How to Ship Coins and Bullion Safely

Shipping is where an online metals business protects its reputation and its margin at the same time. A damaged, lost, or stolen parcel does not just cost you the metal — it costs you the buyer, the review, and sometimes the dispute. Learning how to ship coins and bullion safely is a core seller skill, not an afterthought, and the good news is that most of it comes down to repeatable habits.

We have been a US-based, veteran-owned dealer since 2016, supplying many of the sellers who fulfill orders across these platforms every week. This guide reflects how we actually pack and ship metal.

Packaging: protect the coin, then protect the package

Good packaging does two jobs: it keeps the coin physically safe, and it keeps the parcel from advertising what is inside.

Protect the coin

• Use the right primary holder. Capsules for individual rounds and coins, tubes for stacks, flips or sleeves for protected pieces. Never let metal rattle loose.
• Immobilize movement. A coin that slides inside the package will get scuffed or dinged. Tape capsules down, wrap tubes, and fill voids with padding so nothing shifts in transit.
• Use rigid mailers or boxes for anything that can bend or crush. A soft envelope is fine for the very smallest, well-protected items; everything else belongs in a rigid mailer or a padded box. Custom and high-premium pieces always go rigid.
• Double-box high value. For larger orders, a sealed inner package inside an outer box absorbs handling abuse and hides the contents.

Keep packaging discreet

Metal is a theft target, so plain, unmarked packaging is part of the security plan. Do not label parcels “coins,” “silver,” “bullion,” or with mint or dealer branding that signals value. Use a generic return address and a neutral box. Discreet packaging is one of the cheapest loss-prevention tools you have.

Insurance, signature confirmation, and declared value

These three controls travel together on anything valuable.

1. Insurance. Insure parcels to their full replacement value. Carrier coverage limits and rules vary, and private parcel insurance is common for higher-value metal shipments — verify current limits and exclusions for whatever you use, since some carriers restrict or exclude coverage on precious metals.
2. Signature confirmation. Require a signature above a value threshold you set. It defeats “porch pirate” theft and is strong evidence against item-not-received claims.
3. Declared value. Declare honestly. Under-declaring to save a few cents voids your coverage exactly when you need it. Your declared value should match your insured value.

Set internal thresholds — for example, signature and full insurance above a dollar figure you choose — and apply them consistently so nothing valuable slips out unprotected.

Tracking and carrier choices

Always ship tracked. Tracking is your proof of shipment and delivery, and it is the backbone of every dispute defense. Capture the tracking number into your platform and your own records the moment you create the label.

On carriers, the major options each have tradeoffs in cost, speed, insurance rules, and how they treat metals. Rather than chase a single “best” carrier, choose based on the parcel’s value, destination, and the insurance terms that actually apply — and confirm current service rules directly with the carrier, because policies on precious-metal shipments change. The constants are: tracked service, adequate insurance, and signature on high value.

Preventing damage and theft

• Pack against drops. Assume the parcel will be thrown. Padding and rigid protection prevent the rim dings and slab cracks that trigger returns.
• Seal thoroughly. Reinforce seams with quality tape so the package cannot be opened and resealed in transit.
• Hand off securely. Drop at a staffed counter or schedule a pickup rather than leaving valuable parcels in an open outgoing bin.
• Photograph everything before it ships (more on this below) so a “damaged” or “wrong item” claim meets your documented evidence.
• Stay discreet end to end — plain packaging, neutral labels, no value signals.

Theft and chargeback risks overlap heavily. Our companion guide on avoiding scams and chargebacks covers the dispute side in depth.

Document before you ship

Photograph and, where applicable, record identifying details of each item before packing: clear images of the coin, the packed package, the sealed parcel, and the label with tracking. For pieces with serial numbers or limited-edition markers — common on custom and limited-mintage exclusives — log the number against the order. This record is your defense if a buyer claims the item arrived damaged, wrong, or empty.

Handling international requests

Sellers regularly get asked to ship abroad, and it deserves a deliberate policy. Cross-border bullion shipments involve customs declarations, country-specific import rules, longer transit, higher loss exposure, and insurance terms that often differ from domestic.

320 Coins ships within the United States only. If you resell our product, that does not set your policy for you — as an independent reseller you decide whether to ship internationally, and if you do, you are responsible for the customs paperwork, the legal import rules of the destination, the right insurance, and the added risk. If you are not equipped to handle all of that, the safe answer is to limit your own shipping to domestic. Whatever you choose, state it clearly in every listing so buyers know before they purchase.

Per-platform fulfillment expectations

Each platform sets its own fulfillment rhythm and buyer expectations. Verify the current handling-time and tracking-upload requirements on each platform directly, because they change and missing them hurts your seller standing.

WhatNot

Live selling creates a burst of orders to pack at once, often with combined shipping for buyers who won multiple lots. Batch your packing, combine where the platform supports it, upload tracking promptly, and ship within the platform’s stated window. See the WhatNot seller playbook.

Facebook (Marketplace and Groups)

Facebook spans shipped sales and local pickup. For shipped orders, use tracked, insured service and upload tracking to the order so platform protections apply. For local pickup, see the safety guidance in the scams and chargebacks guide. More on the channel in selling on Facebook Marketplace and Groups.

Instagram

Instagram sales are typically DM-arranged, which means you control fulfillment but also bear the documentation burden. Confirm the address in writing, ship tracked and insured, and send the buyer the tracking. Keep your records tight since the platform offers less structured order protection. See Instagram for coin and bullion sellers.

TikTok (TikTok Shop and TikTok Live)

TikTok Shop enforces handling-time and tracking-upload requirements like other catalog marketplaces — ship within the required window and upload valid tracking to stay in good standing; verify the current rules. TikTok Live generates WhatNot-style order bursts, so batch your packing and combine shipping where allowed. Across both, keep packaging discreet and shipments tracked and insured. See the TikTok Shop and Live guide, and if you fulfill across all of these, the multi-channel playbook helps you standardize.

Common mistakes

• Loose coins that slide and scuff in transit.
• Soft envelopes for items that bend or crush instead of rigid mailers or boxes.
• Labeling parcels with value signals — mint names, “coins,” or dealer branding.
• Skipping signature or insurance on high-value parcels to save a little.
• Under-declaring value and voiding coverage when you most need it.
• Shipping untracked, leaving yourself defenseless in a dispute.
• No pre-ship photos, so a damage or wrong-item claim has nothing to push back on.
• Vague international policy, leading to costly, risky shipments you were not prepared for.

Closing

Safe shipping is a system you run the same way every time: protect the coin, hide the package, insure and require signature on value, ship tracked, document before it leaves, and match each platform’s fulfillment rules. Do that consistently and shipping becomes a strength buyers remember rather than a liability that drains your margin.

When you source through our wholesale program you are buying from a dealer that packs and ships metal the right way every day. Apply for wholesale pricing, browse our products, learn more about us, or reach out with questions. For more seller guidance, visit the selling online hub.