Shipping and Handling

When will my auction winnings be shipped?

You can expect your shipment within 10-14 days after payment is approved. Orders are shipped in order of payment received. Payments must be received before an order is shipped. All checks must clear before an order is shipped. Once your order is shipped, we will send you an email containing the order tracking information. For special shipping or delivery arrangements, please contact us at (800) 458-4646 or [email protected].

Can I pick up my winning lots in one of your offices?

We offer on-site pickup of orders in our California, New York and Philadelphia offices by the bidder or by an authorized third party, where no shipping fee or international insurance fee is charged. California, New York and Philadelphia pick up orders are subject to local sales tax. To arrange to pick up your order in California, New York, or Philadelphia, please email [email protected] or call (800) 458-4646.

We offer on-site pickup of orders in our Hong Kong office for both Hong Kong auctions and auctions held in the United States. For auctions held in the United States, orders can be picked up in the Hong Kong office by the bidder or by an authorized third party for a flat shipping fee of $25. For Hong Kong auctions, orders can be picked up by the bidder or by an authorized third party, where no shipping fee or international insurance fee is charged. To arrange a pick up in the Hong Kong office, please email [email protected].

For an authorized third party, the bidder will need to complete and return our “Third Party Pick-up Form” in advance. Valid identification is required for both bidder and third party when picking up.

Do you ship to all countries?

Stack’s Bowers Galleries does not ship to the following countries due to insurance or trade restrictions: Brazil, Cuba, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Philippines, Russia, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Vietnam. If you are a resident of one of these countries please contact our office at (800) 458-4646 to arrange for your order to be shipped to another location.

How will my auction winnings be shipped?

All winning lots will be shipped domestically via the United States Postal Service. Please note: A delivery confirmation shipment will be required for all orders. Delivery methods depend on the value of the shipment (for insurance purposes). All orders sent via Priority or Express require a signature confirmation. Please refer to the chart below to see how your winning lots will be shipped. Once your order has shipped, we will send you an email containing the order tracking information.

Chart applies to U.S. addresses only — items shipped to international addresses from the United States will be delivered via Fed Ex and items shipped from our Hong Office will be delivered via EMS with the exception of countries that EMS service does not cover.

If you would like your order shipped domestically via FedEx, please contact our Client Services department at (800) 458-4646.  Additional charges may apply.

How much do you charge for shipping and handling?

Within the United States

All orders are shipped via USPS. All orders will have the following postage and insurance charges in addition to a $.50 handling charge per lot added to the purchase price

International

All international orders (including Canada and Mexico) shipped from the United States will be shipped via Fedex or UPS depending on the destination country. All orders will have an international insurance fee of 1/2% of the subtotal of the invoice (hammer price plus buyers fee), with a minimum insurance fee of $10 plus a $.50 handling charge per lot in addition to the postage below. For shipments from our Hong Kong office via EMS, please refer to the Hong Kong Auction section.

Hong Kong, China Auctions

All orders shipped from the Hong Kong, China Office are shipped via EMS with the exception of countries that EMS service does not cover. All orders will have an international insurance fee of 1/2% of the subtotal of the invoice (hammer price plus buyers fee), with a minimum insurance fee of $10 plus a $.50 handling charge per lot in addition to the postage below. The following countries have EMS coverage: Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Thailand. Our international shipping rates will apply to countries not covered by EMS.   If you have special shipping requests from our Hong Kong, China Office, please contact [email protected].

Will I need to pay sales tax on any items purchased in a Stack’s Bowers Galleries auction?

Unless you have a valid resale certificate on file with Stack’s Bowers Galleries, purchases made in/or shipped to certain locations are subject to local state tax laws. View our sales tax guidelines. (which are not and are not intended to be a complete description of all applicable sale tax laws in all jurisdictions).

How should I pack and ship my items?

Your coins and currency can be shipped with complete confidence through the postal service by registered, insured mail. This is the safest way to transport your valuable coin or currency collection.

Before shipping your items, please contact a consignment director at (800) 458-4646 (West Coast) or (800) 566-2580 (East Coast) for a consignor package. In it, you will find materials that will assist you in shipping your collection, and will include consignment listings, contracts, and other materials. When packing your coins or currency, please make sure you pack them securely inside a box with enough packing material so that the items are not loose. Before you seal the box, shake it to ensure contents do not rattle; if they do, please add more packing material. Also, make sure to include a filled out consignment listing that contains the contents inside the package, as well as a signed contract. Place the box inside of another box so that it is completely enclosed. Be sure to use enough packing material so the box is secure and does not have room to move. Please note: The USPS requires you to cover all the seams of the box being shipped with tape prior to shipping.

Address the package and attach the proper labels from the post office onto the box. Please do not indicate the contents of the package outside of the box. The post office will provide you with forms for their Registered Mail service and you should purchase insurance to cover the value of the shipment.

Any package can be insured up to a maximum amount of $25,000 per parcel through the USPS. If you wish to send packages in excess of this limit, you will need to send an inventory of your collection and contact a member of our Client Services department to arrange for additional insurance coverage, at our expense, through our Lloyd’s of London policy.

Please make sure you obtain a stamped receipt from the post office attendant who assisted you in shipping your order. The receipt should state what post office station you used to ship your package and when the post office accepted your package. Please keep a copy of this for your records, as this information is essential in the rare occurrence that something happens to your package.

In the case of a very large or valuable collection, arrangements can be made either through Brink’s or a similar armed transportation service or with one of our representatives to pick up coins or currency directly from your home or bank and transport them to our vaults. Please remember to contact a consignment director before shipping your collection. And if you have any additional questions regarding the shipment of your items, please do not hesitate to call us. We are more than happy to help clarify any inquires you may have or help you schedule any special arrangements needed for your collection.