a) bubble envelope, 1st class (insurance optional; tracking?) b) bubble wrap, but use priority mail envelope (includes $50 insurance *and* tracking (I believe); optionally increase to $100 for a few bucks more) Which is it? Thanks. I know that some of the answer goes to personal preference (to get insurance or not, etc.)
Most of my eBay sales have been in the $50 - $100 range. I've used a small bubble envelope, and wrapped the coin in several layers of newspaper. I've only used 1st class with tracking and I've never had any problems. If I ever ended up selling a very pricey coin, I'm sure I'd get insurance, but all of my pricey coins are my favorites, and I don't see myself selling them.
All I can say is that I've only sold 20 things ever on ebay and all in the last month. 2 of the 20 were lost by USPS. One is in the dead mail recovery center and another just got lost. One was a $20 coin so I guess it happens. The other was a $120 coin that I paid for signature confirmation but not insurance. Went out for delivery, notice left. Buyer went to get it and the USPS couldn't find it. Basically told sorry but too bad. 10% of my stuff sent USPS in past month didn't make. All sent in 6x9 bubble pack envelopes with slabs wrapped in bubble wrap and everything taped. They have absolutely no accountability. I've opened cases with postmaster and he's going to check into it but likely to no avail. If I ever use them again I will insure absolutely everything and I bet nothing comes up missing ever again. Sadly I almost insured that package but the web site said they don't insure coins. Well, they do, just not current currency but certainly collectable coins they do. Live and learn.
That is terrible, I have sent a couple thousand coins via USPS for EBay transactions and have never lost one. I am a full time dealer and from time to time, I use USPS Priority Mail and I did lose a package one time. Eventually it did come back to me but the coins were gone, all I had was a box with a hole in it. Lucky for me it was insured. There is no question at all that the post office doesn't handle these situations well. I do have a question for you. When you mailed these items, did you take them to the post office? Did you actually walk inside and deposit them in a bin? Did you put them in a postal box in your neighborhood or at work? I'm just wondering if one way is better than the other.
I either physically drop it in the bin inside the post office or give it to the clerk that scans it right away. They all tracked well away from my local PO and either got lost at a sort facility or destination PO. I even brought a package to be shipped and had the postmaster look at it to make sure there wasn't something wrong with my packaging. He said it was perfect.
