen commonly with envelopes, but the goods are always present.

Knock on wood, but I've never had anything stolen by the post office. There are ways to discourage people from opening your packages, but that fact has been lost in this thread. People get hung up on the special USPS-sanctioned box thing with all the wonderful USPS emblems and markings all over it, but in reality, their boxes are just boxes. Fools can screw up any tool.

[chernieto]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Did it arrive safely? That would have been the first thought for most people.

There is nothing inherently wrong with shipping cards in bubble mailers, regardless of value. In fact, if they are supported well within the mailer, they are less conspicuous than a flat-rate box and may even be safer. My goal is to keep costs as low as possible while providing good service - sometimes that means a box, sometimes it doesn't. And before you get angry with sellers because you don't see 'insured' on the package, please keep in mind that a lot of sellers do their best to keep down costs while providing good service, and that includes either self-insuring or purchasing blanket insurance that covers items in-transit. None of this should matter to you, as long as the item arrives safely.

I agree with Scott here. I may be in the minority , but the USPS has not lost or stolen anything coming or going to my humble abode.
Hopefully that card will turn up and N54 folks will find out their either in it's case or out. Sorry for the loss- I love that card!
Paul C

[Runscott]

Scott and Paul agree? very good!

Reading this thread, it looks like most of us don't realize how much total crap is bought and sold on ebay. It isn't just FANTASTIC vintage baseball cards. If postal workers ripped open all the packages with ebay labels on them, hoping to score a Jackie Robinson rookie, they would have no time to work.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

A postal worker can tell by the amount of postage (approximately anyhow) how much a package is insured for, so what's the difference whether something else is written on the outside?

If it's shipped through ebay's click n ship option you can hide the amount of postage on the package...it will just say $0.00.

[buymycards]

Hi Matt, what happened to your package really sucks. There really is no good excuse for it. The machines are designed to handle packages, so even though it was probably machine damage, it should not have happened. If it was stolen, the thief eventually gets caught and maybe your card will be recovered. With more and more part time, low paid, no benefit employees, it seems like we are seeing a LOT more instances of employees stealing stamps, money orders, and mail.

Work with the Postmaster and make sure that he/she contacts the mail recovery center in Atlanta, which is where all of the loose items end up. Make sure the Postmaster contacts the lost and found/loose in mails department at the local processing plant. Insist on dealing with the Postmaster, not anyone else. Make sure the Postmaster contacts the Postal Inspection Service, and ask for copies of all emails and correspondence in regard to your case.

Just so you know, over the past few years I have mailed hundreds of packages, mostly first class, with very few problems. However, about a month ago I needed to send an Express Mail to my son in Colorado. When the package was received in Alamosa, (it took 3 days), it looked like it was run over by a fork lift. The package was opened and the contents were missing. I contacted everyone one that was involved in the process and I raised a lot of hell, but nothing ever turned up. I am still REALLY pissed off.

If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know, but I'm not sure how much I can do.

Rick

[ZenPop]

...that's a beautiful card... and this is coming from a die-hard Giants' fan.

The '50 set is absolutely glorious. I hope you recover your card in swift fashion.

[Republicaninmass]

Any package that says "eBay" or any address with 'sportscards' might add well say steal me. As a high insured amount and that is just more temptation

[MattyC]

Yeah, when you think about it, the shipping label said ebay and 'insured,' on it.
It did not say the postage amount, just "postage paid," by a Pitney Bowes machine.

However it did also contain the ebay seller's ebay ID.

All an enterprising and quick-witted thief would need to do is whip out his smart phone and look up the seller's ID on ebay, and see they deal in sports cards. Then the thief would be reasonably certain of the contents, and do the deed.