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 Replies: 11 / Views: 7,900 |
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Valued Member
United States
385 Posts |
hi, I sold a very rare German 10 Reich-Pfennig Coin worth $300 on ebay and am wondering which is the most secure and fastest way of shipping it. I've read some really bad reviews about Registered Mail that it takes around 1-2 weeks for a package to be delivered but on the other hand overnight express sounds secure too if I buy insurance (costs around $20 total). Which service would you choose? Please let me know, thanks for your help. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7840 Posts |
If within the U.S. UPSS Priority Mail Flat Rate box, insured would be my choice.
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
 Don't forget to get Signature Confirmation as well - it's required for sales over $250. |
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Valued Member
291 Posts |
$300 is not really worth sending Registered.
I'd put in a padded mailer, send it 1st Class, insured with signature confirmation.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19937 Posts |
USPS priority, insured with signature confirmation. I probably wouldn't use flat rate, it's likely more expensive than using your own box. Flat rate is only good for heavy items.
Lincoln Cent Lover!VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5825 Posts |
Flat rate box is better, if you use the postage online through ebay it will save you the DC fee and cheaper rate on Priority mail. Signature confirmation is required on insured item over $250 like SuperDave said. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10982 Posts |
I agree with Senex, "300 is not really worth sending Registered. I'd put in a padded mailer, send it 1st Class, insured with signature confirmation."
Over $200 of USPS insurance automatically adds "Signature required". You can usually get $300 insurance on a 1st Class "Package/Thick Envelope" and keep the total cost under $7.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Safest is Registered, Fastest is overnight express but very expensive. Most sensible for a $300 package is flat rate Priority with insurance and signature confirmation. You sacrifice some speed but the cost is much lower than either of the other two ways. (Registered becomes cheaper once the value rises above about $800. but then you are again sacrificing some more speed.) Once it gets over about $1200 the question really becomes whether you are willing to pay a lot to get it there a little quicker because over that level the cost of priority insured rises a lot faster than Registered. Once it reaches the $5000 level you pretty much have to go registered because that is the only service level you can insure for more than $5,000. Registered can be insured to $25,000. From where I am a flat rate overnight express insured for $300 and mailed across the country with return receipt (They do not offer signature confirmation) is $23.50 A priority flat rate small box, with $300 insurance and signature confirmation is $12.75 So you are paying almost twice as much to get it there one to two days sooner. And the express mail way does not give you the signature confirmation that ebay requires. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2077 Posts |
For one pound or under, the regular priority mail rates are better than the flat rate.
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Bedrock of the Community
13014 Posts |
Also if you print your labels online through USPS (can only do priority or express) you get free tracking lowering the cost a bit and the boxes are slightly cheaper as well
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Valued Member
United States
359 Posts |
Registered is slow. It is handled separately from other packages and is signed off at each hand-off. I recently send something registered and it took a full 7 days to get to the destination half way across the US. Insurance is included up to $25K, but it did cost around $19 for the small shipment. And talk about the process at the post office. I had to have all seams in the box taped, all joints in that tape stamped, all to provide security. Go flat rate priority, insured through ebay with signature confirmation. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:
Insurance is included up to $25K, but it did cost around $19 for the small shipment. For lower values Registered isn't cost effective but as I mentioned once you get above around $800 or so Registered does become cheaper and it gets cheaper quick I believe by the time you get to $2000 Registered is only half the cost of Priority insured. |
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Replies: 11 / Views: 7,900 |
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Posted 09/12/2012 08:00 am
