Are you going right to the PO? I ship all the time to the States and as long as the envelop fits through the "magic slot" its regular mail. I shipped a 48 card trade last week and it cost about $5. I used a large #2 bubble mailer with the cards in four team bags protected with a toploader in each bag to keep them firm. Then used painters tape to tape all four piles so they stayed flat.
EDIT: Sorry don't know what happened this was supposed to be a response to baseballstore
jmkidd wrote:
Ok I am going to go point by point here
Unless it was agreed upon during the proposal stage it is understood that both parties send at about the same time, my only exception is a new trader with no feedback then I let them know up front that they have to send first or it is a sale for a high value card I will hold of payment until I see the actual card as condition is subjective.
If the card (s) were damaged in transit then unless the trade partner agrees to send a replacement that is just an inherent risk of trading. If the trade involves higher value cards both parties should agree to send bubble mailer not PWE (usually same for thicker or memorabilia cards)
Your best recourse is to contact the trader and see how they want to deal with it but unless they specifically tell you to keep your cards you should send your part of the trade along. I have been on both ends of damaged cards due to USPS actions and usually I write it off if I am the one receiving damaged card or if possible try to make good if the shoe is on the other foot. We all assume the risk when trading PWE's and sadly that is a risk we can't avoid
