Furryfrog02 Posted December 5, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted December 5, 2023 I purchased a few cheap ancients from India back in October. I made 2 separate purchases about a week apart and both were shipped at approximately the same time. Both had tracking numbers and I could see when they made it to India customs and then that's where things went sideways. Package 2 showed as still sitting in Dehli when all the sudden it arrived in my mailbox about a week after shipment. Yay! Package 1 showed arriving in NYC and then making it's way to the local USPS distribution center about 10mi from my house. THEN.....next thing you know, it's up in Boston...then a few days later Boston sends it back to Maryland...Maryland sends it back to Boston....Boston sends back to Maryland. Yesterday it was scanned in at the same distribution center near my house. I thought "finally it will make it" I was wrong. They put it on a truck and it was scanned in in New Jersey as of 9:45pm last night... When I put the Indian tracking number into the USPS page, it says it isn't valid. Obviously they have possession of it and are moving it through the system. For whatever reason though, they can't seem to get it to the final destination. Does anyone have an idea who I would try to contact about this? Or should I just let the package spin in the system? I have until the 12th for it to be delivered before I can request a refund. I hate doing that since the seller did everything on their end...but I also don't want to be out ~$40... For fun, here is what the tracking looks like: Dec 4, 2023 9:45pm ARRIVED AT USPS REGIONAL FACILITY PHILLIPSBURG, NJ 08865 Dec 4, 2023 6:03pm DEPARTED USPS REGIONAL FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Dec 4, 2023 5:19pm DEPARTED USPS REGIONAL FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Dec 4, 2023 1:34pm PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Dec 3, 2023 4:39pm PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Nov 25, 2023 9:56am PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY BOSTON MA DISTRIBUTION CENTER, 02205 Nov 24, 2023 5:46pm PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY BOSTON MA DISTRIBUTION CENTER, 02205 Nov 23, 2023 5:26pm PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY BOSTON MA DISTRIBUTION CENTER, 02205 Nov 22, 2023 9:53pm ARRIVED AT USPS REGIONAL FACILITY BOSTON MA DISTRIBUTION CENTER, 02205 Nov 22, 2023 6:53pm DEPARTED USPS REGIONAL FACILITY SPRINGFIELD MA NETWORK DISTRIBU, 01152 Nov 22, 2023 2:29pm DEPARTED USPS REGIONAL FACILITY SPRINGFIELD MA NETWORK DISTRIBU, 01152 Nov 21, 2023 4:50pm PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Nov 21, 2023 5:22am PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Nov 20, 2023 4:10am PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Nov 20, 2023 3:16am ARRIVED AT USPS REGIONAL FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Nov 20, 2023 1:56am DEPARTED USPS REGIONAL FACILITY WASHINGTON DC NETWORK DISTRIBUT, 20799 Nov 20, 2023 1:31am DEPARTED USPS REGIONAL FACILITY WASHINGTON DC NETWORK DISTRIBUT, 20799 Nov 20, 2023 12:54am DEPARTED USPS REGIONAL FACILITY WASHINGTON DC NETWORK DISTRIBUT, 20799 Nov 19, 2023 8:57pm PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY WASHINGTON DC NETWORK DISTRIBUT, 20799 Nov 19, 2023 8:53pm PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY WASHINGTON DC NETWORK DISTRIBUT, 20799 Nov 17, 2023 10:59am PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY BOSTON MA DISTRIBUTION CENTER, 02205 Nov 15, 2023 7:22pm PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY BOSTON MA PACKAGE SORTING CENTE, 02323 Nov 13, 2023 8:08pm ARRIVED AT USPS REGIONAL FACILITY BOSTON MA DISTRIBUTION CENTER, 02205 Nov 13, 2023 6:11pm DEPARTED USPS REGIONAL FACILITY SPRINGFIELD MA NETWORK DISTRIBU, 01152 Nov 13, 2023 5:17pm DEPARTED USPS REGIONAL FACILITY SPRINGFIELD MA NETWORK DISTRIBU, 01152 Nov 13, 2023 4:10pm ARRIVED AT USPS REGIONAL FACILITY SPRINGFIELD MA NETWORK DISTRIBU, 01152 Nov 13, 2023 9:08am DEPARTED USPS REGIONAL FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Nov 13, 2023 8:48am DEPARTED USPS REGIONAL FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Nov 11, 2023 3:15pm PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Nov 11, 2023 3:35am PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Nov 9, 2023 8:15pm PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Nov 9, 2023 3:53pm PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Nov 9, 2023 1:47am PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Nov 7, 2023 10:41pm DEPARTED USPS REGIONAL FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Nov 7, 2023 9:34pm PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Nov 7, 2023 2:47pm PROCESSED THROUGH USPS FACILITY LINTHICUM HEIGHTS MD DISTRIBUTI, 21090 Nov 5, 2023 12:29pm INBOUND OUT OF CUSTOMS 11430 Nov 5, 2023 12:19am ARRIVED AT INTERNATIONAL SERVICE CENTER ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS), 11430 Oct 28, 2023 4:41pm ORIGIN POST IS PREPARING SHIPMENT Oct 27, 2023 4:18am Tracking number provided 1 1 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Atherton Posted December 5, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 5, 2023 I had a similar problem with a package this time last year. The issue was with the address, which, for whatever reason, was incomplete and the USPS system kept reading it incorrectly. The package bounced around from state to state and finally made it to my local USPS distribution centre and ended up at a nearby city as undeliverable! Suffice to say, I never received it and have no idea what happened to it. Give USPS a call and ask them if they can determine what city the package is addressed to. Perhaps the address barcode is damaged? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kali Posted December 5, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 5, 2023 USPS is all messed up these past few weeks. I have a few packages that are having issues at the moment. I know it's the holidays, but this has been going on even before thanksgiving. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furryfrog02 Posted December 5, 2023 · Supporter Author Share Posted December 5, 2023 Yeah I don't have much faith in the package ever showing up. I will give the USPS a call today and see what they say. Kinda bummed since the package includes a drachm of Bhartrdaman. I've been wanting one for a long time and finally found one that I could afford. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kali Posted December 5, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 5, 2023 20 minutes ago, Furryfrog02 said: Yeah I don't have much faith in the package ever showing up. I will give the USPS a call today and see what they say. Kinda bummed since the package includes a drachm of Bhartrdaman. I've been wanting one for a long time and finally found one that I could afford. Same, mine has a coin type I have wanted for over a decade and just waiting for the right one to come along. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayAg47 Posted December 5, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 5, 2023 The fact that it reached US soil means the seller did whatever they could to safely send it to the US, but it's up to your mail service to safely deliver it to you. Whenever I buy coins from Indian dealers on ebay, despite whatever the estimation date ebay provides or the tracking shows, it would at least take 1-2 months to reach me. So just hope the coins will arrive! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heliodromus Posted December 5, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 5, 2023 You could try filing a missing mail complaint - I've had to do this on a handful of occasions. The USPS seems to be failing badly last few months - I haven't had one go into a loop (although this is not uncommon per /r/USPSCompaints), but have had a couple recently go on unnecessary cross-country jaunts (e.g. NY to NJ via California). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor LONGINUS Posted December 5, 2023 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted December 5, 2023 (edited) 5 hours ago, Furryfrog02 said: Does anyone have an idea who I would try to contact about this? I had a very similar experience with USPS in Maryland although not as extreme as your unfortunate situation. Mine was coming from Jerusalem, Israel — which generally takes a while to be okayed by the Israel Antiquities Authority. The delay in Israel was short compared to the delay in the USA. It was shuffled back and forth between Washington, DC and North Carolina for some unknown reason. I reported this to our local Postmaster and I had the package the next day. The coin took well over 3 months to get to me. Edited December 5, 2023 by LONGINUS 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor Ancient Coin Hunter Posted December 5, 2023 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted December 5, 2023 I've seen this a couple of times, usually it involves an incomplete, torn, or missing label. It looks like barcode is still there otherwise you would not be getting tracking updates. One of the cases was when I requested a copy of my dissertation from the printer. Somehow it went to LA rather than San Francisco, then disappeared. Then I got it, finally in a taped closed mailer. The problem was I got some guy at UCLAs dissertation rather than mine. I found the guys' contact info at UCLA and emailed him. I sent him the book so he was quite happy. Meanwhile I filed a complaint with the printer, Dissertation Abstracts International and got an upgraded large format book (my dissertation) for free. Then a week later I received a torn and destroyed (almost) mailer containing the one I first had ordered. Somehow the label was still on it. Anyway quite a mystery. Apparently what had happened was that both packages had been torn with the books falling out. Then they shipped the wrong one to me. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furryfrog02 Posted December 5, 2023 · Supporter Author Share Posted December 5, 2023 Maybe I will get someone else's coins? 😛 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xeno Posted December 5, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 5, 2023 I’ve yet to have a package not arrive. But two of my most recent ones from overseas took almost 6 weeks to arrive. Makes me want to stick with dealers and auction houses with good reliable shipping. My Savoca auction coins normally arrive from Germany to USA within 3-4 days. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor kirispupis Posted December 5, 2023 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted December 5, 2023 The package is progressing, which is positive. If it stops progressing, you can put in a request to USPS to find the package. I've actually never had an international package fail to arrive. They do sometimes take 4-6 weeks though if not shipped DHL or FedEx. I usually have more problems with packages within the US... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeandAcre Posted December 5, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 5, 2023 This has happened to me more than once, and to other people's point, the problems unfailingly start only once the package has arrived in the US. I had one that ended its known life in customs in New York. Called; the USPS blamed Customs; Customs blamed the USPS. Called my congressman; they were dismissive, assuming that "coin" meant "Morgan dollar" (rather than an insanely rare obole of Robert I Capet, bought unattributed), and that I must be from the opposite party. --Never voted for him again; glad to say he's out now. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Snible Posted December 5, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 5, 2023 I had this happen in February with a package sent from Poland. The sender wrote "Stany Zjednoczone" below my address, which is Polish for "United States". The USPS algorithm decided "Stany Zjednoczone" was probably the name of a city in North Carolina. USPS computers would send it to NC, the NC postmaster would send it back to NY. If you go to your local USPS branch there will be managers there who have the ability to get more information than you can get online. They aren't supposed to tell you exactly what they see -- but they can often see scans of the envelope and where the USPS computers think the envelope should go. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furryfrog02 Posted December 5, 2023 · Supporter Author Share Posted December 5, 2023 Well fun update (sort of). The package was scanned in (again) in Boston this morning. It has been to Boston 3 times in a month haha. I made that drive during the Thanksgiving week. I wouldn't want to do it there and back 3 times in a month. I'm sure Boston is getting tired of seeing it because they kicked it out the door immediately. I'm assuming it is on its way back this way. I will go to the local post office tomorrow and see if they can help. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor robinjojo Posted December 6, 2023 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted December 6, 2023 (edited) I suspect that there is a problem with the address. A few years ago a package was delayed, bouncing around in Missouri, because of a transposition of two numbers in the zip code. I was able to finally talk to the postmaster of one of the post offices that was in this seemingly endless loop. She was very nice and corrected the zip code when the package came her way once again. End of the mini-saga. I think in your case you might consider contacting your local postmaster and explain the problem. This person has access to more detailed tracking information and perhaps they can help direct the package to you. Good luck! Edited December 6, 2023 by robinjojo 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMonkeySwag96 Posted December 11, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 11, 2023 I bought this Republican denarius from a dealer in the Netherlands. US customs had my coin in their possession for almost 2 months. I had to give them a call swearing I wasn’t smuggling ancient artifacts lol. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Furryfrog02 Posted December 12, 2023 · Supporter Author Share Posted December 12, 2023 Well an update - and a happy one at that! After a few more trips to several states that are not where I live....The package arrived today! It worked its way back up to Massachusetts as well as New Jersey before going further south to Virginia. This morning the update said it was back at the troublesome USPS distribution center, and then said it was out for delivery....In Boston... I was 50/50 whether or not I would actually get them and if I were to get the package, would the coins actually still be there. I'm happy to report that they did! I inspected the package and there was nothing wrong with the address or anything. I have no idea what the local USPS center was smoking but it must have been good. And because I'm sure you all wanted to see what the fuss was about.........here are the coins: 10 2 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Atherton Posted December 13, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 13, 2023 I'm glad to hear it had a happy ending! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panzerman Posted December 13, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 13, 2023 I once won a coin from Hungarian Auction. The coin a Transylvania 1646 A-I Dukat in FDC never arrived after 8 weeks. I paid 7K euros for it and got worried. The auction house e-mailed me to tell me they sent coin to a US address/ and the recepient (lucky for me) sent it back to Hungary. I ended up getting 2 weeks later. 3 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor DonnaML Posted December 14, 2023 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted December 14, 2023 5 hours ago, panzerman said: I once won a coin from Hungarian Auction. The coin a Transylvania 1646 A-I Dukat in FDC never arrived after 8 weeks. I paid 7K euros for it and got worried. The auction house e-mailed me to tell me they sent coin to a US address/ and the recepient (lucky for me) sent it back to Hungary. I ended up getting 2 weeks later. Wow, that is lucky! An honest person. Unfortunately, there are people who would have kept something like this that showed up in the mail, or tried to sell it. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Cazador Posted December 14, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 14, 2023 On 12/11/2023 at 3:57 PM, MrMonkeySwag96 said: I bought this Republican denarius from a dealer in the Netherlands. US customs had my coin in their possession for almost 2 months. I had to give them a call swearing I wasn’t smuggling ancient artifacts lol. Where one can find usps customs phone number per county? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panzerman Posted December 14, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 14, 2023 Exactly the reason to have coins sent discreetly/ no customs hassles or duties.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMonkeySwag96 Posted December 14, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 14, 2023 2 hours ago, El Cazador said: Where one can find usps customs phone number per county? Each state office has their own number. I called the Oklahoma City office as that’s where I reside 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Cazador Posted December 14, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 14, 2023 45 minutes ago, MrMonkeySwag96 said: Each state office has their own number. I called the Oklahoma City office as that’s where I reside Thank you, do you mind dropping a link here, as I only see general 1-800 on the web? Much appreciated. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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.