Priority Mail and insurance

rooksmith

Do you feel comfortable sending coins though the mail without insurance if they are being sent Priority? I've never made a claim on the USPS insurance, but I read that in order to make a claim you have to prove the value of the item. With metal prices through the roof, the chances of a theft might be higher.

I'm about to send in a submission to PCGS , and was wondering if anyone ever had problems with priority boxes not making to PCGS. (i.e., lost or stolen).

Ahrensdad

I would feel more comfortable self insuring up to a point, but would prefer registered mail.

derryb

With insurance, I find registered to be cheaper than priority on anything insured over $750. PCGS returned my last submission ($4K) priority. They must have third party insurance now.

AUandAG

Priority can be insured up to $5k. Got to figure what your self insurance comfort level would
be, and perhaps if the coins are replaceable. I've sent Priority to PCGS not insured with absolutely
no problem. But, on hard to replace coins I think differently.

bob

derryb

Keep in mind the closer the shipment gets to Newport Beach, the more chances of someone (including postal employees) knowing that PCGS means coins.

19Lyds

<< <i>Do you feel comfortable sending coins though the mail without insurance if they are being sent Priority? I've never made a claim on the USPS insurance, but I read that in order to make a claim you have to prove the value of the item. With metal prices through the roof, the chances of a theft might be higher.

I'm about to send in a submission to PCGS , and was wondering if anyone ever had problems with priority boxes not making to PCGS. (i.e., lost or stolen). >>

PCGS does not like Priority Mail and will forgive you once or maybe even twice but will most assuradly remind you that Insured Express Mail or Registered Mail is whats called for on the submission form.

Express Mail is efficient but Registered is slow. Priority Mail is a definite no-no.

BAJJERFAN

The value that you put on the PCGS form would be the value that you would claim in the event of an insurable loss. If you go priority and no other service you are setting yourself up to get screwed. A person could look and see no form of tracking, steal your package and you would be SOL.

LindeDad

I have used Priorty Mail Small flat rate boxes with Signature Service added when submitting lower value moderns submissions with no problems.
I feel that I can feel about as safe as the insurer as what I sit down to a poker table with. Above that I get out the tape and add registed with insurance to the box by taping the seams and making the trip to the post office.

Edit to add that the key is to use a service that requires someone to sign for it and provides tracking.

BAJJERFAN

<< <i>

Edit to add that the key is to use a service that requires someone to sign for it and provides tracking.
>>



$300 insurance will do just.

LindeDad

<< <i>

<< <i>

Edit to add that the key is to use a service that requires someone to sign for it and provides tracking.
>>



$300 insurance will do just. >>



Signature service cost $2.05
Insurance at $300.00 costs $4.75And yes you have to sign for both.

rooksmith

I'll admit that in the past I sent in submissions with low value coins using "Priority" and "Delivery Confirmation", which is kind of risky. Link to article on certified vs priority mail with delivery confirmation.

I like the Delivery Confirmation to be able to track a package. But from what I understand Registered is much safter. Registered with insurance for the more valuable stuff, and a good packing tape with printing on it seems necessary.

Postal insurance is cheap, but I wonder how painful it is to prove the value of the item. After all, the whole idea of assigning value to the coin depends on the grade, and the current price which is in flux.

19Lyds

<< <i>I'll admit that in the past I sent in submissions with low value coins using "Priority" and "Delivery Confirmation", which is kind of risky. Link to article on certified vs priority mail with delivery confirmation.

I like the Delivery Confirmation to be able to track a package. But from what I understand Registered is much safter. Registered with insurance for the more valuable stuff, and a good packing tape with printing on it seems necessary.

Postal insurance is cheap, but I wonder how painful it is to prove the value of the item. After all, the whole idea of assigning value to the coin depends on the grade, and the current price which is in flux. >>

The value of what you submit amounts to what you PAID for the items.
The value you declare on the submission form is based upon what you HOPE PCGS will grade them as.

In other words, if you spent $3750 on an MS65 1879-O Morgan and submitted it to PCGS in the HOPE that it would upgrade to MS66, your insured value on the submission is based upon the $3750, not the $25,000 for the hopefully MS66 grade.

Tdec1000

<< <i>

<< <i>Do you feel comfortable sending coins though the mail without insurance if they are being sent Priority? I've never made a claim on the USPS insurance, but I read that in order to make a claim you have to prove the value of the item. With metal prices through the roof, the chances of a theft might be higher.

I'm about to send in a submission to PCGS , and was wondering if anyone ever had problems with priority boxes not making to PCGS. (i.e., lost or stolen). >>

PCGS does not like Priority Mail and will forgive you once or maybe even twice but will most assuradly remind you that Insured Express Mail or Registered Mail is whats called for on the submission form.

Express Mail is efficient but Registered is slow. Priority Mail is a definite no-no. >>



I have never had any problems sending registered and insured and I send in about 25 to 30 submissions a year.

AUandAG

Express Mail is efficient but Registered is slow. Priority Mail is a definite no-no. >>



Really? A no-no? That's how they sent them back to me. I think that Priority is just fine.

bob

emzee

USPS charges priority mail rates (not first class or parcel post rates) for all registered mail. Depending on weight of the package, actual postage cost can be cheaper using priority mail flat rate box to ship, rather than one's own packaging, particularly since the USPS box is free. Of course, the registered mail fee and insurance charge are the same regardless of packaging. TPG's frequently ship in flat rate boxes for this reason.

Michael

19Lyds

<< <i>Express Mail is efficient but Registered is slow. Priority Mail is a definite no-no. >>



Really? A no-no? That's how they sent them back to me. I think that Priority is just fine.

bob >>

Read the submission form:

LindeDad

Lee that line on the form has been there since before there was Priorty mail I think.

PCGS uses Priorty Mail with Signature Service added to ship the orders back to us now and yes they self insure. Even they gave up on the slow poke Registered.

BAJJERFAN

<< <i>
PCGS uses Priorty Mail with Signature Service added to ship the orders back to us now and yes they self insure. Even they gave up on the slow poke Registered.

>>



More than likely they got fed up with fielding complaints about stuff that wasn't their fault or that they couldn't do anything about.

derryb

<< <i>USPS charges priority mail rates (not first class or parcel post rates) for all registered mail. >>


Not true.

For registered under 13 oz. shipper has two options, first class plus registered or priority plus registered. First class registered is cheaper than priority registered. If you don't request first class registered for items under 13 oz. chances are the clerk will charge you the higher priority rate. All registered shipments over 13 oz. are required to be charged the priority (higher rate) plus the registered fee.

As we all know registered priority moves at the registered snail pace. Paying the priority rate does not expedite a registered shipment. And yes, you can take advantage of priority flat rate boxes when shipping registered.

Registered Mail is a USPS "extra service" of first class or priority mail and fees for it are in addition to postage. For those that want signature confirmation with registered mail it is cheaper to request "electronic return receipt" at the counter, no form required. You will get the same on-line viewing of the signature for your item and it is accessible using your registered mail number. Paypal also recognizes electronic return receipt to satisfy their signature confirmation requirement.

USPS Extra Services

19Lyds

<< <i>Lee that line on the form has been there since before there was Priorty mail I think.

PCGS uses Priorty Mail with Signature Service added to ship the orders back to us now and yes they self insure. Even they gave up on the slow poke Registered.

>>

all I;m saying is that I got a polite reminder that Registered or Insured Express was the method to be used fir shipping submissions after I'd sent 2 or 3 submissions in Priority Mail.

AMRC

It is all about if you provide your own insurance or not. I send some things to our hosts Priority Mail all of the time. It is covered by they insurance up to a certain dollar amount Over a certain amount they require I use FedEx. BUT if you do not carry your insurance, Registred Mail is the way to go.

jessewvu

USPS Insurance is pretty much a joke. You are ONLY insuring yourself against loss or damage. It's pretty hard to damage a package now-a-days, losing one is even harder. Just package your item very well, and use the money to buy alcohol until your package is delivered.

Tape EVERY edge, and put clear tape across your label. I've only had one issue with a lost item in 10 years on eBay, with a package that was not taped properly I guess. I've sent a couple thousand packages via USPS. The only problem I ever had was with a dishonest person that said their coin was not in the package. PayPal gave them their money back after he lied several times and actually contradicted himself on his second PayPal "Item not as described" claim. The first claim he submitted was "Item not received". I submitted his signature confirmation and then he changed his story.

jessewvu

<< <i>Lee that line on the form has been there since before there was Priorty mail I think.

PCGS uses Priorty Mail with Signature Service added to ship the orders back to us now and yes they self insure. Even they gave up on the slow poke Registered.

>>



You can send something at the flat rate box rate registered, or at least I have in the recent past.