How to ship an expensive item through USPS

[Eric72]

Hi, everyone.

I anticipate selling an item on eBay in the near future that is worth around $1,000. The actual year and product are immaterial to the discussion; however, it is a factory sealed box of cards from the 1990's. The item measures approximately 7"x6"x4" and I plan to securely package it in an (obviously) larger box.

To make a long story short, from my perspective, there won't be anything going on that a legitimate buyer would be concerned about. I know what the item is worth and I am ready to sell.

My question is this:

How can I protect myself against fraudulent "buyers" (read, scammers looking for free stuff) when using the USPS to ship?

I plan to only accept PayPal for payment; however, understand that claims can be made which trigger chargebacks. eBay is currently notorious for siding with buyers in an almost blanket fashion. Additionally, the divergence of those two segments into separate companies might also change the game.

Is there a, "signature required" method of shipping that allows an eBay seller to safely ship items with no fear of reprisal? I am just looking for an f.o.b. shipping point method of sending this item that does not allow people to make false claims regarding receipt.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

Eric