I just came back from USPS with both my submission boxes, because they wouldn't take them. Apparently, registered insured mail to a P/O box now also requires a first and last name. PCGS only provides the P/O box. She wasn't sure if it was because of the value (first box $20K, second box $40K) but she said the app they use wouldn't allow her to continue without entering those. The lady was very friendly and helped me just 2 months ago with a shipment to the NGC P/O box with no issues. Apparently the software they use has been updated and now they require the first/last name. She called their help desk and supervisor and they said the same thing. I asked if they could just put PCGS for first and last name, or business customer, or postal customer, but they wouldn't do it. Has anyone experienced this? It seems stupid. A large company receiving mail won't have any one name to use as addressee. I'll contact PCGS but they'll probably respond with "use the P/O box" and I'll be stuck in the middle. Sigh. Has anyone had their USPS location make the same requirement? What did you do?
It is the times. I market construction materials and occasionally (more often than not these days) the customer will require a unit cost because their software won't accept lump sum quotes. I tell them, it will cost you substantially more... Doesn't matter. So I comply.... Gotta fill those spreadsheet boxes.
I think you need to climb the ladder within the USPS. You are mailing to a company, there is NO first and last name, and it isn't negotiable.
Alright, after 3 hrs of waiting for a callback, PCGS just told me to use "Gary Smith." Sharing here in case it helps anyone else whose post office is being difficult
I don't know where you are located and where PCGS is located but with $60,000 worth of coins involved I'd be inclined to either fly or drive to them and deliver the coins in person.
And another update. Just went back to USPS. While I was out, they played with their software a bit more to figure out what was going on. There are three "speeds" you can select when sending a package. Apparently, next day and priority don't require a first and last name. Whatever the last (cheapest) option is, DOES require a first and last name. That's the one we'd selected the first time around (I don't care if it takes a few days to arrive). We selected priority this time and just used the P/O box.
Could probably use Stephanie Sabin (president of PCGS) as the addressee too if need be. Could also use PCGS PCGS. There are folks with identical first and last names. I've sent a lot of packages to PCGS via USPS and never encountered this problem. Cal
PCGS (USA) is in southern California. I don’t think they allow in person deliveries to their location except for member dealers. However, anyone can deliver coins to their booth at major shows. There is no safer transport of coins than USPS registered mail. I know folks who have mailed valuable coins to themselves from shows via registered mail because they don’t want to worry about losing them at the show or on the way home. I’ve transported coins to PCGS or NGC at shows, but my most valuable coins have gone USPS registered mail or FedEx (I have private insurance). Cal
I have had lots of fun things come up using Registered Insured. They are a bit tough with the rules. A while back I had several packages going to Great Collection. I use the labels that GC sends me. They show the address but that was not good enough. They had to also have the suite number. The PO system showed several suites at that address. GC uses the entire building and don't use suite numbers. I ask the clerk to try Suite 101 and that worked. When I got home I called GC to be sure I didn't mess up. They told me everything should be fine. They are the only ones at that property address. There are a few ways to send Registered Insured. I used the cheap ways for a while but my packages would get stuck at one location for as much as a week. That made me worry that something went wrong but it always worked out. Next I started using Registered Insured Priority. It cost a bit more but delivery went from 10 to 12 days down to 4 to 5 days. I feel better and don't worry as much.
I’ve found registered mail transit time to vary … a lot. I’ve had it go across country in a few days, but had it take 6 weeks for Calif. to Texas. I’ve tried regular parcel and priority for the shipping option and not sure priority went any faster … probably because registered is handled separately from non-registered because of the security measures. Any event, it is very safe if not predictable on speed. Anyone who ships high value coins should consider private insurance. My insurer was very responsive the one time I had a problem. You also have a choice of shipping firms (USPS, FedEx, UPS). And regardless of shipping firm, you write zero for value on packages and forms … makes the parcel much less attractive to thieves. Cal
First name: . Last Name: . The other issue is that the clerk may have selected the "Restricted Delivery" registered mail option, which requires it to be signed for only by a specific person, in which case the need for a name is obvious. It also costs another $8.
