moving collection

[theshleps]

Alot of you folks know me. My collection basically takes up 5- 4 drawer file cabinets- mainly signed cards and postcard sized items ranging in value from $1 to many thousands. I'll be moving in the next month or 2 from Honolulu to Dallas and I'm stressing over moving the collection. Options seem like- trusting a moving company, many fed ex boxes, USPS.
I would take the most valuable items as a carry on but cant fit that much. I mainly want all of the collection to get there safely. You wouldn't want to have one box lost that places a weird void in what you have.
If you were me how would you transport it. As long as the fee is reasonable (I can't afford to hire a private plane) safety comes before cost. thanks for your input as this is stressing me out

[Leon]

Welcome to Dallas, you will like it.
As you said, take the really valuable stuff as a carry on. Is there anyway you can check an extra suitcase or two with the stuff? There is a very minute chance of it getting lost...

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

People will say Registered Mail, I'm sure, but what you have is so voluminous.

Have you looked into Brinks or something similar for the valuable material? I'm not sure if they do overseas material or not.

For the lesser-valued material, I'd tend to go with Registered if it was me.

I would not be comfortable in having the good stuff in the cargo hold of a commercial aircraft in case of any issues and get the feeling you share in that queasiness. I would want as few people handling my collection as possible. Wouldn't want to deal with luggage being misdirected or tampered with.

[NiceDocter]

Kind of depends on your total value to be shipped. Removing your “carry on “ items, are we talking $10,000 , $100,000 , or $1,000,000 or more? Your choices depend on this number. For $50,000 or less I think just shipping it FedEx or USPS uninsured will work fine. I’d avoid shipping in frames if possible…. good luck on your move! Rocky

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

There are obviously many private pilots and larger companies transporting many things from HI to the lower 48 on a LTL (less that load) level. You'd just be paying for the space/weight your cargo takes up on the plane, just like the other people using the service on the same flight as yours. Have you researched these options? There has to be something you can work with in this regard where the cost wouldn't be exorbitant. If you have one trusted person in HI to deliver the stuff to the pilot and personally see it enter the aircraft, then you could meet the flight at the end destination, thereby leaving the material in someone else's possession the least amount of time. I know that would put me more at ease.

What did you do when you moved from CO to HI?