Thread: How to ship coins, and insurance questions.

Hi there,

Must coins be shipped via register mail? Or can you ship coins using regular methods and pay the lower insurance fees? I've heard that the regular insurance rates do not cover coins and bullion, and that you must ship coins registered mail if you want insurance. I've also heard that you are not allowed to ship coins via priority mail at all. These reports make no sense to me as everyone on ebay is shipping coins priority mail with the regular form of insurance.

Who has experience with shipping coins and understands how the insurance works?

Thanks!

Just send them & insure them.
there is no where to say the contents.
[and I have never heard about restrictions].

also, if a high $ value, registered & insured is/can be cheaper.

Originally Posted by Treashunt

Just send them & insure them.
there is no where to say the contents.
.

also, if a high $ value, registered & insured is/can be cheaper.

That said, there are nosey parkers in the post orafice that will ask what is in there, I have been through that. Answer honestly, but vaguely of course. Machine stamped disks

So then you would concur that it is illegal to ship coins via regular postal service methods?

It's a yes and no. If it's declared as hobbies or numismatic related, it's fine but it's illegal to send currencies. Paradoxical but I've got many coins sent over from the US.

Originally Posted by american2

So then you would concur that it is illegal to ship coins via regular postal service methods?

It is not illegal. But the Post Office has long had a policy of not shipping cash through the mail. If you told the clerk at the Post Office that you were shipping 5 $100 dollar bills to someone they would refuse to insure it because that is cash. But if you told them that you were shipping 5 collectible notes they would insure it. And if something happened they would honor the insurance. Been there, done that. It's the same with coins.

Originally Posted by american2

Hi there,

Must coins be shipped via register mail? Or can you ship coins using regular methods and pay the lower insurance fees? I've heard that the regular insurance rates do not cover coins and bullion, and that you must ship coins registered mail if you want insurance. I've also heard that you are not allowed to ship coins via priority mail at all. These reports make no sense to me as everyone on ebay is shipping coins priority mail with the regular form of insurance.

Who has experience with shipping coins and understands how the insurance works?

Thanks!

You need to insure coins with postal service US mail for the amount there actually worth. also need confirmation delivery to keep track of coins location. priority mail just gets package there faster, no coverage if lost. Ozark

i normally use priority flat packs w/ return reciept and insurance. if you ship via registered, you will need to declare contents. heritage and other firms i have used normally do the priority flat packs. i have never had any problems. i sent out a package registered recently. it is safe and got there, but it took nearly 2 wks for the package to arrive only a couple of states away.
it doesn't cost much for a return reciept and insurance and is well worth it. if you are sending out very expensive coins, you may wish to use registered mail. pack stuff well when you send the coins.
hope this helps .
best wishes,
steve

I ship 1st class with added insurance in most cases, and on high value items I ship Priority with signature confirmation and insurance.

Never lost a coin.

OK, Let this be a lesson to everyone, ALWAYS goto the source. Don't guess.

http://www.usps.com/insuranceclaims/_pdf/pub122.pdf

Scroll to page 10 in the booklet. You will find this.

g. Fair market value of stamps and coins of
philatelic or numismatic value, as determined by
a recognized stamp or coin dealer or current coin
and stamp collector’s newsletter and trade paper.

If you scroll down to page 13 to the section "What is not payable"
you will find no limitations on coins.

So, if you absolutely must have that specific coin and no
replacement could ever fill that hole in your heart,
then it must be Registered. If you just don't want to
incur the dollar loss should a coin be stolen, then just
use insured.

The biggest reason for not telling the postal clerk what
is in the envelope/package, is because they are the most
likely person to steal the contents. If you feel like being
polite when they ask what is in there, just say Collectibles
and leave it at that.

Some time ago I sent coins to people in those USP service padded envelopes with insurance and return receipts. It cost almost as much as the coins in some instances. I eventually learned to just put the coins inbetween 2 pieces of cardboard and taped them shut. Then placed that in a standard evelope with heavy papers on both sides, took to a post office and sent as a letter. Much, much cheaper and so far never lost anything yet. As long as no one knows there are coins in the envelope they should be fine. Of course for large amounts of coins, that is another story.

One point about delivery confirmation. The USPS does not confirm that the item was delivered to the correct address, just that it was delivered in the correct zip code.