08/22/2026
Good morning, Pin Posse!
I wanted to share a recent experience with the community because it’s something many of us may face—or unfortunately, may have already experienced. I’d really appreciate hearing what precautions you take when shipping high-value trades.
I recently completed a trade with another collector: two jumbo pins for 130 trader pins. It was a great trade for both of us, and everything started out perfectly. He received the two jumbo pins I sent with no issues.
Unfortunately, when his package arrived at my home, I immediately knew something wasn’t right.
The box appeared to be sealed, and the shipping label showed a postage charge of around $22, but the box felt almost completely empty. When I opened it, my concern was confirmed. Inside were only two bags of packing air. All 130 pins were gone.
Thankfully, we had both taken the extra step of documenting our packages before shipping, including photos showing how everything was packed. Based on our communication and that documentation, I do not believe the person I traded with was responsible. My concern is that somewhere during the shipping process, the package may have been opened and the contents removed.
We also both purchased additional insurance to cover the value of the trade, and I have filed an insurance claim. That process is currently underway, and hopefully it will ultimately be resolved fairly.
I’m sharing this not to point fingers, but because this is a community built on trust. A trade like this represents more than just pins—it represents someone’s time, money, collection, and trust in another collector.
So I’d love to hear from the Pin Posse:
What steps do you take to protect larger or higher-value trades? Do you photograph or video the packing process? Use tamper-evident tape? Have the package weighed at the counter? Require signature confirmation? Use a particular carrier or insurance method?
Hopefully, by sharing experiences and ideas, we can help each other make trading safer and prevent someone else from going through the same thing.
Thanks for reading, and as always, look out for one another.
Charles
Pin Pursuit
