Getting your money's worth...

coppercoins

I just shipped 100 rolls of Lincoln cents out via USPS 2-day priotiry for a whopping $19.25 - the postal guy looked at me like I was a lunatic, then said, "looks like you're getting your money's worth." Yep!!

5 flat-rate envelopes (with special home made inserts to house the rolls) - $3.85 ea. X 5 (20 rolls per pack) - $19.25

If anyone here is interested in seeing images of the inserts I made that house and protect up to 20 rolls of cents, 18 rolls of nickels, or 24 rolls of dimes, let me know...I can take them.

sinin1

20 rolls must weigh around 6-7 pounds - does the flat-pak $3.85 price not have a weight limit?

coppercoins

Nope...no weight limit. Their loss, and yes...it's close to 7 pounds per package. I get to ship with this method at less than 60 cents a pound, and they have to have it there in less than 4 days! I figured they would have closed that loophole, but I've been doing this for three years now. It costs even less now than it used to - the flat rate used to be $3.95, and they reduced it to $3.85.

greghansen

Yes, I would like to see the inserts. I'll look at them as soon as I regain my senses after hitting myself up side of the head and saying...'why didn't I think of that'!

coppercoins

Okay, first of all - this probably isn't for the people who ship heavier things on an infrequent basis. It involves some set-up time that isn't worth saving a couple of bucks in postage unless it means saving hundreds of dollars a year doing it like I do. I spend on average 12 hours a year cutting and preparing these inserts. With that out of the way, here goes..

The insert is made of 1" thick foam board insulation. I bought mine at Home Depot. It costs about $10 a sheet and you can get about 24 of these inserts out of a single sheet, for a finished cost of about 40 cents each plus time.

Image 1 shows the cut insert. Its finished outside dimensions are 8.25" X 11.5". The inside dimensions are up to you. I cut mine out with a band saw. The edges are beveled at 45 degrees with a table saw. 8 rips per insert, both sides are beveled for that snug fit in a flat envelope.



Image 2 shows the insert minus the center with a couple of pieces of cardboard cut to fit as "lids". I get the cardboard free, so it doesn't add to the cost.



Image 3 shows a partially loaded insert. You can load it full as shown with 20 rolls of cents in paper wrappers - if tubes are used, a slightly different arrangement is necessary for fewer rolls per insert. I never ship in tubes...they break, are a hassle, etc. Paper is lighted (not that it matters) but also doesn't break.

You can cut pieces of the removed center to stuff between the rolls for added protection if you are not going to completely fill the insert. Since the dimension of the center is exactly the same size as the hole, cut linear strips to stick between the pairs of rolls, and you have a perfect fit every time. I space the rolls out if shipping fewer than a full insert to help with weight distribution.



And the final image, a priority flat-rate envelope with the insert snugly fitting inside. I use a single strip of tape across the flap to secure it, and according to regulations that's all you can use - but they typically don't care if you use more unless the package is a global (international) flat rate package. In that case they are strict about one piece of tape to secure the bundle.



And that's it...as much weight as you want with a form-fitted insert for protection, and plenty of extra material to secure the items into the center of the insert. Since it's foam, it doesn't weigh much, so it adds little to the overall weight of the package.

And that's my Helouise Hint for the day.

pontiacinf

I JUST BOUGHT 5000 CENTS


hope he knows how ta ship em...maybe you can email him for me

MacCoin

Bill what are you going to do with 5000 pennies?

BigD5

Hey, that's a great method of shipping that stuff. Now I'll have to start saving all that rigid foam packaging material from all my kids toys!!!!!

I end up shipping a lot of items Priority/FlatRate. Anything small, that has some weight to it. I don't take as advantage in the way you have, but I've done it too.

coindaughter

Great job, CD! Thanks for showing us.

oreville

Coppercoins way of shipping is the best!

But I hold the world's record for shipping the most number of cent rolls by USPS!

I once shipped 38 cent rolls in one package

and 27 clad quarter rolls in another package.

All flat pak rate.

Russ

Bump for an excellent idea.

Russ, NCNE

Spinynorman

I remember that, Oreville, but didn't you just tape all of the paper rolls together?

That's cool to finally see your version, Chuck. When I borrowed the idea from you, I just made cut-outs for each roll with an x-acto knife. I think the most I ever shipped was about a dozen rolls that way, though.

TWQG

the way to ship rolls

jimtre

I tried that and put a piece of tape on the flap and they said that WAS NOT allowed and I would have to pay regular priority rates!!

Tootawl

ttt

JadeRareCoin

Cool idea!!! You must have a nice postal worker at your branch. I was told that I could not use ANY tape on a Priority Flat Rate envelope the other day. I asked "why not?", and she told me that it was to prevent people from putting too much stuff into the cheaper Flat Rate envelope. The ironic......and funny....thing was that I was only shipping a few pages of a document and the envelope was clearly not over-stuffed. In fact the envelope itself weighed more than my contents. That particular worker is just a bich.

thebeav

Great Idea !! Thank you !!
Paul

eyoung429

Thanks for the idea!!!!