Dave, perhaps your loss wasn't a theft, but let me tell you about a recent incident. I've been subscribing to the US Mint's state quarter program since it's inception. I get a bag of 100 of each mint whenever the new quarters are released. The mint sends me an e-mail notification when the coins ship.

Well, on the 8th of June, they wrote that they'd shipped the current quarter Philadelphia mint. On the 13th, they wrote that they'd sent the Denver mint coins. Here it is July 1, and guess what? Aw, you guessed! That's right, no coins YET!

On a couple of occasions I called the Mint's help line, only to be told to give it more time. Last week, again I called, but this time I was lucky enough to speak with a "senior agent". She traced the orders to the postal facility in Jackson, Mississippi, where the trail ended.

She said, "Apparently someone in Jackson has sticky fingers." Amen to that. She directed me where to find a NCR form to get replacement coins, but I have to submit it on the 30th day from shipment, so I've got like about a week to go for the first one. Besides her help in that, she's going to see that Federal Police are going to investigate the Jackson black hole.

So, nope, I don't discount your suspicion of theft at all.

Good luck,
Dave (aka Mississippi Dave)