Best and safest way to ship over $1K of coins from USA to Australia?

lordmarcovan

Help?

I am out of my depth here, as most of my international transactions have been modest enough that there has been no need for insurance coverage or special shipping.

Registered Mail is the safest way to go domestically, but that does not seem to be an International option.

There is Global Priority Mail with added insurance, but what about Customs? Would declaring the full value be akin to putting a "Steal Me" sticker on the package? I have been through the living hell of a domestic USPS insurance claim (with no satisfaction, I might add), so I am extra gun-shy when one puts the International aspect on the table.

This is an important deal and I want it to go through safely and smoothly. I trust the party on the other end (a respected member of this forum), but I am inexperienced in such large shipments overseas.

I have been to the USPS website but left it rather confused.

Hyperion

<< <i>Help?

I am out of my depth here, as most of my international transactions have been modest enough that there has been no need for insurance coverage or special shipping.

Registered Mail is the safest way to go domestically, but that does not seem to be an International option.

There is Global Priority Mail with added insurance, but what about Customs? Would declaring the full value be akin to putting a "Steal Me" sticker on the package? I have been through the living hell of a domestic USPS insurance claim (with no satisfaction, I might add), so I am extra gun-shy when one puts the International aspect on the table.

This is an important deal and I want it to go through safely and smoothly. I trust the party on the other end (a respected member of this forum), but I am inexperienced in such large shipments overseas.

I have been to the USPS website but left it rather confused. >>



when in doubt, play by the rules. GPM with insurance with full declared value. if insured, if they really want to steal the package, they're going to take it no matter what. and in the extremely low % even something does happen, you dont be stuck in some insurance claim nightmare trying to claim the full value X while the decl. value was Y.

Ive shipped to europe and china a few times with zero issues.

OzzyAndy

Just a note that any package arriving in Australia with over A$1000 value has to have tax paid on it to get it in the country, basicly customs gives you a note and when you ring them they tell you that you need to get a customs broker. The broker costs about $100-200 and then tax of about 10% is payable. You also need paperwork to prove the value of the item.

I tend to keep purchases from overseas to less than $1000 for this reason, is too much hassle, plus the extra tax. If it's more than 1 item, I would split it then send the packages about a week apart. I havn't bought any single items over $1000 since my customs experience, and I'll wait to fly overseas and buy personally for any that I want. I have got many insured packages from Germany and never had one dissapear, I don't think the postal employees go for anything insured because it would be too easy to trace back to their area.

Andy

7Jaguars

I use FedEx to England.

newbiecollector

I thought I had read on here that FedX will not take and/or insure coins. Am I wrong?

varney

I have been involved in a lot of high value transactions from USA to Australia must say its very safe and Ive never had anything lost. Some dealers simply send invoice separatelyby regular airmail , declare a nominal value for the coin shipment, call it a numismatic token and send it registered. You can go global express mail with tracking for more information and speed.

Its very expensive to insure high value shipments and you would be best to do it privately through a broker familiar with numismatics.- if you go that way I wouldnt bother with DHL and Fed Ex stick to the USPS all you need is signed for confirmation at both ends which you get with Gl Ex Mail

lordmarcovan

Thanks, all.

So to avoid sticking my customer with an awful customs headache, I should perhaps break it into smaller shipments, then?