Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Login to Like
this post
The most recent mail lost I have had was back in the late 2013-14 period. I mailed 5 envelopes (all small size and common US stamps used) to a long time trader in Baghdad, Iraq. They never arrived. He did some checking and found that US-Iraq mail went thru Jordan and at the time there was over 10,000 lbs of mail waiting in Amman, Jordan to be sent to Baghdad. Apparently, prior to 2014, some country provide military coverage for such transfers but this ceased and the mail has back up. They still have not arrived in Iraq.
The other recent loss was also in 2013 to India. Some Peruvian stamps sold on Ebay to The Peru ambassador to India. They also did not make it to his embassy address.
Other than those, I have been pretty lucky over the years.
Mike in NC / meostamps
Login to Like
this post
07:12:29pm
I have a buddy that lives in Chicago that I wanted to post something to. My brother was visiting from Indiana and I sent it with him to post within the US because it would be cheaper. I was waiting to hear from my friend (it was a surprise gift to him). No answer and about 3 weeks later he tells me that this lady from down the block in a building happened to notice that there was a package sitting in their lobby that hadn't been picked up for a week and when she saw the address she brought it over to him. Ok, interesting.
Fast forward another week - Mum sent him a Chanukah card. He never mentioned getting it and then last week Mum said she got it back in the mail. It has a big yellow sticker that says "Return to Sender - Vacant - Unable to Forward" - what the heck?
Yes, it's his right address but someone in Chicago can't seem to locate his house!!!
I'm going to leave it as is and put it in a manila envelope and re-post it to him and see if he gets it this time.
Seriously, how hard is it to get mail to someone in Chicago? From Indiana to Chicago and delivered to wrong address. From Canada to Chicago and his house is vacant.
Weird happenings!
Kelly
Login to Like
this post
A couple of years ago I sold a book published in the 20's by the Harvard Arboretum to a woman who worked there. She uses the Arboretum address as her Paypal address and has all mail sent there.
Webster (Rochester) NY is only a two day transit from Boston. I didn't insure it but did get it tracked. Two weeks later the package ended up back in my mailbox with "No such address exists" stamped on it. I double checked the address, I double checked on the USPS site - it was a match and it certainly did exist.
Back to the post office - they checked and remailed it. Unfortunately when remailed from the Post Office tracking is not active. It arrived in Cambridge, a few hundred miles away, ten days later.
I really think that overall our postal service does a great job, and losses have been limited to two outbound orders and one inbound order over a 35 year period. I don't think that's too bad.
Login to Like
this post
philatelia wrote:
"Does anyone else think this might be informative to do on a long term basis?"
Aside from being interesting, it might be useful if people are willing to share their experiences.
Often I see eBay sellers here in the UK that refuse to post to certain countries, or will only do so if 'fully insured'.
This stance must have come about through some bad experience. I wonder though, if some of these sellers just place a blanket restriction based on rumour.
Logging instances of non delivery might help others make informed choices. I'm not just talking about eBay here but any type of mail anywhere. Perhaps, information about the method of posting (and packaging) used, may give some pointers to others.
Of course, I still would like to hear the entertaining stories, like the Charlie Jenson post to Hawaii.
Login to Like
this post
Mailed a letter containing a FDC from Texas to Florida on 10 November. Franked with pair of Scott# 1947 and one Scott #2112. Total postage 62 cents which the postal clerk insured me was more than enough. Never arrived or returned.
Maybe we enlisted a new budding stamp collector.
Mel
Login to Like
this post
I trade with a collector in Uruguay and in 2012 they had a postal strike. I sent him a package of stamps and it was returned with a non-deliverable due to strike sticker on it. He had sent me some stamps at before the start and said they were likely in the piles of undelivered mail on pallets at the airport.
A month after the strike was over his letter arrived and the stamps were intact!
I was most impressed.
Login to Like
this post
Well not exactly lost in the mail - but I sent a small package to Illinois using an online label (easy to track) and the buyer emailed me and said the package is in Puerto Rico. Sure enough, it is. Now he doesn't want it because it is contaminated with disease due to being sent out of the country. He blames me of course for this happening and he wants me to make sure the parcel (we're talking less than a pound) comes no where near his mailbox. Tracking says it is still in PR but I suspect it will be in an Illiois PO by the weekend. I'll tell him to just stick a note in his mailbox saying he refuses delivery and to return to sender.
Login to Like
this post
But Puerto Rico is actually part of the USA and is moving toward full statehood...
Login to Like
this post
Not to him it isn't. According to him once a package leaves the US it is liable to become contaminated. There are all kinds of buyers on ebay.....
Login to Like
this post
OK, I've got one involving a stamp trade.
I sent 100 ww stamps plus a SASE to one of my regular trader friends in New Hampshire.
I hadn't heard anything back for a couple of weeks from him, so I was starting to wonder. A couple of days later, I received a portion of an envelope addressed to me--I could tell it was my writing, and it came from a SASE I had sent. The envelope was empty with no explanation.
I guessed that something had happened to the trade I had sent. So I wrote my trader friend in NH telling him what had happened and that it looked like my trade was lost.
I sent him another trade.
He sent the return trade telling me he had not received anything, that these things happen, but that he would let me know if he saw anything.
I sent the next trade, but the return envelope was thicker as--guess what--the original envelope, cut through, but with the stamps intact, arrived at his place an now he was sending responses to both trades. He received his envelope in a USPS body bag.
Very odd, but a good ending. 
Login to Like
this post
I was in a trade with Shantige. I have sent her three packages with 100 U.S. stamps in each envelope. The first one sent Oct 28th second and third I don't know the exact dates without looking in Messages sent. She has only received one envelope from me in November. I received three from her but two I sent her never have made it. The first one mailed in OCT and the third mailed in November. Where are they?
I received an official P.O. envelope from the U.S. post office Yesterday from MeghanP with used Canadian stamps. Apparently her envelope got caught in the Michigan mail sorter machine. The stamps used for postage were mangled but the address and return address were legible. The P.O.used a sheet of paper with Michigan Southfield on it (standard Letter) Head and wrote the addresses on it and put it in my mailbox.
I think the sorter machines are damaging the packages both in the U.S. and Canada and abroad. Where they are being used because. I've read of complaints and problems on some of the other Forums I belong to from other collectors.
Login to Like
this post
If you are using regular envelopes you HAVE to put small pieces of tape on all 4 open corners on the back side to prevent them from snagging on the equipment and tearing the envelope. Look at the new envelopes and you will note that the glue does not get into the corners.
I put the glassine(s) with the stamps in a cut down file folder which provides both stiffness and a smooth transition rather than a bulge. Knock on wood no problems yet.
If I am sending a lot of stamps, or both covers and stamps I usually put them in a photo mailer.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
I really hope I don't have one to share soon. I ordered a pre-1933 half eagle gold coin (1/4 ounce of gold). It was mailed from Oklahoma City January 6 and arrived in Lehigh Valley, PA January 7.
Oklahoma to Western Kentucky via Pennsylvania?!? I expected it to go to Louisville. Maybe Nashville or Memphis, but Lehigh Valley? It left the morning of the 8th and arrived in Philly at 12:30 a.m. on the 9th. There is no update since then.
Lars
Login to Like
this post
But I track packages all the time. They almost ALWAYS go through Louisville (which is about 150 miles East of here, but that's the big distribution center for this area). There is certainly no reason for it to go from Lehigh Valley to Philadelphia and stay there if it was supposed to be delivered two days ago!
Login to Like
this post
Phew! Showed up in Louisville this morning! It's back on track now...
Login to Like
this post
Well, miracles do happen!!!!! My trader in Iraq has just informed me that an envelope I posted to him in Oct 2013 has appeared in his PO box!! He had done some detective work several months ago regarding our missing mailings to him from the Oct/Nov 2013 period and found out that the Jordanian government was holding over 20 tons of mail addressed to Iraqi addresses in Amman. He now advises that this was due to some sort of a payment dispute with the USPS and that he has gotten word that partial payment has been made and 4 tons of mail has been released to continue their journey to Iraq. Hopefully, the other 'missing' mailings will appear in his PO box shortly.
Mike in NC / meostamps
Login to Like
this post
Soundcrest said,
"
According to him once a package leaves the US it is liable to become contaminated. There are all kinds of buyers on ebay....."
OK. And is this gentleman going to be running for Congress? Sounds like he would fit in perfectly. He could sponsor a bill which would oblige every piece of mail whose origins are outside the country to be decontaminated before being delivered. Let's see, I think that gamma rays would do nicely. If his bill doesn't become law, he could buy himself a small chunk of plutonium and wave it over each piece of mail he receives. Problem solved!
If I'm not mistaken, my collection, 2/3 of which originated outside the U.S., is heavily contaminated by disease organisms. Perhaps if I soak myself in brandy I'll be safe…
boB
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
No, Bob, you and your stamps simply need to be quarantined for 21 days. Turks & Caicos might be a good place to serve out your quarantine period. If there is a government program to pay for the tab, ask them if CSA stamps qualify as "foreign" and I just might be in the next hammock over sipping a drink with a little paper umbrella!
Lars
Login to Like
this post
Sounds good to me! I think mine need a slightly longer quarantine - isn't it 6 weeks? LOL
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Well, another miracle has happened. My trader friend in Baghdad has just emailed me that a second envelope posted to him back on Oct 21, 2013 has appeared in his PO box in Iraq!!! I did ask him about the delayed mailing that arrived recently and he said that there were no markings of any type on the cover to explain the delay. I will query him about this newly arrived one. Now only about 3-4 more to go!!!
Mike in NC / meostamps
Login to Like
this post
I thought it might be helpful to hear where folks are losing mail. Everyone talks about this country or that place being prone to lost mail, but I think logging actual events would be more interesting than rumors. Does anyone else think this might be informative to do on a long term basis?
Login to Like
this post
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
The most recent mail lost I have had was back in the late 2013-14 period. I mailed 5 envelopes (all small size and common US stamps used) to a long time trader in Baghdad, Iraq. They never arrived. He did some checking and found that US-Iraq mail went thru Jordan and at the time there was over 10,000 lbs of mail waiting in Amman, Jordan to be sent to Baghdad. Apparently, prior to 2014, some country provide military coverage for such transfers but this ceased and the mail has back up. They still have not arrived in Iraq.
The other recent loss was also in 2013 to India. Some Peruvian stamps sold on Ebay to The Peru ambassador to India. They also did not make it to his embassy address.
Other than those, I have been pretty lucky over the years.
Mike in NC / meostamps
Login to Like
this post
A Service Dog gives a person with a disability independence. Never approach, distract or pet a working dog, especially when (s)he is in harness. Never be afraid to ask questions to the handler (parent).
08 Jan 2015
07:12:29pm
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
I have a buddy that lives in Chicago that I wanted to post something to. My brother was visiting from Indiana and I sent it with him to post within the US because it would be cheaper. I was waiting to hear from my friend (it was a surprise gift to him). No answer and about 3 weeks later he tells me that this lady from down the block in a building happened to notice that there was a package sitting in their lobby that hadn't been picked up for a week and when she saw the address she brought it over to him. Ok, interesting.
Fast forward another week - Mum sent him a Chanukah card. He never mentioned getting it and then last week Mum said she got it back in the mail. It has a big yellow sticker that says "Return to Sender - Vacant - Unable to Forward" - what the heck?
Yes, it's his right address but someone in Chicago can't seem to locate his house!!!
I'm going to leave it as is and put it in a manila envelope and re-post it to him and see if he gets it this time.
Seriously, how hard is it to get mail to someone in Chicago? From Indiana to Chicago and delivered to wrong address. From Canada to Chicago and his house is vacant.
Weird happenings!
Kelly
Login to Like
this post
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
A couple of years ago I sold a book published in the 20's by the Harvard Arboretum to a woman who worked there. She uses the Arboretum address as her Paypal address and has all mail sent there.
Webster (Rochester) NY is only a two day transit from Boston. I didn't insure it but did get it tracked. Two weeks later the package ended up back in my mailbox with "No such address exists" stamped on it. I double checked the address, I double checked on the USPS site - it was a match and it certainly did exist.
Back to the post office - they checked and remailed it. Unfortunately when remailed from the Post Office tracking is not active. It arrived in Cambridge, a few hundred miles away, ten days later.
I really think that overall our postal service does a great job, and losses have been limited to two outbound orders and one inbound order over a 35 year period. I don't think that's too bad.
Login to Like
this post
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
philatelia wrote:
"Does anyone else think this might be informative to do on a long term basis?"
Aside from being interesting, it might be useful if people are willing to share their experiences.
Often I see eBay sellers here in the UK that refuse to post to certain countries, or will only do so if 'fully insured'.
This stance must have come about through some bad experience. I wonder though, if some of these sellers just place a blanket restriction based on rumour.
Logging instances of non delivery might help others make informed choices. I'm not just talking about eBay here but any type of mail anywhere. Perhaps, information about the method of posting (and packaging) used, may give some pointers to others.
Of course, I still would like to hear the entertaining stories, like the Charlie Jenson post to Hawaii.
Login to Like
this post
Approvals
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
Mailed a letter containing a FDC from Texas to Florida on 10 November. Franked with pair of Scott# 1947 and one Scott #2112. Total postage 62 cents which the postal clerk insured me was more than enough. Never arrived or returned.
Maybe we enlisted a new budding stamp collector.
Mel
Login to Like
this post
04:24:22pm
Auctions - Approvals
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
I trade with a collector in Uruguay and in 2012 they had a postal strike. I sent him a package of stamps and it was returned with a non-deliverable due to strike sticker on it. He had sent me some stamps at before the start and said they were likely in the piles of undelivered mail on pallets at the airport.
A month after the strike was over his letter arrived and the stamps were intact!
I was most impressed.
Login to Like
this post
Auctions - Approvals
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
Well not exactly lost in the mail - but I sent a small package to Illinois using an online label (easy to track) and the buyer emailed me and said the package is in Puerto Rico. Sure enough, it is. Now he doesn't want it because it is contaminated with disease due to being sent out of the country. He blames me of course for this happening and he wants me to make sure the parcel (we're talking less than a pound) comes no where near his mailbox. Tracking says it is still in PR but I suspect it will be in an Illiois PO by the weekend. I'll tell him to just stick a note in his mailbox saying he refuses delivery and to return to sender.
Login to Like
this post
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
But Puerto Rico is actually part of the USA and is moving toward full statehood...
Login to Like
this post
Auctions - Approvals
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
Not to him it isn't. According to him once a package leaves the US it is liable to become contaminated. There are all kinds of buyers on ebay.....
Login to Like
this post
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
OK, I've got one involving a stamp trade.
I sent 100 ww stamps plus a SASE to one of my regular trader friends in New Hampshire.
I hadn't heard anything back for a couple of weeks from him, so I was starting to wonder. A couple of days later, I received a portion of an envelope addressed to me--I could tell it was my writing, and it came from a SASE I had sent. The envelope was empty with no explanation.
I guessed that something had happened to the trade I had sent. So I wrote my trader friend in NH telling him what had happened and that it looked like my trade was lost.
I sent him another trade.
He sent the return trade telling me he had not received anything, that these things happen, but that he would let me know if he saw anything.
I sent the next trade, but the return envelope was thicker as--guess what--the original envelope, cut through, but with the stamps intact, arrived at his place an now he was sending responses to both trades. He received his envelope in a USPS body bag.
Very odd, but a good ending.
Login to Like
this post
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
I was in a trade with Shantige. I have sent her three packages with 100 U.S. stamps in each envelope. The first one sent Oct 28th second and third I don't know the exact dates without looking in Messages sent. She has only received one envelope from me in November. I received three from her but two I sent her never have made it. The first one mailed in OCT and the third mailed in November. Where are they?
I received an official P.O. envelope from the U.S. post office Yesterday from MeghanP with used Canadian stamps. Apparently her envelope got caught in the Michigan mail sorter machine. The stamps used for postage were mangled but the address and return address were legible. The P.O.used a sheet of paper with Michigan Southfield on it (standard Letter) Head and wrote the addresses on it and put it in my mailbox.
I think the sorter machines are damaging the packages both in the U.S. and Canada and abroad. Where they are being used because. I've read of complaints and problems on some of the other Forums I belong to from other collectors.
Login to Like
this post
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
If you are using regular envelopes you HAVE to put small pieces of tape on all 4 open corners on the back side to prevent them from snagging on the equipment and tearing the envelope. Look at the new envelopes and you will note that the glue does not get into the corners.
I put the glassine(s) with the stamps in a cut down file folder which provides both stiffness and a smooth transition rather than a bulge. Knock on wood no problems yet.
If I am sending a lot of stamps, or both covers and stamps I usually put them in a photo mailer.
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
I really hope I don't have one to share soon. I ordered a pre-1933 half eagle gold coin (1/4 ounce of gold). It was mailed from Oklahoma City January 6 and arrived in Lehigh Valley, PA January 7.
Oklahoma to Western Kentucky via Pennsylvania?!? I expected it to go to Louisville. Maybe Nashville or Memphis, but Lehigh Valley? It left the morning of the 8th and arrived in Philly at 12:30 a.m. on the 9th. There is no update since then.
Lars
Login to Like
this post
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
But I track packages all the time. They almost ALWAYS go through Louisville (which is about 150 miles East of here, but that's the big distribution center for this area). There is certainly no reason for it to go from Lehigh Valley to Philadelphia and stay there if it was supposed to be delivered two days ago!
Login to Like
this post
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
Phew! Showed up in Louisville this morning! It's back on track now...
Login to Like
this post
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
Well, miracles do happen!!!!! My trader in Iraq has just informed me that an envelope I posted to him in Oct 2013 has appeared in his PO box!! He had done some detective work several months ago regarding our missing mailings to him from the Oct/Nov 2013 period and found out that the Jordanian government was holding over 20 tons of mail addressed to Iraqi addresses in Amman. He now advises that this was due to some sort of a payment dispute with the USPS and that he has gotten word that partial payment has been made and 4 tons of mail has been released to continue their journey to Iraq. Hopefully, the other 'missing' mailings will appear in his PO box shortly.
Mike in NC / meostamps
Login to Like
this post
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
Soundcrest said,
"
According to him once a package leaves the US it is liable to become contaminated. There are all kinds of buyers on ebay....."
OK. And is this gentleman going to be running for Congress? Sounds like he would fit in perfectly. He could sponsor a bill which would oblige every piece of mail whose origins are outside the country to be decontaminated before being delivered. Let's see, I think that gamma rays would do nicely. If his bill doesn't become law, he could buy himself a small chunk of plutonium and wave it over each piece of mail he receives. Problem solved!
If I'm not mistaken, my collection, 2/3 of which originated outside the U.S., is heavily contaminated by disease organisms. Perhaps if I soak myself in brandy I'll be safe…
boB
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
No, Bob, you and your stamps simply need to be quarantined for 21 days. Turks & Caicos might be a good place to serve out your quarantine period. If there is a government program to pay for the tab, ask them if CSA stamps qualify as "foreign" and I just might be in the next hammock over sipping a drink with a little paper umbrella!
Lars
Login to Like
this post
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
Sounds good to me! I think mine need a slightly longer quarantine - isn't it 6 weeks? LOL
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Let's share our lost in the mail stories
Well, another miracle has happened. My trader friend in Baghdad has just emailed me that a second envelope posted to him back on Oct 21, 2013 has appeared in his PO box in Iraq!!! I did ask him about the delayed mailing that arrived recently and he said that there were no markings of any type on the cover to explain the delay. I will query him about this newly arrived one. Now only about 3-4 more to go!!!
Mike in NC / meostamps
Login to Like
this post