posted on October 7, 2000 08:57:13 PM new
Hi - A little advice if you will. I just aquired a lot of matchbook covers and match boxes. I know a tiny bit about how to handle them (probably just enough to be dangerous). The pricing, as far as I can tell, comes from putting the tip of your little finger in your mouth and looking up and to the left.
What I don't want to do is remove the matches from some of the covers and boxes that appear to be an inherent part of the value, at least to a collector. Some matches are scenic, some European ones are waxy, some are just pretty.
So, how do you mail matches? I searched some websites and all they mentioned was extra postage for the special handling of full books. I could search the USPS regulations but thought I might try this community of first.
As an aside, I looked at the open and closed auctions, no info, but why in the world would it cost $1-$2 to mail a single, empty matchbook? Please, don't start another thread on S/H on my account, just sounded a bit high.
posted on October 8, 2000 05:39:35 AM new
I can't answer your question on shipping full match books, but the ones with pictures actually on the matches I believe are called feature match books and can be very desirable to the collector. I would not take the matches out.
posted on October 8, 2000 06:59:41 AM new
Hi anothertreasure. Don't start yanking the matches out! This is particularly true of the feature matchbooks, but more and more, collectors want the entire matchbook.
In determining value, front stikers are tend to bring more than back strikers. Some topics to look for are girlie, casino, Route 66, any that look especially old. (This is not a complete list by far!)
Mailing can be a trick. I have received them bare in an envelope, or bubblewrapped in an envelope - doesn't work very well. What I do is to construct a mailer out of a thin stip of cardboard sandwiched vertically between 2 pieces of cardboard about 3 x 4 inches each using tape. That goes into an envelope. Yeah, it sounds like a lot of trouble but it really isn't once you get practiced, and it works very well. Only costs .55 to mail.
What a great idea. I have been charging $2.50 for S&H, then when I ship I use priority mail. The bidders get the mb's faster, safer, and they are overjoyed that I was willing to spend a little myself for the shipping.
I used to wrap them over and over again in bubble wrap, then put them in a large bubble envelope, and finally use packing material around the bubble wrap. The always arrived perfect, but it took too much time, waisted a lot of shipping material (I don't use newspaper) and it would cost $2.50 to ship.
One word on shipping matchbooks, I have heard that it is not legal to ship matches in the mail if matches are in them. But if you look up ebay, many people due.
Shipping overseas is another story. I had a bidder in Japan win, and then I found out I can't ship them to Japan. You have to list the items on the custom's slip, and even if you lied and put something else (which is a crime) customes will probably open the package and find them inside.
posted on October 8, 2000 08:23:24 PM new
Thanks for the advice on shipping and features. I'm sure it's not OK to ship them in the mail even though it seems everyone does. But there must be a way. I'll try my Postmaster or the USPS site for specific regs. I have enough covers, it's the matchboxes I'm really concerned about. The one made in Cuba may give me more trouble than matches.
posted on October 9, 2000 08:11:05 AM new
Thanks, fountainhouse
I came up with that on the assumption that if they are wrapped tight enough there won't be enough oxygen to support a fire. <p>Now I'll start a search (casually, not zealosly)for the real regs mainly because I'm still laughing about the post that showed there are over 26,000 words in a fed reg that governs the sale of cabbage.
[ edited by anothertreasure on Oct 9, 2000 08:11 AM ]
