I have been reading this with just as much interest as probably anyone. It is something that has frequently been on my mind, not only for chips but other valuable items that I might ship. I have thought of a few things that I would add.

First, I may be mistaken but I don't recall a blanket condemnation of Mail Carriers or The Postal Service as a whole. I think we all recognize that there are bad apples. It is possible though that the original post might have jumped to a conclusion and that the loss could be innocent damage of the envelope that led to the contents being lost. However the original writer knows more of the facts and history behind his problems and thus I can only say that It could be possible that there is a bad apple there.

Second I would say that, in about 3 or 4 years of buying chips etc., I have never had a chip not arrive. I have had some that had been delayed or taken a long time but all my purchases have arrived safely.

Since reading this thread earlier this afternoon, I have been thinking of possible solutions or preventative actions and after reading the recent posts this evening I have some thoughts.

I use a post office box for my eBay shipping, unless specified delivery by UPS or FedEX by the seller. By using the PO Box there are some benefits that should be considered that are worth the inconvenience of not having delivered to your door. This might get a little lengthy but it might be valuable.

First there are people, maybe your mail carrier, who will notice the types of mail you get. Do they notice Coin Collecting Magazines in your mail? Your CCGTCC Magazine? Other items that indicate that you are a collector? These items can be clues to bad people that your address is a possible target. A friend of my fathers used to collect coins. He had 3 or 4 collections stolen from his home over the years. One time the police figured that the thieves singled his house out from a search of mail in mailboxes and the fact that he was receiving a lot of coin collecting magazines and other mail. Using a PO Box the number of people who can check your mail while you are away is limited greatly. Your mail doesn't sit between the doors or in your mailbox or where others can look through it. I guess here it would also make sense to watch out what you throw in the garbage in case someone might go through your cans. You don't want to give clues to strangers that may wander to your door or to neighbors that you mail valuables frequently, receive valuables frequently or have valuables somewhere in the house that might be attractive to theives.

Second, Obviously, your envelopes containing chips don't sit out where someone can come along and snatch them before you get out to collect your mail. Mine is put in the security of my locked mail box in the post office. My Post Office is only open during business hours so the chance that mail boxes can be broken into is also limited.

Next, mail is limited in the numbers of people who handle it. It goes straight to the PO Box. Is not sorted by a mail carrier and taken out in a truck where it could also be snatched or tampered with etc. In our area the mail carrier parks his truck and walks, sometimes a few blocks delivering mail down a street than back up to his truck. He could be away from his vehicle for maybe 20 minutes to half an hour. I assume the vehicles are secure and locked but I would think there is always a possibility of someone breaking into a truck.

The next suggestion is that when you are shipping, take the mail directly to the Post Office and drop it in the boxes inside. Don't put your shipments in your household mail or in a corner box. Outgoing mail in an office or in your box at home can be pilfered and corner mailboxes can be broken into or vandalized. If all sellers took all their chips and other most valuable items into the post office and dropped them into the inside mail boxes and they were to be deliverd to PO Boxes then there would be NO QUESTION where the problem lies. That is because all mail would be handled internally and would constantly be in the possession and control and under the immediate observation of a postal service employee. Again, when you deposit your shipments in a remote box it is picked up and sits in a truck somewhere while the letter carrier does his route etc. Just one more weak point where mail can be taken by someone other than a postal worker.

Now an idea regarding packaging. How about taking your chip, put it into one of those vinyl flips and attach it securely to a piece of cardboard that is the correct size for the bubble mailer. Or, fold it inside of a piece of cardboard that is simply folded over and tape all the edges. Then place that into the bubble mailer. Put the chip into the center of the cardboard so that it isn't near the edges of the envelope and when you seal the envelope use some staples. Don't just staple the ends of your envelope but through the piece of cardboard as well. And maybe along the open end of the folded cardboard. You don't need too many staples. 2 or 3 on each end of the envelope and 2 or 3 along the side with the open end of the cardboard. Now, so that someone handling the package doesn't cut themselves on the staples use some packing tape over the edges that were stapled. Now, if the envelope is accidentally opened in transit the chip should not be able to fall out. Reason being that it would be attached to a card that is so big that it couldn't possibly fall out of a small tear. If you get this package in the mail and the chip is missing, the damage to the package would have to be obvious and BLATENT(sp?)