It's always hard to guarantee how people handling packages will be working with them. Sometimes it's like people are playing football or something with packages.
Anyone who ships knows that most packages get handled fairly roughly....that must be expected and a seller must anticipate this. When I ship delicate items I sell on eBay, I make sure to over protect the items I am shipping. Not only does this make my customers happy but it saves me money because I don't have to reimburse for items that arrive in damaged condition. I recently purchased an inexpensive mirrored medicine cabinet on eBay. The shipper did a poor job packing....the mirror arrived with a giant crack along the entire width. Now the seller must pay for return shipping plus reimburse me in full. Heads Or Tales Coins needs to figure out a way to secure the statues which have the delicate parts like spear and axe handle to the shipping base so the statue absolutely does not dislodge during shipping. It would seem like a relatively simple task but I am just a consumer with no experience in production of that type so I don't know how difficult such things are. .
Maybe a thin and wider basis extension, alike a plate, melted as such (so design adjustment) and a transparant globe / wooden basis like those detailed religious plastic/clothes statues. That basis then having 3-4 clamps to be screwfixed on the plate of the statue. And a design idea could be a 100 oz John Galt statue.
There is a cheap shipping company here (it accepts/delivers from/to a variety of shops/gas stations etc) that I used alot in recent years. I had several times damaged packages, and at some time, when entering the shop, a small van coincidently arrived that moment, and I saw the driver picking up the packages ready to send, and he literally threw them into his van. They bounced on the bottom, on others, and so on. The lack of care was just unbelievable, it was like he was thinking that a package was a volleyball or so. Later on, I received a painting reproduction, in a strong 10 cm wide border - wooden frame and packaged in thick double layered cardboard. The frame was broken on two places diagonally, the wood in numerous splinters. One that deliberately wanted to damage it, couldn't have done it "better". The cardboard was "dented". It was the last time that I used that shipping company of suckers. If that's their method to be cheap, I pass.
The underside of the statue bases are not flat....each has a small hollowed out portion. I suggested to the folks at Heads Or Tales Coins to consider incorporating a loop (also known as an eye loop) into the underside of the base so that a tie down can be used, secured through the loop in the underside of the base, and then secured around the cardboard shipping base. .
I have troubling news to report on the producers of the Frazetta statues (and the Eagle statue), Heads or Tales Coins. I have still not received my full order which was placed about 18 weeks ago (more than 4 months). I was last told on March 29 that I should be receiving a parcel by 4/9. I did not. Since 4/9, I have sent 3 emails to Heads or Tales Coins and I still have not received a reply (and yes, I check my SPAM folder). My patience has grown very thin and I am putting this out as my experience and as a potential warning as to serious customer service problems brewing at Heads or Tales Coins. .
Unfortunately, I can't say I'm surprised, shocked, or flabbergasted that they would treat you this way. I hate to say it, but when you said a certain individual worked there, I thought, 'uh oh, trouble.' I hope I'm proven wrong. But I say, 'sham.' I'm glad I got my money back. I will never do business with them again. Not the way I was treated. No way Jose. May be a beautiful product, but terrible company, which means, terrible product, IMHO. I hope you get squared away missing, I really do.
Just a moment ago I received an e-mail from Heads or Tales Coin Co. I was informed that the statues should arrive in the U.S. by the end of next week. For those who are interested, I will add an update when appropriate. Also, if and when I am made whole, I will update and add pictures. .
Album of the upcoming Ariana Statue. Wax mold preview edition! (to be sterling silver and aiming for 5oz of 0.999 Ag content) https://imgur.com/a/Sfn3Z
One thing that concerns me is the potential fragility of portions of these pieces -- sterling or not. Better handle & store these things with extreme care for the pieces' entire lives...
Frazetta Statues (and rounds) now being sold via APMEX: http://www.apmex.com/category/90409...016-25-16-Frank-Frazetta-Targeted-NewTemplate
These statues seem to be more of decorative display pieces. Not really for me, either, but I suppose there's a small group who are into that kind of thing..
