Well, I'm getting ready to put up a lot or two of stuff for sale here on CP, the only thing stopping me is the shipping.
I'd like help mostly on packaging the coins (Should I use a bubble mailer? 2x2's?Flips?No 2x2's/flips?How do you package your coins?) but I'd also like a fellow Canuck to help me with the actual mailing part of this - Do I stick a stamp on it and put it in the mailbox, or go the a Postal Office?
Any other tips/tricks/advice is great too

Thanks so so so sos so sos so sososososososososo much :D:D:D

Usually, put everything into a 2x2, and flatten the staples. If it's one or two smaller coins that aren't thick (ie. small cent), putting the coins in the middle of an #10 letter envelope is fine. It may be best to put in two pieces of cardboard to help conceal and protect the coins. (Use cereal, cookie boxes)

For a bunch of items, use a bubble envelope. Be warned that use of such puts you in the "oversize" weight classes, and that any package thicker than 2 cm is a "packet" and is thus charged an even higher price for the same weight. So try to keep the package flat.

Regarding whether or not to go to the post office - that's your choice if you already know the postage.

You will most likely be asked to fill out a customs declaration form if you mail at a PO.

well i didnt send mail anywhere but i will soon 2 dustin.... i think a bubble mailer is the best choice an u must do it at the post office if its coins, medals or w/e an a mailbox if its banknotes or thin stuff

do u get the buble mailer from the ost office or like walmart????

i don know i saw some in geant (its our hyper market like walmart ) so i think u can get em from both places

alrighty thanks !!!!

anytime

Another way to mail coins and stay under the 2cm or 1/4" thickness making it a packet is to trace holes around something the coins size on regular cardboard, cut it out with a razor or very sharp knife, take the corrugated part off of the cut out piece, place the coin in the cardboard, and then tape over the cutout piece back over the hole. It is a method I learned from Russian collectors, you have to be clever and non-inviting when sending coins in the mail in Russia.

nice idea scott

I use the same technique as Scottishmoney when sending coins. I have found that you can send 25-30 coins before the weight bumps you into the next category when shipping internationally. (Not sure if it's much different to the US, as those rates are always lower.) This also helps to keep things flat and helps ensure the package makes it all the way to the other person intact.

One thing I will point out is to make sure on the customs declaration form, indicate that you are sending "numismatic items". If you put "coins", they may never make it, and in some cases it is illegal to mail coins. "Numismatic items" are still correct terminology, and in my opinion, even more correct than "coins". You are sending items that are collectible, and as such, have value only to the collector.

So far, I've never had a package go missing using these methods.

Similarly I use "Metal Stampings" on customs forms They in fact are stamped metal objects. When I have mailed banknotes I say they are antique prints.

you have to fill out customs forms??????

I hope Daggit doesn't mind my saying how she has mailed coins, I have bought three lots of coins from her in the past couple of months and they have been placed in little baggies, one per baggy, and then taped to cardboard with no coins overlapping. I have gotten as many as a couple of dozen Dutch coins and Swiss coins this way. And she avoided the dreaded Canadian customs form on them, and they got here very quickly.

Going out of the country, if it is more than flat letter size, yep. It used to be easy in the USA, but now our Post Office is just as persnickety as the Canada Post. And really it is only cheaper in the USA for flat letters now, it used to be cheaper in every spectrum of the mail, registered, etc. A lot of Canadian dealers near the US border would open a P.O. Box on the US side and mail from there instead. But nowadays with the US$ losing value against the Canadian $, and the hassles going over the border this doesn't happen so much. The changes in the US postal rates back in May are also a huge factor.

ive gotton coins from austailia taped inside of a card and she even noted coins under my address....

I have had eBay bidders send me loose coins in payment with dollar bills for eBay items. I am amazed sometimes that the post office doesn't rip them out of the envelope. When I have gotten mail from Russia the stamps were all ripped off the envelope though. Especially during the USSR days, when they had hammers and sickles on the stamps.

i havent sent coins to anyone yet but will monday hopefully they will make it.. i send alot of cash throught the mail and havent gotton ripped off yet... im gettin ready to buy a1963B 1 Franc XF from switerland i cant wait

ur startin to collect swiss coins !!!!!! i got some extras if u want

could u take pics of em i just seen the one and bam i wanted it!!

sure ill try my camera is not clear ^_^ eheheh sonyericsson k800i i grab the cable later an upload em 2 u with pms ill try 2 make em clear

sounds good to me!!

Customs >.< Sounds like fun >.<
Dustin - I got my bubble mailers from CP contests
Interesting idea with the cardboard-is that really enough protection?
Thanks guys!

I reuse mailers and such all the time.

My last shipment never showed up at it intended destination and that was in the US.

OK! Here in former Soviet area we have some stupidities in laws and some "people in need" working in post offices!

First: Law
Just for example: Latvian law prohibits sending outside the country any items older than 50 years without permission of State Inspection of Culturial Artefacts (Or sth like that). The permission costs at last 5 lats (about US$ 10,-) for each(!) item.
Sth like that works in all post-Soviet countries. It's no more than 2 years ago a coin collector from Russia was sentenced to couple years in prisson for attempting to send outside the state 4 chinese coins of less than US$ 20,- value.

Second: Law again
Law prohibits sending money in uninsured postage or at post at all.
Everything that can be ripped off w/o damage of envelope will be ripped! Either by postmen who has a Ls 120,- (US$ 240,-) salary, either by officials at customs. In 2nd case it may come with damage.
That's what you encounter if you're going to send "in silence"
If you're trying to send coins openly, be prepeared: this law concerns any coins in circulation too!

Third: People
See the p.2! Workers of post-office. Even a registred letter can be ripped if not formed correctly

If you're sending MONEY:
1) If you're sending money avoid any currency containing mettalics, f.e. Brittish pounds.
2) Put your money between carton sheets or porstcards AND stick it with tape
3) Put the tape on "closing" of envelope!

If you're sending COINS:
There are many ways to avoid controls and "controls". Usually I do as follows:
Padded envelope, a piece of carton taken from box of electronics such as TV or Washing machine in a shape of postcard. Then:
1) Cut the holes in shape of coins, but better:
2) Cut the one large space to put eth in and cover it with real postcard, finished by tape.
After go to the PO and send it as Registred letter! If asked why in such a envelope, say sth like "important papers! Last time came smashed!"

AND:

I wonder if it's remain of Soviet (and American too) "spy" period. Very popular manner of sending microfilm outside the state was putting it under stamp. Does it works till now?

I think someone in the US post office just wanted the USSR stamps. This particular instance was from Mezhnumismatika in Moskva, but in the early 1990's I got mail from the USSR and then Russia about once a week.

Wow, thrown in jail for ?!YEARS!? because of mailing 4 coins!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
What a fun world
It's about the same in Poland too, but I took a few coins when I visited family, no problems there.

the worlds a cruel place i dont see why we cant send money to countries for collecting...

yea >_> they evuuuuuullll!!!! x)

nah there juss tight dun want us to have a good collection..

exactly thats y they evuuuuullll!!!! >_< xD

It costs at least 5 bucks to ship package 23.5x17.5x1.5 weighing 212 grams!?!?

friggin gas prices!!!!

Tele-portation would solve so many problems...