Packing Question

joltinjoe

I just sold a PSA/DNA graded letter of a former baseball player for $200. I plan on sending it USPS Priority Mail with insurance. I plan to put the letter in a Cardboard Gold 8" by 12" Top Loader. My question is will it be safe from damage if I put the Top Loader containing the letter in one of those Priority Mail envelopes or should I put it in a box?

ajw

The boxes are free, so why not?

joltinjoe

{ The boxes are free, so why not? }

My local Post Office only had a much bigger size which would be overkill.

jrdolan

I'd put it in your own box and send it Priority. The cost will be the same as if you had the PO Priority box. I wouldn't send a $200 photo in an envelope unless it had mucho stiff protection.

ctsoxfan

Those Priority Mail envelopes don't fit in most mailboxes, either - so guess how the mailman sometimes gets it in there? Yep, they fold or bend them. I agree - use your own small box, or check another PO for the small Priority boxes.

jrdolan

On a related note, my PO told me they don't stock certain sizes of Priority boxes any more, at least not the small video-size mailers that are perfect for small shipments of cards. They are available free from USPS.com, you can order as many as you want of any size Priority box. Even delivery is free. I do a lot of Priority shipping of cards and smaller items, so I order 100 at a time. It's not really worth it for a one-time thing.

ctsoxfan

Thanks for the tip, jrdolan - those video mailer type boxes are perfect, I use them all the time. My local PO still has them, but I didn't know you could order them from the USPS web site. Thanks!

baird34

jrdolan: where on the usps website can you order those priority boxes? i tried to look around there for a bit, maybe i'm blind, but i couldnt find them. thanks... they would definetly be a lot of help!!

joltinjoe

{I wouldn't send a $200 photo in an envelope}

It's not a photo but a handwritten letter. I already put it into one of those Priority Mail envelopes but it's in a large plastic Card Board Gold top holder. I was thinking about removing it and putting it in a box, but I did a "bend" test...those Top Loaders are pretty damn flexible and no visible damage was done even by benfing it a whole lot.

habs71

<< <i>where on the usps website can you order those priority boxes? i tried to look around there for a bit, maybe i'm blind, but i couldnt find them. thanks... they would definetly be a lot of help!! >>



Here's the link....



USPS Supplies


A word of warning..Don't misuse the boxes!....they nailed a guy from Costa Mesa for using the free boxes and wrapping them in brown paper, and shipping via media mail. Opened all his packages, something like 60 or so, sent him a letter to come to the PO, then charged him Priority shipping on all of them. A friend of ours who works at the PO showed me the memo all the POs received..basically to watch for USPS boxes being misued. It may get through this time, but next time..maybe not.




Skip

ctsoxfan

Thanks, Skip!

baird34

thanks!

stormsurge

Informative posts! Thanks!