What's my best option for shipping coins in the mail? I'm looking for a cheap shipping method, not the $4.55 for priority. Can I do media mail? Maybe if I toss in a CDROM ? Just curious how strict they are on this.
I mail used DVDs through Amazon.com, $1.35 per DVD for STANDARD shipping which I believe is 2-9 days. I've wondered the same thing. Win/buy a coin, get a free CD-R, or if you're REALLY a good seller, a DVD-RW!!!!
Personally, considering the penalties available on a conviction for defrauding the government, I would consider a .01 chance of getting caught much too risky.
Yep....Big Brother will find out....somehow. FBI has free reign nowadays. (Patriot Act) :headbang: :computer:
It's been some time since I was in college, but during that stint I worked in the post office. According to the post master, there was no difference between first class and priority. Items over a certain amount (weight) were automatically shipped priority. Time wise, no difference. That may have changed 20 years later, but I doubt it.
Well it really goes with what you are mailing and how much it is worth.....if its alot of coins then the flat rate envelope for $4.05 might be best....if more than that a flat rate box would work at $7.05 IIRC. Otherwise First Class is normaly not over a few dollars and it gets there just as fast sometimes. Speedy
Samjimmy is correct... first class "automatically" becomes Priority Mail after a certain weight. Priority Mail starts at $4.05 for one pound. It's zoned now; cross-country is more than that. But getting back to the original question, how about a padded envelope with the appropriate number of stamps? Might be as little as 63 cents: one 39 cent stamp plus one 24 cent "extra ounce" stamps. (Keep in mind that once an envelope goes "oversize," which includes the thickness, you need the second ounce stamp.)
Isn't flat rate now $8.10? That was the only kind of box my post office had when I wanted to send out a large box of plants. Ended up going home and finding a box and shipping it for $5.
No, that's not quite the same thing. There is a relatively new "flat rate" Priority Mail box. You can ship up to some large number like 70 pounds of material in that box anywhere in at least the "Lower 48" (continental USA) for that $8.10. This worked like a charm during the trip to California. I bought a lot of model railroad supplies and shipped them all back for $8.10 instead of trying to stuff them in our suitcases. Turned out it was more than 11 pounds worth of stuff after adding in a book that my wife had finished and didn't want to carry on the plane. It was here the day after we got back, a less than three day transit time. I don't really see any applications for coins-- except for supplies, perhaps-- but the flat rate box can be a great deal if you play it right. There is still the weight and zone Priority Mail that we're familiar with. That starts at $4.05 for one pound to a certain distance away from you.
Here is an interesting related site to shipping ... http://www.postalwatch.org/issue_rate_increases_main.htm
Two things to be aware of with media mail: 1. There are minimum size requirements. Check with your local post office or online for the specifics. 2. Its often slow. If your shipping to ebay customers using media mail....be prepared to explain why its been 9 days after they paid and still no coin.
The deal is not 'if it has media in it' the deal is "is it only media?' By that I mean, you can only get media rate if the only thing in the package is media. I shipped some books in an odd shaped box and had the guy at the post office counter open the box to make sure it was just books.
