What is most cost effective quantity to have graded? 1 1

[Sdmeyer11]

I'm trying to select my first batch of comics to send in for CGC grading. It seems like shipping escalates the cost of grading very quickly. What have you veterans found to be the most cost effective quantity to send in at one time? I realize things like value and age of the book play into this also. On average how many do you send in at one time to get graded? 5? 10? 20?

[telerites]

41 minutes ago, Sdmeyer11 said:

I'm trying to select my first batch of comics to send in for CGC grading. It seems like shipping escalates the cost of grading very quickly. What have you veterans found to be the most cost effective quantity to send in at one time? I realize things like value and age of the book play into this also. On average how many do you send in at one time to get graded? 5? 10? 20?

I send in 25 as you pay invoice fees for each separate invoice and I would prefer to get the maximum number allowed per invoice.  Shipping I believe will wash across multiple shipments if you compare rates.  I also use my FedEx account which is free to set up and I just list my FedEx account on the invoice in the space provided.  I actually don't remember if that discounts anything straight from FedEx.  

I would never UPS for anything of the choices.  USPS is okay for me though but FedEx is my preference.

[mschmidt]

As telerites said, submitting 25 books means you minimize the invoice & shipping fee pr. book the most.

I also second the whole "set up your own UPS/Fedex account for shipping" - CGC's Fedex/UPS rates aren't terrible ($13 for the first book, $2 each additional book), but they're still significantly higher than the price you would pay using your own account.

[telerites]

2 hours ago, mschmidt said:

As telerites said, submitting 25 books means you minimize the invoice & shipping fee pr. book the most.

I also second the whole "set up your own UPS/Fedex account for shipping" - CGC's Fedex/UPS rates aren't terrible ($13 for the first book, $2 each additional book), but they're still significantly higher than the price you would pay using your own account.

You probably don't remember, Michael, but you were the one who suggested to me to set up a Fedex account when I sent some books your way for SS.  That was some time ago and was great advice.    

 

[Sdmeyer11]

4 hours ago, mschmidt said:

As telerites said, submitting 25 books means you minimize the invoice & shipping fee pr. book the most.

I also second the whole "set up your own UPS/Fedex account for shipping" - CGC's Fedex/UPS rates aren't terrible ($13 for the first book, $2 each additional book), but they're still significantly higher than the price you would pay using your own account.

Ok guys, school me. I read in other forums that USPS Registered Mail was the way to go because of insurance. Why is FedEx better? Purely for rates?

[mschmidt]

1 hour ago, Sdmeyer11 said:

Ok guys, school me. I read in other forums that USPS Registered Mail was the way to go because of insurance. Why is FedEx better? Purely for rates?

Using the USPS registered mail option means you get full, declared insurance on the package - eg. if the insurance value on the CGC form is $2k, that's what it's going to be insured for during shipping. It's a very expensive shipping option for a low number of books seeing that the shipping cost includes the USPS registered mail fee.

Using CGC's UPS or Fedex shipping option limits the insurance coverage during shipping to $100 - no matter what value you have on the CGC form.

If you're shipping expensive books using the UPS/Fedex option (either through your own account or CGC's), you want to make sure you have 3rd party insurance in place to cover the value of the books in case something happens - I know a lot of people on the boards who have separate collectibles insurance policies (mine is through collectinsure.com, for instance) or are covered by their existing homeowners policy.

[namisgr]

The correct answer has to be either 25 or 0.  

[Pizzafist]

I like to go with 15ish.That will give you a discounted rate to add quick pressing service(helps alot in my experience). I don't like to go to big because my books have to go all the way across the country to reach me from Sarasota.

[Drew Stair]

So wait if I give them my own UPS account number to use they still don't add the insurance? Or do I just have to tell them to?

[Pizzafist]

I always use USPS

[Tony S]

6 hours ago, Drew Stair said:

So wait if I give them my own UPS account number to use they still don't add the insurance? Or do I just have to tell them to?

Read what Mschmidt above.... 

CGC specifically has you check off "use my own SELF INSURED UPS/FedEX account"  If you use your own FedEx or UPS account to have CGC return ship, the package is insured for $100.  No matter what books, no matter what declared value. The expectation by CGC and UPS/FedEx is that you will have YOUR OWN PRIVATE SHIPPING INSURANCE as well as your own private shipping account. 

If you have your collection insured, you might have shipping insurance. If you have your collection insured and you DO NOT have private shipping insurance for your collectibles, you might be able to add it to the policy for a modest amount of $$. 

If you don't send very many books in every year, private shipping insurance probably is not worth it. But if you send in hundreds of books a year a private shipping insurance will pay for itself. 

Also to keep in mind is that private shipping insurance has terms/requirements and limits to be aware of. My private shipping insurance through collectinsure.com  has a maximum claim limit of $5000 when shipped FedEx or UPS. With a $200 deductible. So if you have a box of 25 comics coming back to you from CGC worth $10,000, you are $5,000 underinsured plus $100 left on the deductible. 

Private insurance can be good for many - but it's not for every person or every shipment.  The Gold Standard for maximum protection, insurance and safety in shipping is USPS Registered Mail. Which is CGC's default shipping service.