Thanks USPS

[4815162342]

After surviving 81 years in virtually flawless condition, it only took one trip in a govt vehicle to destroy it. Shame.

[vintagebaseballcardguy]

That stinks! I hear/see horror stories like this. I have been so lucky. So sorry, Raymond!

[chaddurbin]

if you only put the slab in a bubble mailer alone w/o any further protection then you've just been lucky the last 200 times....i don't even ship $20 cards like that, much less a psa8 goudey.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by chaddurbin

if you only put the slab in a bubble mailer alone w/o any further protection then you've just been lucky the last 200 times....i don't even ship $20 cards like that, much less a psa8 goudey.

Agreed. Bubble mailers are crap.

[kmac32]

Originally Posted by chaddurbin

if you only put the slab in a bubble mailer alone w/o any further protection then you've just been lucky the last 200 times....i don't even ship $20 cards like that, much less a psa8 goudey.

had the same thing happen one time to a SCG slab in bubble mailer. Fortunately the buyer was understanding and I offered to trade the same card and grade E121 card and he said not needed and we moved on. Learned to package better after that one .

I recently purchased and received a 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle in PSA 3 that was shipped in a bubble mailer. I have never been so excited and afraid to open a piece of mail in my life.

[Joshwesley]

Originally Posted by Gobucsmagic74

I recently purchased and received a 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle in PSA 3 that was shipped in a bubble mailer. I have never been so excited and afraid to open a piece of mail in my life.

Lol
I've got a Lennox and a Carolina bright t206 waiting for me at the post office tomorrow morning.... I'm now terrified!!

[buymycards]

As a long time Postal employee, I would NEVER put a slab in a bubble mailer unless it was sandwiched between 2 pieces of heavy cardboard. If this had been properly packaged it would have arrived in one piece. A small priority box would have automatically included $50 of insurance at no extra cost, and if you print your own priority mail postage through ebay/PayPal, $100 of insurance is included at no charge.

The clerks at the PO always are supposed to ask - " does this package contain anything liquid, FRAGILE, perishable, or potentially hazardous?". In this case, fragile would have been the appropriate answer, and a good clerk may have suggested a different form of packaging.

If the package was mailed in a bubble mailer with no extra support, you should get a refund from the mailer.

Rick

[conor912]

Originally Posted by buymycards

If the package was mailed in a bubble mailer with no extra support, you should get a refund from the mailer.

Rick

+1 no reason you should eat this one.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by buymycards

As a long time Postal employee, I would NEVER put a slab in a bubble mailer unless it was sandwiched between 2 pieces of heavy cardboard. If this had been properly packaged it would have arrived in one piece. A small priority box would have automatically included $50 of insurance at no extra cost, and if you print your own priority mail postage through ebay/PayPal, $100 of insurance is included at no charge.

The clerks at the PO always are supposed to ask - " does this package contain anything liquid, FRAGILE, perishable, or potentially hazardous?". In this case, fragile would have been the appropriate answer, and a good clerk may have suggested a different form of packaging.

If the package was mailed in a bubble mailer with no extra support, you should get a refund from the mailer.

I think Mr. "Pepper" was the mailer, and not the mailee.

[GoldenAge50s]

I'm betting that card was NOT in a cardboard sandwich, regardless of the padded envelope.

Either way, that damage sucks!

[iwantitiwinit]

Originally Posted by 4815162342

After surviving 81 years in virtually flawless condition, it only took one trip in a govt vehicle to destroy it. Shame.

When I saw it was an 8 I thought the same thing, sorry. It happened to me once with a t206 Doc White psa 6. Nothing I could do but suck it up.

[autograf]

400 count box is the way to go......doesn't cost much more than a bubble mailer and provides WAY more protection.

[Jewish-collector]

How about putting the bubble mailer envelope INSIDE a Small priority mail rectangular box. Cost is $5.95 2-3 days generally.

[clydepepper]

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. I do appreciate it.
.
.

[Jobu]

Also, check out Collector's Insurance - they insure your collection and it includes when things are in the mail. In other words, your annual premium means you never have to add insurance when you ship (unless the card is over $2500 in which case you can call the company and they will sell you the additional for what it would cost with the shipper). The minimum claim is $50, but nobody would bother with that anyway (fyi Priority Mail comes with $50 for free if you like to have insurance 100% of the time).

[thecatspajamas]

Originally Posted by Jewish-collector

How about putting the bubble mailer envelope INSIDE a Small priority mail rectangular box. Cost is $5.95 2-3 days generally.

+1

Or put it in any box, like the 400-count box Tom mentioned above. The extra $ would be far better spent upgrading the packing materials than in adding insurance. Personally, I'd much rather receive a bomb-proof uninsured package than something in a bubble mailer with a sticker on it to reassure me that if the contents are damaged, the USPS will make the seller whole.

[3-2-count]

From what I've heard a small bubble mailer will go through the sorting machine since it's thin and small and it isn't a gentle process.

A thicker package such as securing it further in extra cardboard, bubble wrap, etc or even better a small box as others have mentioned before me would be hand sorted keeping it a bit more safe. Just a head ups moving forward!

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Jewish-collector

How about putting the bubble mailer envelope INSIDE a Small priority mail rectangular box. Cost is $5.95 2-3 days generally.

Yep, and if you do that with all of your slabbed cards, and charge the customer, you will get dinged for excessive shipping costs - not every time, but often enough to possibly affect your ebay seller fees discount. Those of us operating on thin profit margins, without a team of shillers in our back office, have to consider such things. But I agree with expensive slabbed cards, simply because a buyer deserves priority service and the 'appearance' of a more safely packed item is important for your relationship with your customer.

As Raymond said, he's shipped hundreds of times in bubble mailers without incident. With me it's been thousands of times. On the other hand, I have had small priority boxes arrive with ends opened - removing the card or bubble mailer from such a package would be an easy next step for a thief. As a customer I would rather not pay the extra $3 for shipping.

As others have mentioned, the cardboard on either side of the slab is extremely important.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Runscott

On the other hand, I have had small priority boxes arrive with ends opened - removing the card or bubble mailer from such a package would be an easy next step for a thief. As a customer I would rather not pay the extra $3 for shipping.

Tape.

[Runscott]

If I were mailing a slabbed card to some of the guys participating in this thread, it would definitely go in a priority box - I would hate for someone to be angry when they saw a bubble mailer in their mail box. I would rather they be excited about opening the package and seeing their card.

[Donscards]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Tape.

I use the small flat rate priority boxes $4.95---and always tape the ends and top----the glue on those boxes are horrible, but taping does the job---I use bubble padded sleeves for $20 card range--and usually they make it with no problem, but every now and then, one does break---but for money cards always use small rate priority boxes---and knowing it is a expensive card, I do charge $5 shipping.

[basesareempty]

Originally Posted by Jewish-collector

How about putting the bubble mailer envelope INSIDE a Small priority mail rectangular box. Cost is $5.95 2-3 days generally.

I agree, plus they give you $50 worth of insurance included.