What is the best way to ship a pennant?

[scooter729]

Probably a very simple question for any pennant collectors, but....

I've got a number of pennants I was looking to sell - nothing expensive - more like $20-$40 type items. (Actually many of them are 1980's pennants with autographs I got in person.) I've never bought / sold pennants online; they were all bought years ago in person. So I've never seen what is an acceptable manner of shipping them.

Do folks fold pennants to mail them? Is there a standard manner of packaging?

Any advice would be appreciated from those who have done this before!

Thanks!
Scott

[Duluth Eskimo]

I ship a lot of pennants, but they are better pennants where condition is a priority. I ship all of my pennants flat. What I do is combine two flat priority shipping boxes together by pushing the ends together and taping the seams. It is hard to explain and you also have to not use the "flat rate" boxes they have. The problem with pennants 70's and newer is that if you fold them over they show creases unlike the older ones. If you don't have too many you could probably just cut some cardboard pieces to fit. Hope that helps a little, Jason

[ibuysportsephemera]

Originally Posted by Duluth Eskimo

I ship all of my pennants flat. What I do is combine two flat priority shipping boxes together by pushing the ends together and taping the seams. It is hard to explain and you also have to not use the "flat rate" boxes they have.

I do the same thing....but I notch out the ends of one of the boxes so that they fit in the middle more snugly. I also have Do Not Bend stickers that I put on the box.

BTW, I also ship newspapers the same way only you use 1 box instead.

Jeff

[thecatspajamas]

I might also add that writing "do not bend" on the package may or may not have any effect on whether the package is bent in shipping. I certainly wouldn't count on that warning saving an otherwise flimsy packing job. On big, flat items like that, I prefer to double up the layers of cardboard so that, if the postman wants to bend it, he's going to have to smash that thing over his knee to do so. Cardboard is light and super cheap, you can cut it to whatever shape you want, and if you tape solidly around all sides, it's basically like shipping a light board.

[Runscott]

I had 8 vintage ones. Shipped the first four folded in half over a big wad of bubble wrap. It worked fine, but when I asked the same question you are asking, I was told to ship flat...so I shipped the last 4 flat, and it was actually very easy - even easier than the careful fold job.

[perezfan]

Most collectors (myself included) prefer flat shipping. Most collectors are also willing to pay a bit extra for flat shipping.

Even the older soft felt pennants can incur damage, if folded or bent too severely. Although the felt can withstand being folded or bent, the painted graphics tend to crack and/or pucker when bent too far.

Lots of ebay sellers like to ship them "rolled" (often around a paper towell cardboard core). Usually this is ok, but I have had a few in which the paint cracked or even flaked off. Just something to look out for...

Hope this is helpful