My Stamp Collecting Nightmare Has Come True

I just received some tragic news. A moment of silence...

About 1 1/2 months ago, I won this beauty at auction. It's a German East Africa Morogoro Prepaid Franking envelope canceled on Train #5 of the Mittellendbahn (Central Railroad).



It was coming from Germany, so I expected a 4-6 week wait. Finally, I inquired as to what address the seller used -- and found out he sent it to the wrong address! I move every 2-3 years for work, and he sent it to one of my old addresses. Now it's floating out there in the USPS ether, a piece of registered mail that USPS can't find.

Come on USPS. Call out the dogs!

My condolensces!

I just received a folded letter from the Netherlands where the seller folded the entire accross the cancellations just to fit it in the envelope he sent it in.

My condolences, Postmaster! I would be beside myself were I to lose such a rare cover!

But there's still hope, as I found out with a lot recently sent to my old address (from Canada).

I don't know what the policy is, but in my case, the mail carrier noticed that I had moved (I refuse to forward mail) and instead of delivering the letter, returned it to sender. The sender then contacted me for my new address, then resent it.

Since my first ebay transaction in April, 1999, through today, having more than 3000 online auction transactions, I have had 2 lots not show up, both of which were refunded (one, forcibly by ebay. The seller had about 25 lots "mysteriously disappear" in the mail.)

Postmaster, you have my deepest sympathy. Still, don't give up hope. There's always the hope it will be rerouted somehow. I'm always afraid of this happening to me as well. I have a courier service which gives me
an address in europe and the US where I can have things sent and the courier company delivers them to me. It's
a heck of a lot safer and faster than the Omani post (Nothing has gone missing from them, except for the letters
I've sent OUT of the country). Is something like that an option?

If it was sent Registerd Mail get the number and go to the Post Office. They can file a report and possibly find it! I would also contact the Postmaster of the old PO and talk to Him/Her they also may be able to track it. ALL Registerd Mail MUST be signed for at every step of the way. They should be able to find it. Don't give up hope!

I contacted the old PO and they had a record of it, but couldn't figure out what they did with it. They're going to keep looking. Hopefully they returned it to sender.

My fear is that they delivered it anyway. I've had the USPS do that, despite the signature requirement.

As I read your subject I feared the worst - flood, fire, theft, a 5 year old with crayons. Thankfully (on this thankful eve) only one item is affected by your nightmare scenario. Best of luck in retrieving the object of your desire!

I'm pretty safe against all those nightmares -- I keep my albums in a cypher-locked, sealed, fireproof, 1,800-pound gun safe that's bolted to the slab of my house!

Hi Postmaster - sorry for the levity - I hope I didn't bring offense.

My collections are all out in the open...bookcases,shelves..how the devil would a thief know which ones to take?..if I had something irreplaceable that would be a different story..they are my diversion, my fun, my therapy !

UPDATE: Found! Arrived today after a two-month trans-trans-trans-Atlantic trip.

Great news. postmaster! That surely doubles the excitement of receiving it!

Were there any cool postmarks on the package this came in? I'm very happy for you, btw. I get really tense at times while waiting for my purchases to arrive.

Brian

Interesting thread. There is the other side of E-Commerce which is the fact that things can happen outside of your control as you wait helpless. When you go to a Stamp show, Auction, Stamp shop (If there are any left in your area) you physically walked out the door with your purchase. While E-commerce allows you to shop worldwide while sitting in your undergarments, there are risks and they seem to increase with the value of the item you're waiting for.

Glad it all worked out PMGS as it looks like a great piece.

Not really. A return to sender label on the original envelope, which the seller then placed in a new envelope for the second trip.