U. S. International Shipping Regulations

8 posts
The U. S. Post Office, in its latest "one cent" price increase (and "no change in international rates"), included a definition change that will severely impact all U. S. coin dealers who ship internationally.

If the envelope includes merchandise, it is a "package", regardless of its size or value, and the minimum postal charge is about $13. (A year ago, you could have mailed the same envelope, with the same contents, for $1.15.)

Now, I get to revise the shipping cost terms in each of my 4,504 eBay listings. Guess I know what I will be doing in my "spare" time.
Quote: "halfdisme"
​Now, I get to revise the shipping cost terms in each of my 4,504 eBay listings. Guess I know what I will be doing in my "spare" time.
​Ouch, that sucks. :(
I just got bit by that. I was sending coins to Australia as part of a swap, and my letter came back because it didn't have a customs form. Apparently, the post office considers it a package now. I had to pay $14.25 instead of $6.04 for the package to be shipped.
Unless I find a way to send coins more cheaply, my swapping days are done. Suggestions are welcome, because I really love swapping coins with people on this site.
I hope you can still “slide” the 2 or 3 coin swaps in at the letter rate. I know I mailed 1 US quarter to Malaysia a few weeks ago and it went through fine. If not it has always been the case that it was $13.52 or so to mail a swap out of the country (I think to Canada is cheaper) and I have just factored it into the price of swapping with collectors overseas. I try to make all swaps 30-50 coins or more valuable coins in these cases and have had wonderful experiences. I do hate to hear they are becoming more rigid though. That’s never good news for the end user.
Quote: "JRo69"​Suggestions are welcome, because I really love swapping coins with people on this site.

Large, high value swaps where the shipping costs can be diluted. ​ The sweet spot is somewhere North of $100 in my experience.

Alternatively, well concealed single coins. The letter has to pass between a 3/8(?) gauge or it will be considered a parcel so you can't just wrap it in bubble wrap. Card stock and tissue paper are your friends.

It used to be the case that at worst you would have to pay the non machineable surcharge but there does seem to be a push to enforce a "documents only" interpretation of the regulations. Assuming that this will continue, the days when we could swap a couple of dozen low value coins with overseas partners are gone. What's really saddening is that the changes will mostly impact new or younger collectors.

Canada at least remains affordable, presumably because we share a land border but why don't the same rates apply to Mexico? I can send a parcel all the way to Alaska for under $3, including tracking but to send that same parcel just across the Gulf of Mexico by a means with a reasonable chance of arriving will mean not much change from $50 and a delivery time of several weeks. Crazy eh?
Non illegitimis carborundum est.  Excellent advice for all coins.
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I had to stop going up to the counter because the clerks would feel the envelope, notice that there's something besides paper in there, and tell me it has to go at the package rate because "it's not a letter". So for now I just use the automated kiosk, and at least so far I have not had any problems mailing a handful of coins (less than 2 oz) in a regular letter envelope (definitely not a bubblewrap mailer). We'll see if with the new definitions I end up getting my letters mailed back to me, but it seems like this is codifying what most of the clerks were already saying at the counter.
Quote: "Jesse11"​I had to stop going up to the counter because the clerks would feel the envelope, notice that there's something besides paper in there, and tell me it has to go at the package rate because "it's not a letter". So for now I just use the automated kiosk, and at least so far I have not had any problems mailing a handful of coins (less than 2 oz) in a regular letter envelope (definitely not a bubblewrap mailer). We'll see if with the new definitions I end up getting my letters mailed back to me, but it seems like this is codifying what most of the clerks were already saying at the counter.
​According to the personnel at my post office, there has been quite a crackdown. Envelopes without customs forms are being returned, and customs forms not marked "merchandise" are being returned, with threats to block the sender from future use of the U. S. mails.

The new rules need a "de minimus" clause--a shipment below a certain weight and value should not be subject to the ~$12 "surcharge".
Just a side note.

Even with this $12 overcharge, it's cheaper to send coins from USA than from Brazil.

The last 3 packages I sent (to India, Israel and Costa Rica ), I spent at least ~$35 each ( < 500g ).
Lets adopt the KISS philosophy, "Keep It Simple Sucker"

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