Thanks For The Heart Attack, USPS/Apo

A little too close for comfort.

I recently won some really nice lots at auction, and I needed to have them shipped to my APO address. For safety's sake, I had them shipped to family in the States, then placed in additional packaging for the APO trip. I never thought I needed to request waterproof packaging for an airmail trip.

I knew there was trouble when I picked up the package, and it was in a plastic baggie with the USPS "we're sorry, it arrive this way" label on it. The outer envelope (from family) and inner envelope (from the auction house) disintegrated due to water damage, and the internal cardboard stiffener was soaked through.

Luckily, the cardboard stiffener stopped most of the water, except around the edges. The plastic sleeves holding the stock cards were just enough to prevent the remaining water from damaging the stamps.



And just because, here's what was in the package.


Feldpost Hela issue with plate flaw, Mi 13 b IV


Luftschiff Expedition, Si I corner


Kamerun booklet, Mi MH3A

I'm experiencing anxiety thinking about it! Fantastic items. The Luftshiff expedition is spectacular!

Brian

Thanks. That one's practically irreplaceable. Knowing it was in there, I just kept saying "no, no, no, no, no, no, no" as I tore away what was left of the packaging. Good job by the folks at Reinhard Fischer Auctionshaus.

Postmaster:

I'm very interested in getting my two sets of Berlin overprints re-expertized (the stamps have expert marks on the back, but did not come with certificates). I'm curious as to how the cost of expertizing is calculated. Is it a flat fee? Or a percentage of catalog value of the stamps being evaluated?

I think waterproof packaging should be a default request on anything particularly valuable. There's just too much that can happen.

I'm relieved, and I don't even collect Germany or its colonies ;)

Might not have been the official post office part that did it. I know that transferring any thing via the military can be a dangerous thing. Especially if going by military ship.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...nishment.jpg

The above link shows a picture of how they sometimes transfer stuff mid ocean. Things have been known to get moist in transit.

I have taken to telling ebay sellers I win anything on album pages from to ship using heavy cardboard and to mark 'do not bend'. I won a precancel lot recently and the large envelope was heavily creased to get it into my box- a few stamps were ruined but not anything of value.

I have a photograph from my Navy days. It's a photo of a storm-tossed sea from the flight deck of the frigate I was on. On the horizon you can see a helicopter trying to retrieve a mail bag that didn't quite make it on board.

Cheers, Robert

What's so puzzling to me is they came by air.

Neeskens13, with regard to expertizing, I typically use BPP. Their prices are typically a percentage of the catalog value (up to 4%, I think), plus a little additional if you want a photo cert, etc.

When my wife had her passport renewed after we got married, she had to send in a copy of the marriage certificate. When they returned the marriage certificate with the new pristine passport, it was obvious the certificate had been soaked in water and dried. Figure that one out.

Robert