CPM Forum

General => Banknote Grading Standards and TPG => Topic started by: Blondie7117 on August 21, 2016, 07:15:57 pm

Title: How safe is it to send banknotes over the border for grading?
Post by: Blondie7117 on August 21, 2016, 07:15:57 pm

I have some pretty valuable 1906 & 1907 Bank of Commerce banknote I wanted to send to PCGS for grading but was told by Fedex that they cannot accept money shipments.
I paid for my membership already.....any suggestion.

Title: Re: How safe is it to send banknotes over the border for grading?
Post by: Ottawa on September 13, 2016, 03:16:10 pm

I've sent several packages by FedEx to PMG in Florida in the last few months and have not (yet) had any problems. I make the following type of Customs declaration:

"Printed documents being sent to PMG for certification, then returned to sender".

Sometimes I say "banking documents" or "collectibles" instead of just "documents".

The service rendered by PMG is truly impressive and professional. I prefer the fully-sealed holders used by PMG to the open-at-the-top PCGS holders. Holders that are open at the top certainly allow the encapsulated note to "breath", which is fair enough, but what if they are breathing high-humidity air in places like Hong King and Singapore, where paper collectibles start foxing quite quickly? In fact, I've noticed on eBay that the PCGS holders employed by the PCGS satellite offices in Asia are now fully sealed at the top!

I used to be fearful of sending valuable notes across the border but I don't think twice about it now.

Title: Re: How safe is it to send banknotes over the border for grading?
Post by: Ottawa on September 13, 2016, 04:05:24 pm

I should add that the notes that I send to PMG are predominantly foreign (non-Canadian) banknotes.