foreign bidders

baccaruda

I have a guy from switzerland bidding on my auctions (for Swiss Helvetia Gold). I don't mind dealing with someone outside the U.S. (mainly because he's from Switzerland and his feedback is good) but some people don't want to deal with it I've noticed. Is there anything to look out for and how much would shipping be?

Swiss Bidder

MartyF

Here's a link to USPS International shipping
Link

As far as shipping internationally, that is simply a choice for you to make and as I see in your auction, you state you do not ship internationally.

baccaruda

thanks for the link, marty.

MartyF

No problem....

newbiecollector

baccaruda....

I live in Norway and have purchased 2-3 coins on ebay and a bunch from members on this board. My policy is that the buyer (me) contacts the seller (you) up front and asks for the extra shipping costs abd declares that he/she accepts it unconditionally.

I might have mis-spelled something up there but in summary, and in my opinion and practice,

I am in Europe..not the seller
I am interested in the coin(s) but need an idea of the total cost with shipping (on my budget I only can buy lower priced coins and shipping can be more than 100%. but I have done it)
I always pay via paypal as soon as the agreement is made

ps: Don't encourage anyone, or take the cost yourself for insurance on international shipments. I of course don't ship from the USA but I do not think you would have any lick with a claim. When it leaves the US it's history for the insurance... the buyer can give a little less than 0% help, no matter how hard he tries.

I hope this was at least a little in-site

baccaruda

wayne, i was hoping you were online today - you're the man i wanted to talk to.

what is the best method, or what do you use for shipping internationally? i noticed you can get a return receipt but it doesn't give you the option of insurance. anything but a letter (which may work) seems to be prohibitively expensive.

i certainly hope he expects to win all of the swiss coins i have. i'd hate to tell him shipping will be $26 for a single 1/5 oz coin.

newbiecollector

Bar.. if I may call you that

I always ask for airmail shipping. This is because I can't wait.........LOL, more expensive but true for me.

Air mail normally takes 5-10 days. you do not get any return receipt. You can send by what I think is called "priority mail"...... it requires a signature and costs about the same (maybe a little more) and takes about the same 5-10 days.

Of cousreI do not know your bidder's idaes or needs for your offer. But I still say that if I, or any other buyer located out of the normal area of the seller (US) wants to participate, take advantage, and deal then it is their (mine and all others) cost problem......... it sure as heck ain't yours!!!

I recommend that you check the site MaryF gave you, note the different costs and advise the potentail buyer.He/She should decide what they will spend in the total offer.

As a side note which may or may not be helpful I have recieved shipments of single, multiple and recently 16.5 pounds of coins..... for the buyers and maybe your protection don't writ coins on the customs slip. Say numismatic supplies or gift. make the declared value as low as possible (if insurance on your end is not a consideration I would recommende 2 times the face value)

Sorry if my reply got a little long winded but I am speaking from experience and adding my opnions. it may not be the opinions of others.

baccaruda

oh man, customs - forgot about that.

i'm thinking a priority mail envelope with the small gold coins attached to a letter-sized piece of cardboard, with another letter-sized piece of cardboard over the front. if i wrote "do not bend" on the package then some might think it was a photograph - and not bother.

it just seems like it's going through a lot of hands and the possibility of theivery is high - especially if they suspect there are coins in there with no insurance. would the package be going thru a metal detector?

baccaruda

by-the-by...

doesn't it seem odd that someone in switzerland would want to pay extraordinarily high shipping and take the risk of not getting anything in return to bid on coins that are probably abundant in his own country?

i mean, who here would bid on a foreign auction for common U.S. coins?

fletch2645

Barracuda: The most economical way to ship internationally is "Airmail Letter Post". You will need to make your buyer understand that there is no insurance and it's not your problem if it get's lost. You might want to get a shipping receipt to proved that you did, in fact, ship it.

I usually use 6'' x 9'' bubble mailers and mark plainly on the front lower left hand corner "Airmail l
Letter Post". You can get the rate for this type of shipping off of the USPS international calculator, but it has always been pretty reasonable for me. I regularly ship things just about everywhere--Japan, Hong Kong, Norway, France, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and most recently--Finland. Never had a problem (knock on wood). Good luck!!

newbiecollector

Bac...... I found that a little confusing also. I would suggest caution. Make sure you get a firm agreement up-front.
Temper my comment with the fact that I do not have ANY experience/knowledge of the coin(s) in question.

Also I don't remeber if you said if this was an ebay sell. If it is it carries risks from an un-informed buyer who may give a bad feed back.

I can add that in approx. 10 international buys I have made only one went 50% sour....... yes 50% (how the hell do you spell sour.)

I got most of the package...........a big one.... approx 30 pounds.... the coins had been appropriated..... took 9 weeks to arrive..but it got here.......

Other and quite a few, have arrived with no problem, pretty fast and ALL there.

baccaruda

I'm going to write him and let him know of the risks and check his response. maybe i'll invite him here (we could always use another dark-sider).


thanks for your input Wayne. (you spelled "sour" correctly)

newbiecollector

fletch.... sorry I was typing (slowly) while you posted your reply....... I agree with the method (no experience with the practice) that you suggest.

As I stated early up in the thread........ I just received a large (read heavy) shipment......no problem.

The most expensive coin I have purchased (ebay BIN) was a 1937 Oregon. The seller said sip to USA only. I e-mailed and asked if I could BIN it, BIN was offered, if I paid immediately by paypal, I accepted the extra posting costs.

He replied that yes, but he did not know what the post cost would be could I give an idea. I replied that I had recieved several cions, in bubble packs and it ran $4.50 to 6.00 dollars.. I said can we agree on $10.00 extra for shipping...... the answer was YES, he shipped the coin in a buuble envelope.....it arrived with zero problems...... and of course I love it!
ps: the postage costs of the bubble pack was $4.50....... and I am 100% happy with offering and paying $10.00 for the shipping........... I got what I wanted, the seller was covered and I hope we are both pleased... I am!

relayer

Be sure to also click on the RESTRICTIONS link on the USPS site for that country.

I listed a dutch auction for 5 rolls of TN 25c at $9.99 and some guy in Italy sent me 3 emails asking the S/H. At first I looked and saw it would cost $8 to ship, but then I saw there was a restriction for coins which caused the cost to be raised to $17.

Amazingly, he bid on 2 rolls.

baccaruda

excellent, thanks for all the input!

1jester

Baccaruda, I'm encouraged that you're trying so hard to please this international bidder. That's the spirit! I agree that it's a good idea to send the coin attached to a piece of cardboard (or 2), and in a letter. I would add that in order to make the cardboard appear flat, you could cut a circular hole in the cardboard, the size of the coin, and slip the coin into the slot, so the whole thing is flat. Then it would be impossible to feel the coin inside, especially inside a bubble envelope. I agree with Newbie that it's not a good idea to list the contents as coins. "Supplies" sounds good.

Maybe it's not so strange for someone in Switzerland to want some high grade coins. They may or may not be so very available there. While mint state "bullion" coins are available in the US by the truckload, they might not be so available abroad.

Good luck.

beartracks42

baccaruda,
I once shipped bullion(Gold and Platinum) to a auction winner in Australia. We worked through the shipping and the fact that I could not insure the package, to both our satisfactions. Also, I declared the contents of the package to be "small machined pump parts" because of the US restrictions on shipping coins abroad. It all worked well...I shipped in a global priority envelope, as I recall.

Gary

baccaruda

yeah, these are some good ideas.

the coins are already in 2 x 2's so i wouldn't need to cut holes in the top sheet.

my biggest fear with the letter is that it might be run through a metal detector going thru customs. they'll see coins, gold coins, and then it'll be a feeding frenzy with them grabbing as much as they can stash away. i'm glad to hear a lot of people have had success.

i don't even know yet how serious he is about buying them or if he'll win at all, i just wanted to be ready just in case.

baccaruda

fletch i'm digging that CC dollar you have for sale and it just so happens i'm looking for one...