I got lucky!

[poppa501]

I got lucky--sold some Indian Head cents to a fellow in Australia before I discovered that I couldn't send coins there. I sent them anyway figuring I would get them back and have to refund the chap, but to my surprise he received them and left a + feedback. I have since removed Australia from my auctions. Wonder why they made it? I put on the customs label that they were Indian Head Pennies--Collectibles. Or do they just not enforce that ban or what?
Poppa

[FBNeNotes]

Dont believe everything you read... use your own knowledge along with common sense(cents). Why were you affraid???

Who did you follow? There are ""Million Dollar Auctions"" every Month with coins and banknotes sent to all but about 6 Countries.. Cuba-N.Korea and their like.

You read.. Coin World??? Coin Values?? Numismatic News??
LOOK at all the HUGE auctions Monthly.
Never panic and never believe "all" that you read.
Good Luck and Good for you.

[meadowgate123]

well done

[poppa501]

Dont believe everything you read... use your own knowledge along with common sense(cents). Why were you affraid???

Who did you follow? There are ""Million Dollar Auctions"" every Month with coins and banknotes sent to all but about 6 Countries.. Cuba-N.Korea and their like.

You read.. Coin World??? Coin Values?? Numismatic News??
LOOK at all the HUGE auctions Monthly.
Never panic and never believe "all" that you read.
Good Luck and Good for you.

So you're telling me that the US postal regs are wrong or not being upheld? When I went to ship, I was asked what was in the pkg. When I told them, they said that it was against regs to ship coins to Australia. That's what bothered me! Do I just not worry about this? I'm a little confused.
Poppa

[Idealproductsales]

could be the people at the post office confused it with "Austria"- an european country , as opposed to "the land down under" I suggest reviewing the USPS regulations at usps.com (in fact, you can set up an account and print your OWN postage and labels there.. even for international postage)


Here's some stuff I got from a quick search at usps.com :

There also may be restrictions depending on the class of mail you use. For instance, coins, jewelry, watches and other valuables are prohibited in Express Mail International shipments.
Beyond these, here are just a few of the items not accepted by certain countries:
* Australia: Goods bearing the name “Anzac.”
* Costa Rica: Blank invoices.
* Ireland: Hay, straw, including articles made of straw.
* Latvia: Live animals except bees and leeches.
* Russia: Color copiers.
* Switzerland: Mini-spies (miniature wireless transmitters).
* Tunisia: Playing cards.
The International Mail Manual Index of Countries and Localities lists major prohibited items at http://pe.usps.com/text/imm/immctry.htm#ep809632. A complete list of restricted and prohibited items by nations is published by the Universal Postal Union at upu.int.
Customers who have items that are not listed or are questionable should contact the embassy of the destination country prior to mailing.

by my OWN experience at local post office branch, employees do NOT know everything, and often have incorrect or outdated information..

Ive been trying for a WEEK to get the Global Business Connect Kit from USPS, and they have NO clue about it at all. I finally (after 5 hours of phone calls and being transferred and referred and transferred again) I finally got a phone number of person to contact that definitively knows about it- at the USPS office of Small Business Development... but they are away at training at the moment LOL! (just my luck, innit?)

But- if I ever have any questions about stuff to be shipped in the mail, just go to USPS.com and find out. - much more reliable than asking an employee who may or may not even have any idea WHERE Australia even IS, much less what can or cannot be shipped there :)

[Idealproductsales]

Hmm. yep - it IS prohibited.. http://pe.usps.com/text/imm/ab_012.htm#ep1572941 it is right up there at the top. I'd say you definitely got lucky.

and the other site they mention: http://www.upu.int/ Maybe we should put this stuff somewhere in a sticky where everyone can find it and refer to it?

[TiasTreasures]

I tore my hair out over this. Finally came up with a list of countries where it is legal to ship coins, silverplate, and gold items. However, some of the restrictions are prohibitive:

Canada (cannot be insured, can be first-class registered)
Denmark
France (except no gold coins)
Germany
Ireland (coins only if gold or silver)
Italy (must be insured Priority Mail regardless of value)
Netherlands
Norway (no Norwegian coins)
South Africa (only first-class registered)
Spain (must be insured Priority Mail regardless of value)
Sweden (value must be less than 100 Swedish crowns (15.00 US October 2008) )
United Kingdom (must be first-class registered or insured Priority Mail regardless of value)

I'm only listing lower-priced coins where I'm not including insurance for the countries in bold. Not very many. And I have to be careful about Ireland. I'm sure no one will pay the enormous cost of registered first-class or insured priority mail for a low-priced coin. When I get to listing the valuable items, and will include insurance, I can add a few more but will then have to remove Sweden.

I got this information from the USPS website, country by country. I added a paragraph in my "All About the Seller" warning international buyers that they must make sure an item is legal in their country before buying.

[Idealproductsales]

Impressive- Very smart move :) I shall have to do the same once I can get HOLD of someone that has a clue about the Global Business Kit from USPS that can maybe GET me one!? geesh.. anyone from USA that might happen to have one, or with a post office or postmaster that has a clue? Maybe I could get one of those post offices to send me a kit.. LOL!

What a PAIN in the butt!

[TiasTreasures]

I've never heard of the Global Business Kit. Have you checked the USPS website? It's a pain in the neck to use, partly because it's so big and partly because their search brings up a lot of technical junk, but it might be worth a try. If you can get one, let me know. Are the kits free? A lot of their stuff is if you can just find the right page. :rolleyes:

[Idealproductsales]

Yes- it is *from* the USPS website that I located the Global Business Connect Kit - it's sort of a "starter kit" with everything you need, info, charts, etc to get started shipping stuff internationally.

Local P.O. didnt have a clue about it- I had to call around a couple dozen places before I finally got handed the number of the USPS Business Development office .. and so far, have not been able to get a hold of anyone there yet :)

[TiasTreasures]

I poked around the USPS website some more, looking for this, and found . . .nothing. Tried about five different terms in their search. :confused: Will you add a note to this thread if you ever find it? I'd really appreciate it! :)

[Idealproductsales]

http://www.usps.com/communications/news/press/2006/pr06_046.pdf#search=%27Global%20Business%20Connect %20Kit%27

[TiasTreasures]

Thank you! I'll bike over to the post office and pick one up. Never even thought to ask them. I generally just use their web site when I have a question.

[Idealproductsales]

If you DO get one, see if you can get a second one, or see if they will send one via mail.. I still cant GET one around here.. cant get hold of the contact person, and USPS employees are clueless about it :(

[poppa501]

Ideal--I'll check around here and see what I can come up with. If I get hold of one I'll send it to you. If you find one tell us all how to get it. Thanks all of you!
Poppa

[poppa501]

Well boys and girls--It appears that the USPS has discontinued the Global Business Connect Kit. Spent about 2 hrs. on the phone with 6 different USPS agents and that's the consensus. I did find some useful stuff that you might be interested in. It appears, at the moment, that the cheapest way to ship anything relatively small overseas is by First Class Mail International. It has some drawbacks however--no insurance for one. Priority Mail International Flat Rate is the next cheapest alternative. If the item will fit into a 12.5 X 9.5 cardboard mailer (free at P.O. or by mail through USPS) and weighs 4lbs. or less, the rate is $9.95 to Canada and Mexico, and $11.95 anywhere else. Here is a link to this data:
http://www.usps.com/prices/priority-mail-international-prices.htm
There is also available a USPS Shipping Assistant software. This allows for making labels, custom forms, shipping calculator,destination times, etc. This can be downloaded for free here:
http://www.usps.com/shippingassistant/welcome.htm?from=CNS&page=shippingassistant
You may also want to download the International Mail Manual(IMM) and/or the Domestic Mail Manual(DMM) and/or Quick Service Guides. These are all in PDF format. There are several other guides that some of you may be interested in listed here:
http://pe.usps.com/
I hope this will be of help to some of you. It was to me.
Poppa

[Idealproductsales]

Excellent. I sort of figured it must have been discontinued- it IS somewhat an old press release- Finally got hold of the contact person yesterday and was told they dont have it anymore. I've since just ordered some of the free materials online (would have been nice to have that chart in the IMM/Postage Rates to put up on the wall of my packing room!) - Already have shipping assistant, and in fact it can allow you to ship a package, take it in to post office, all they have to do is scan the barcode and they will have the price right up on their machine, if you dont have a postage printer/meter - found out by accident- took a package in for which I made label using shipping assistant and postal worker was going through all kinds of things figuring out postage, had it all figured out, then scanned the barcode for tracking, etc, and the terminal just brought up the total postage that shipping assistant had calculated for me.. It does mean a wait in line, but it sure is a time saver even with that (I'm gonna get a postage printer, since only peepal offers the USPS integration, and if I take payments by any other means, I cannot ship using peepal's shipping, unless it is also a FeeBay auction.. - Buying Delivery Confirmation elsewhere - even on USPS.com still costs 75 cents, Vs. Shipping Assistant and PyPl integration where DC costs 0.18 instead! )

Considering how much shipping I do, it's definitely a worthwhile investment being able to print my postage and then just drop off my (sometimes 3-4) bins of parcels at the local post office's Loading Dock.. - No waiting in line! :D

[106wallyworld]

I sell Ancient coins and at last count have shiiped to over 20 countries. I usually average 2-3 packages a month to Australia and have never had a problem, (unlike Italy which is another story for another day). On the Customs Form in the Description box just write "Metal Tokens" which is in essence what they are. Sometimes "Too Much Info" works against you.

[poppa501]

I sell Ancient coins and at last count have shiiped to over 20 countries. I usually average 2-3 packages a month to Australia and have never had a problem, (unlike Italy which is another story for another day). On the Customs Form in the Description box just write "Metal Tokens" which is in essence what they are. Sometimes "Too Much Info" works against you.
That seems to be the consensus of a lot of folks. Have re-added Australia, but have asked them to contact me before buying. Speaking of international sales, what method do you usually use to ship? 1st class int.--priority--? Also, how do you track pkgs? Tracking is important to me because as I'm sure you know, there are some folks out there who have no qualms about stating that have not received their stuff when in reality they have. If I don't have a way to track, what is my defense against that? Also, USPS states that shipments of coins to UK must be Priority insured. When I'm selling coins for less than a buck its hard to justify a $25 postage charge! Thoughts--Suggestions?
Thanks for replying--Poppa