I was looking for any help or where to look for resources on shipping coins. In particular I am wondering how eBay buyers are expecting to receive their won auctions of single coins in a 2X2 or if it is a lot of multiple coins. Currently, I am looking to ship a lot of (3) peace dollars, and a lot of $2.05 face value silver coinage containing a half, 3 quarters, and 8 dimes. For a shipment of multiple coins, I was thinking of placing each one in a separate zip lock Apple bag, rolling it up and taping it with a small piece of scotch tape, and then packaging them like I normally do other items with plenty of bubble wrap and Styrofoam wrap. Is this an acceptable way to ship a lot of 12 coins? Thanks, Graham at SMD Brokers
Most eBay dealers I buy from ship multiple coins in the same package. They place the coin in an mylar flip, bubble wrap it, then place the bubble wrapped flips(if shipping multiple coins) in an bubble envelope. I've never received coins in a cardboard 2x2.
I've encountered both. For myself, I use cardboard 2x2's and use bubble wrap and other goodies to protect my sold items that I'm shipping.
Yes you can, but its easy for a coin to break through the edge of an envelope if it is not well secured. I have tried folding 3 pieces of paper like a letter and stapling close to the coin, somewhat in the way a 2 x 2 would be, and that worked ok. Starting with a 2x2 then doing the 3 pages works better. but for multiple coins, ditto the above. Wrap individual coins first then wrap them into a bundle so they don't slide around and bang into each other.If the weight goes to high, the USPS flat rate small box is a good deal.
UPS just told me, after failing to follow through with a scheduled pickup at an auction house for me, that they do not ship coins or currency. HM.... never heard that until this one instance where the driver got lost and nearly missed the latest possible pickup time. I requested that the driver bring shipping labels with him, and he failed in that as well. I had to work out alternate shipping with a very displeased and reluctant auction firm and that was undue strain on the both of us. UPS had no problem charging me for the failed pickup today, though. I called them to ask for a refund and was initially told that "the package was not ready." Bull. I called the auction place the day before to set it up with them. It WAS ready. After a little bickering they agreed to refund my charges. They only insure up to $100 anyway.... As much as I like ups and have used them for numismatic deliveries in the past, they say they do not handle "coins or currency" when I talked to them today. Whether it was just them trying to prove they don't have to refund me because it "wasn't a driver error" or if they are just trying to come up with a reason why they cannot provide the services they offer I don't know. Bottom line: don't use UPS for numismatic items.
I remember someone saying before that ups doesn't handle coins, so when they ship through them they insure them as 'collectable metal discs' I don't think shipping a coin in a regular envelope would be that bad, as long as it's not worth more than a buck or 2. Every coin I have ever bought off eBay has come through like that.
I'm a former Postal worker. You do not want to put anything like a coin in an envelope and have it go through a DBCS machine. The workers don't a **** about your mail. Non -machineablr mail costs more, rightfully so.... [video=youtube;AQfFXcp4H6I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQfFXcp4H6I[/video]
It might get there ? I'd at least scotch tape the perimeter of the envelope. I recall keys often not making it through the DBCS machine. Once it is seperated from the envelope , USPS can't tell where it came from. USPS has it's own version of a body bag....
USPS body bag....usually contains mail shredded by a DBCS) [video=youtube;9m75TRPfb-4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m75TRPfb-4[/video]
It kind of depends on the value. If it were a $1,000 coin, I'd send it registered mail....or a better carrier like Fed-ex. USPS insurance on coins is kind of difficult For say a $25 coin fed-ex is too expensive, I'd gamble with the bubble mailer and/or maybe enclose it within cardboard inside the bubble mailer. If it were a number of coins in 2X2's ( a few dozen), I'd use a small box.
Wow, I never knew a machine could sort mail so fast. My uncle retired from the Warrendale sort facility, and I have heard some stories of the way packages are treated. I'm just saying though, if it's only a coin worth a dollar, it would make more sense to pay $.45 and take a risk than to pay $2.
My two cents: *I don't trust the USPS enough to mail anything of value in a regular envelope. I've had single coins get to me...but the way I look at it, the chance for theft or damage is too great...and then I'm on the hook for the refund. Here's what I do: Any single coin of value gets put in a 2x2, then sealed in a plastic bag which is taped shut. Bulk coins of like size get put in a plastic sealable bag, which I then roll around the coins until the bag is tight. I tape this shut. For single coin shipments, I use hobby foam with the adhesive back and cut a sheet in thirds (dividing the long end by thirds, not the short end.) This is usually long enough and wide enough to cover 1-3 coins. Larger/more coins in 2x2 I can cut the sheet in half or not at all. This is then stapled shut. At Sam's club they sell 6x9 bubble envelopes 25 for $5. I'll put the foam covered coins in this and seal the end. If it's in any way loose I tape over that end. If I have a lot of coins, I'll seal them in the bubble envelope and put that in a flat rate box and seal every edge with Priority Tape (free at USPS.) You can pre-print first class labels on eBay for $1.64 (up to 3 oz.) I charge between $2.50/$3 for shipping depending on what my materials costs are. You can print Priority labels (but not first class ones) directly from the USPS website, but I've had issues with the scan barcode not working at the PO if you use USPS.com. Then, when I take the packages to the PO, I make them scan each package in while I stand there. Then it's at least in the system...and PayPal/eBay will cover me if the USPS steals it. If you just leave your package there, and the USPS doesn't scan it...and steals it...then you're not going to be covered. I have had this happen 3 times (two last summer, one this summer) and after the last one I started making them scan it in. I'd rather spend .50/coin than worry about the coin going missing or getting damaged along the way. It's just good business practice! IMO
light Parcels literally gets thrown into postcons....like you were playing basketball !.....I'm talking like 20+ feet
Theft by employees is very rare. Distribution centers are full of cameras. Carriers actually have the best chance to steal or truck drivers. Mail is moved ( primarily overnight) by non postal truck drivers. You've probably seen trucks that say " US Mail contractor". First class mail is delivered to offices overnite by these truckers, junk mail moves during the day.
All I'm saying is that three packages were purchased online and dropped off to the same post office...where they disappeared forever. They were never scanned into the system, and never returned. It's a local post office - not a big city one - so the likelihood of them misplacing it is quite small IMO - but hey, I could never prove anything, so I just take one extra precaution and get everything scanned in when I drop it off. Problem solved. No arguments need to take place, no stressing out over it... Gotta be slightly smarter than the system...lol...if only JUST slightly.
Hi Graham. Welcome to the forum! I put single coins in 2x2's that are stapled shut and then that is wrapped with a copy of the packing slip. All that goes into a #000 Poly Ultra-Lite bubble mailer. I like the polyester mailers because they are virtually weather proof and very tough. They don't tear, get wet, etc. I've had no lost packages and no complaints whatsoever. I'm assuming that the $2.05 silver coinage is what some people call "junk" silver, so there is no concern about keeping those coins separated. I would put them in a small zip lock type bag and fold and tape it to where the coins are nice and tight. Put it all in a bubble mailer and away they go. The main thing you don't want to do (as others have mentioned) is have anything in an envelope that is loose. At the speed items fly through the system, loose items will shoot right through the envelope and be lost.
