Return shipping is $15 per box, and this will provide
Insured 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.
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.
***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!
