Postage From US To Aus

My best guess, if nobody stops in, would be https://www.usps.com and check under rates. If you have a 24hr post office close to home, stop in and ask. I love having my 24hr USPS next to my office, I am always stoping in the middle of the night shipping and asking question. After all these years, I still can't seem to get my stuff right by the time my turn comes to move up to the counter.

That's not bad at all.

Does anyone know.."Why?".. there is such a prohibition?
When you visit Australia you have to "declare" if you are bringing in more than $10,000 AUS into the country. If you do declare that you are bringing in a larger amount, the immigration department just want to know your not "money Laundrying".

There is suppose to be a "Free Trade" agreement between the two countries.

Many coins are traded between colectors from these two countries without a problem. Are the law makers actually trying to stop this trade? I doubt it. It does prove the old saying "The law is a butt."

I use Global Priority most of the time

but if you send a padeed envelope the additional cost to post it is US $7.90
The chart for all of the rates is located here
http://pe.usps.gov/text/imm/immicl/...lab_012.html
all the special services and insurance rates are at the bottom of the page.

I do believe there is a distinct difference between MONEY and COLLECTABLES when it comes to postal regulations. And the reference is in regards to money laundering, smuggling or counterfeiting. As I have stated many times before, NEVER mention money, coins,or banknotes on the customs declaration. You are sending a numismatic sample, hobby items or a collectable token! When at all possible I DO NOT insure the package and I seldom claim a value of more than $20 on the customs declaration. Lets face it, if customs opens the package and there are $3.85 cents worth of coins inside that is all they can assume as long as you don't put a receipt inside for $1300.00! It is best NOT to send receipts but can place a note for the set of coins or gift you are sending the recipient. Sadly it is all a game we must play when shipping "collectables" to our numismatic friends around the world. If all the countries, and there are many, actually forbid the sending of collectable coins there would be NO way to collect foreign coins unless you visited each respective nation you were interested in and even then customs could stop you from leaving with their coinage. It all boils down to common sense and thinking before you launch a package of troubles!
At this time I am waiting for a gold and silver ducats from the Netherlands. The orginal mint boxes, that the coins left the mint in, will be shipped in a seperate package due to their rather large size. If customs wishes to open the package all they will find is worthless empty containers for some very nice coins. The coins will already be here in the states by the time that large box gets to the U.S. Nothing illegal has been done as we only took the extra step in an effort to guarantee the safe passage of both the coins and the original mint issued containers. Neither will be insured as, in my humble opinion, that big red stamp declaring the package is insured is like turning on a beacon that says "SOMETHING VALUABLE INSIDE"? I have not lost a package (knock on wood) in 5 years of shipping around the world. Did have one recipient claim one didn't come, and it was to a very very safe nation, so I knew I was dealing with a trader I didn't want to deal with any longer. One must get used to the idea of shipping coins around the world and the first year I was always on edge worrying about my shipments. I finally relaxed and now it is old hat! Of course I know where to send by air mail and where to send by REGISTERED MAIL and the folks on the other end have always advised me what is BEST when sending to their country! Good luck and always remember it is a GIFT when checking off the customs declaration.