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Post office asked me what i was shipping....

I went to ship an item today, and I asked for $495 insurance. The post office clerk was kind of surprised. He asked me what was in there. It was a graded card wrapped in thick cardboard, and in a bubble mailer. I thought for a second before I gave my answer.....I told the truth. "It is a baseball card." He was a fifty plus year old Phillipine gentlemen.

I have heard of postal workers being accused of pocketing envelopes that had cards in them. Being that mine was fully insured with signature confirmation, I probably don't have to worry. But has anybody had postal workers question them on what they were insuring?

I didn't really feel that it was his business, but then again, I didn't want my package to become a security question mark or anything by being elusive with my answer. So I told the truth.

Which brings me to another post offic topic. If you are shipping an item paid via paypal and it is valuable, you have to get insurance AND signature confirmation. The post office always tells me that they have to sign for items insured over $50 dollars anyway, and that signature confirmation is not needed. I always tell them that it is protection for me so I don't get screwed(being that signature confirmation is accessed online, while insurance cannot be). Don't let the post office talk you out of the signature confirmation if it was paid via paypal. Stick to what will protect you.

Comments

  • A761506A761506 Posts: 1,309 ✭✭✭
    Why not just use registered mail for a $500 card and take no chances. Registed mail requires a signature to be delivered, delivery can be tracked on USPS, is completely accountable every step of the way by postal workers having to sign for it if they handle it, and it's much less likely to be damaged during shipping. A $500 graded card in a padded envelope with insurance is like $10 registered.
  • According to paypal rules you would still need delivery confirmation. Does registered mail include this?
  • KnucklesKnuckles Posts: 2,512 ✭✭✭
    I get asked quite often.. especially when I ask for $1,000 to $3,000 insurance and it's just a bubble mailer or small box.. So far no problems usualy the postal worker is blown away that a hockey card can be worth so much.
    image
  • Does registered mail include this?

    Registered mail is all about the tracking #. You can check it on the usps website. The package or bubble mailer if going registered
    must be signed for. However, the website does not show you who signed for it. It's usually best to pay the extra $2.25 I think for "return receipt" which is the green thing you fill out and when they sign it, it's sent back to you with the signature. IMO, anything over $500 should go registered mail and should be shipped in a small box of some sorts rather than a bubble mailer. The only time I've used a bubble mailer which is allowed with the gum tape sealing
    the mailer lip is when someone in Canada wants me to ship it
    insured. If it goes insured to Canada, then it must go registered
    mail which is the only insured way. It's the best way to send
    valuables. No point shipping something worth lets say $800 by
    priority mail or first class. Factor in the insurance cost of $9.20 to cover for the $800 plus the weight postage and it's pretty close
    to the registered mail cost. Registered mail starts at $7.50 for the
    service; then add on the weight postage, and insurance is cheaper
    for some reason. It's not the regular insurance rate. It's a cheaper
    rate....don't know why but I've never complained. And yes, it makes me nervous when they ask what is inside. I just shipped a registered package to PSA this past Monday and insured for $900. This soft spoken slow (not dumb, but in movement) female asian clerk made me very nervous. I had to remind her to roll date the whole box, and remind her it was insured because she missed it. After her looking at the address and looking at the insured amount, she asked the dreaded question...."what you have in here"? I just told her I had sports collectibles. I feel that they shouldn't have to ask this because they always ask me "do you have any liquids, perishables, or potentially hazardous materials in here" as soon as I bring my stuff to the counter.

    My Graded Football & Hockey Gem Mint Auctions
  • yawie99yawie99 Posts: 2,575 ✭✭✭
    The one time I had to file a USPS insurance claim, the clerk who helped me with the paperwork said it was almost assuredly an inside job. I shipped a PSA 9 Kevin Lowe rookie, which was only insured for about $75 or so, to a guy in Michigan and the only thing that arrived was a ripped open padded envelope and the pieces of cardboard and rubberbands I used to sandwich the card for extra protection. The irony is that despite what the clerk said, it was a complete pain in the arse getting reimbursed. I think the claim was even rejected at first.

    My mail lady asked me the other day about what it is that I'm always receiving in mailers and little boxes, but I think she was just curious.
    imageimageimageimageimageimage
  • DirtyHarryDirtyHarry Posts: 1,917 ✭✭✭
    I believe you only have to respond that it's "merchandise" if asked. They are supposed to ask you if it's liquid, fragile, perishable, hazardous, etc....
    Proud of my 16x20 autographed and framed collection - all signed in person. Not big on modern - I'm stuck in the past!
  • pcpc Posts: 743
    tell them the truth and they'll look out for you.
    lie and you'll get what you deserve.
    Money is your ticket to freedom.
  • MantlefanMantlefan Posts: 1,079 ✭✭
    I prefer Priority mail since boxes, tape and labels are FREE.

    $3.85 plus $.55 get you an on-line trackable package, so I charge my bidders $5. The buyer pays for insurance which is reasonable up to about $500. It does get high after $500, but most of my sales are for less than that.
    Frank

    Always looking for 1957 Topps BB in PSA 9!
  • i shipped a manlte card once and the postal guy wanted me to reopen it so he could see it...not a chance!
  • AllenAllen Posts: 7,165 ✭✭✭
    Do you ever wonder about the postal workers. I mean what if someone with reasonable card knowledge is working there, you can spot the packages that likely contain cards rather easily. Anytime i get a package with a tear or anythng I always wonder.
  • i have a friend who works in large postal facility and he says people get caught(& fired) and escorted out all the time.i guess they have cameras watching. anyway thats what he told me.
  • Has anyone had difficulty shipping to PSA? I shipped (registered) roughly 180 cards eight days ago, and have yet to hear anything. Checking the USPS website, I discovered the package arrived in Newport Beach five days ago, but has not yet been received by PSA. Included in this package were several high end cards. Living on the Right Coast (Virginia), I am always a bit nervous mailing cards across country. Any feedback would be greatly apprecitated.
  • NJ Meathook:

    Don't freak just yet. Thanksgiving was in there.

    I shipped two different submissions in one box on Monday, November 21, also from Jersey. Inside that package were a dozen or so cards for my '53 registry set (including the Jackie and the Jim Gilliam rookie), seven or eight cards for my '61 set, and a really nice '62 Al Kaline AS. I sent it via priority mail.

    NOTHING, for days. I was checking the website several times a day, no record of the package having arrived. I was having a heart attack, particularly because I didn't think I'd ever be able to replace the '53 Gilliam with one as nice as the one I sent.

    YESTERDAY, it showed up as having been received on 11/30. Today, the grades were posted on one of the two submissions.

    In the meantime, I submitted a bunch of modern cards, and I sent them overnight on 11/29 (not knowing the November special was going to be extended). So I'm not going to worry about those submissions not showing up on the website, either. PSA must just be a little behind in entering the data.

    -Al
  • I converted along time ago from sports to old vintage and current non-sports. We can get into that later....Anyway- It still makes my stomach hurt till I get those cards back in my hands that they are out there somewhere! I wonder if PSA has ever lost an order or lost a card....
    And I don't care if it is a $1 common to build a set or a $100 card- my stomach still hurts....

    2nd post....but a long time lurker!
  • magellanmagellan Posts: 2,099 ✭✭✭
    Guys, I called PSA customer service today because I was a little concerned about a submission I sent in (because of the postal clerk being a little uncertain on procedures for registered). There was nothing on PSA's site about it being received (not logged in ) nor anything on the PO's tracking site but the package was there at PSA . The service rep on the phone was very nice (I neglected to get her name) and it sounds like they are pretty backed up with orders from the Nov. , now DEc. special. Give them a chance to work through the tons of cards they're receiving.

    Dave
    Topps Heritage

    Now collecting:
    Topps Heritage

    1957 Topps BB Ex+-NM
    All Yaz Items 7+
    Various Red Sox
    Did I leave anything out?
  • This backup happened the last time they had the $5 special. But I believe they had a set deadline date last time.

    Hopefully they wont be too backed up for long. Thats frustrating.
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