Return shipping is $15 per box, and this will provide UNINSURED* Priority US Mail with Signature Confirmation (not "Delivery Confirmation" which only means the Postal Service left it outside the door at the wrong address)
*If you require insurance, the return shipping and handling cost is $20.00 per box, and this will buy $400 worth of insurance in addition to signature confirmation upon arrival back to you.  If more insurance is needed, which is often the case, please include enough to cover this additional insurance coverage amount.


WE DO NOT RECOMMEND USING UPS (United Parcel Service) FOR SHIPPING.......THEY ARE EXTREMELY ROUGH WITH ALL THEIR PACKAGES AND ITEMS VERY OFTEN ARRIVE IN DAMAGED CONDITION.  UPS WILL ALSO LEAVE PARCELS OUTSIDE WHERE THEY ARE NOT SAFE.  WARNING: AS WITH ANY AND ALL SHIPPING, IF YOU DECIDE TO USE UPS, FED-EX OR A SIMILAR SHIPPING METHOD, YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK. 

Flat Rate shipping by U.S. Mail is also not recommended, unless the items you are submitting are very heavy and durable.  Projectile Points and Knives, and other artifacts are fragile, and should NOT be shipped by Flat Rate.  Flat Rate is usually more expensive than regular Priority US Mail, and there is really no reason to use that method when weight is not an issue.  It only costs you more.  In addition, flat rate boxes can contain up to 70 lbs per box!!!  So if you ship your fragile artifacts by Flat Rate, your box will be mixed in with other boxes weighing up to 70 lbs each!  You can imagine what happens to your lighter box in that mess!  And in my experience, USPS workers treat Flat Rate boxes like any other type of heavy freight......not so well. 



I always recommend using Registered US Mail, which is MUCH safer, especially for shipping valuable or important items.  Return shipping and handling for Registered Mail is $30 to $60 or more per shipment, depending upon the weight and amount of insurance you need.  (The maximum insured amount allowed by the postal service is $25K per parcel.) If you require more, please provide additional return shipping funds.  Please remember that the Postal Service simply throws insured Priority Mail in with all the tons of UN-insured mail, whereas Registered US mail is under lock and key nearly the entire length of the trip, and is handled much more carefully.  Although the Registered Mail fee is higher than Priority Mail, the cost of insurance for the SAME amount of coverage is actually LESS than Priority Mail, since the postal service is also aware Registered is much safer in transit.  (Whichever shipping method you choose to use, we cannot be responsible for any damages or losses caused by that shipping service or their negligence.)

***Please Contact us at BSte122241@aol.com for correct current shipping address.***
 

All items being submitted for authentication should be wrapped securely and packaged well to prevent damage during shipment.  (One trip to a Postal Service sorting facility is enough to scare anyone into utilizing
better packaging methods.)

Each artifact should be individually wrapped or rolled inside bubble wrap, then secured at each end with a rubber band.  This allows the expensive bubble wrap to be used over and over again during multiple shipments.  Using tape or other means instead of rubber bands to secure the wrap causes damage and often it cannot be used more than once.  And remember to keep the bubble wrap out of the hands of children.  Not that it is a choking hazard, but children love to "pop" the bubbles in the wrap rendering it useless as protection for wrapping fragile artifacts.  Tissue paper, newspaper or similar wrapping does not protect the artifact as well as bubble wrap does.  I have seen many a shipment arrive packaged incorrectly and as a result, the pieces were damaged.  Please do not ship artifacts using "bubble-mailers" as they can be crushed by heavier items in the mail and your artifacts destroyed!

The bundled artifacts should then be placed inside a box, or a box inside a larger box, with foam packing material or similar around the inner box to protect it them from damage in transit.  They will be returned to you after examination in the same manner.  NEVER send items inside a frame of any type, Riker Mount, etc.  The pieces can slide around during shipment and become damaged when striking the frame itself, or other pieces inside the frame.  Please remove the items you are sending from the frame and wrap them as specified above.      

Lastly, please label the parcel clearly and correctly, so the Postal Service will have the least bit of trouble delivering it to my correct address.

Priority Shipping boxes, labels, etc., are available online for FREE from the Postal Service.  Visit them online at www.usps.com and select "Supplies" or "Priority Mail" to order appropriate boxes that will be delivered to your home free of charge. 

Reusing these or other boxes is fine, but usually a new box is stronger and provides better protection.  Usually after 1 shipment they begin to show wear and become less sturdy.  For this reason, I will usually use a new box when returning your artifacts to you.   

We cannot be responsible for pieces lost or damaged in transit by the Postal Service.  With secure and proper packaging the pieces will make the trip undamaged, or as Greg Perino used to tell me, "Unless they drop a tractor on it" 

Better safe than sorry when shipping your valuable artifacts!