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          COIN CLUB

Reading Coin Club

Terms & Conditions of Sale

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Michael Coins Ltd is now only able to do mail order 

on a part time basis.

All items are now in lodged in a "Storage" company lockup.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I regret but I cannot supply ANY order that is less

than £10.00 due to the costs involved.

Excluding 1st class 'signed for' postage.

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Michael Coins Ltd cannot be liable for any losses or damage caused by

 the postal services or the customs services.

Reads CLAIMS (below).

Michael Coins Ltd can send to MOST countries in the world with the exception of

RUSSIA & CHINA

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CANADA & United States of AMERICA

The reason for NOT sending to Canada - please see at the bottom of this page !

The reason for NOT sending to U. S. A. - please see at the bottom of this page !

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EUROPE

Since Brexit we have resisted sending coins into Europe as an import tax

now need to be paid on all items entering the various countries.

Collectors would need to check with their customs if they would

have to pay an additional tax on the items being sent to them.

****************************************

NOTE: As of 1 April 2014 the post office has reduced the level of

compensation for loss or damage to items sent World Wide

DOWN from a maximum of £500.00 to now ONLY £250.00**

See details further below

************************************

TO ORDER: If you find anything of interest on any of our lists you will need to check that it is still in stock. 

To do this you will need to:

(1) By e-mail to michael@michael-coins.co.uk.  Emails will be read and answered when I at home and on the computer - that is as long as our server is not having problems delivering them or our computer is playing up - as it is  does from time to time ! As I am no longer in London I regret that my internet signal is flaky at the best of times !

(2) I now have an other email address in case the above does not work and that is michaelgouby@gmail.com

(3) Or by telephone on 07986336110. Please telephone at sensible hours Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. I am out and about much of the time as I am semi-retired and NOT tied to an office anymore. So there might be times you cannot reach me! Email will still be the easiest way for me to correspond with you and it means we both have a record of your query or order.

****************************************

The HOLDING  of Coins, Banknotes, etc.

As soon as we confirm that the coins, items, etc. are available to you and that you require them - the item(s) will be held for you. The item(s) will still remain visible on the web site -

 But the item(s) will now appear  boxed in red.

The item(s) will be held for a couple of days whilst we await payment. On receiving payment the item(s) will disappear from our list. However, if we do not receive payment within what we consider a reasonable time for your posting payment and our receiving it - the red [HOLD] will come off and the item(s) will again be available for sale.

Please - Anyone who does not send payment - will NOT have item(s) HELD for them in future.

£££££££££££££££££££££££

PAYMENT: ALL transaction have to be paid for in advance in British Pounds Sterling or whatever currency has been agreed with us, at that time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

UK:   

We accept:

Bank to Bank transfers (known as BACS).

Our preferred option as it saves a long journey into Reading !

Can be done online from your computer; by telephone or by going into your branch.

We would give you our account details if you wish to make a BACS payment.

U.K. Bank cheques.  Cheques should be made payable to  -  Michael Coins Ltd 

Please be aware that it can take 7 days (5 working days) from the time we receive the cheque

(with the post these days that couple be a couple of days, minimum) and then our need to take it

to a bank in Reading. So not the fastest option. 

Cash. If sending cash by post - please use 'Special delivery' - It is the safest option and one can get 

          compensation from the Royal Mail if lost ! 

PayPal. We regret but for UK clients we don't accept PayPal payments as we have had, in the past, an

             unfortunate con trick by someone saying that they did not receive the coin even though it was 

             sent by special deliver and a signature proof of acceptance. PayPal accepted the client's version 

             that he had not received the coin and refunded him the money leaving us with no 'coin' and no       

             payment ! I am sure that 99% of people are honest. It took just one person to spoil that.

             I am also a member of the IBNS (International Bank Note Society) and on their forum there have

             been over 37 posts on similar occurrences as mine, above. I list just a few as to show that this is

             is NOT a 'one' off problem ! - just follow the link !

             Clients in the UK I regret need to use either BACS or cheque (cash - as last resort !).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Europe:

You need to check with your customs if additional tax will be demanded of you for any items sent from the UK. If you wish to still proceed then check methods of payments as per Overseas, below.

~~~~~~~~~

Overseas: 

There are several methods of payment:

1.   A (£) Pound Sterling "Bank draft or money order" drawn on a British Bank is the most acceptable and made payable to  -  Michael Coins Ltd.

2.   An alternative is a Bank transfer: This is from your bank directly to our bank - that is as long as you pay ALL of the charges involved - your end and my end - it could be FREE or up to £12.00 + depending on banks and the system used - BACS or CHAPS. 

* I have been advised that - BACS (Approximately 3 working day for a transfer) and are the cheapest way to transfer money and are normally free……CHAPS are (possible) same day transfers however ALWAYS incurs a charge of between £15 - £25 or more.

3.   Payment via 'Paypal' - I regret is now un-acceptable due to the fact there is NO protection for the seller

     if the buyer is a con-man ! See what I have listed for PayPal in the UK section.

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£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$£$

Sorry - We do not accept card payment.

The reason: TOO expensive and we will not load our prices just to line the pockets of the card companies.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

APPROVAL: All item(s) except books that are considered unsatisfactory may be returned within seven days of receipt for a full refund on condition that the item(s) are returned in the same condition that they were sent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New postal rates from 2 April 2024

Once again the Post Office have

increased their rates

and messed about with the

"Signed for" compensation !

Read below.

~~~~~~~~~~~

POSTAGE: U.K. inland -  For coins & Banknotes. As of 2 April 2024

We advise using Special Delivery for all items sent that have a value of OVER £50.00

(1) Special Delivery:

Up to 100gms £9.50 (Insured to £750.00) - Small increase of 50 pence

Up to 100gms £12.00 (Insured to £1000.00) - Large increase from £10.00

Up to 100gms £19.00 (Insured to £2500.00) - Even larger increase from £12.00 !!

*************************************************

Up to 500gms £10.50 (Insured to £750.00) - Small increase of 50 pence

Up to 500gms £13.00 (Insured to £1000.00) - Large increase from £11.00

Up to 500gms £20.00 (Insured to £2500.00) - Even larger increase from £13.00

*************************************************

Up to 1000gms £11.50 (Insured to £750.00) - Small increase of 50 pence

Up to 1000gms £14.00 (Insured to £1000.00) - Large increase from £12.00

Up to 1000gms £21.00 (Insured to £2500.00) - Even larger increase from £14.00

**************************************************

For weights about 2000 grams ask !

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Post Office have now altered the compensation rate

for "Signed for" mail down from £50.00 to £20.00 !!

They have now introduced a new system called

"Tracked 24" (1st class) !

or "Tracked 48" (2nd class) !

This system has ONE price system for all 'Large letters'

from 1 - 750 grams at £5.00 (Tracked 24)

The same as previously for the "Signed for"

and for items over 251 grams now costing less !!??

Last year's price until April 1st 2024 - compensation £50.00          Comp. £20.00

0 to 100 grams (Large letter)...............£5.00  (including "Signed for" delivery) - now £5.00

101 to 250 grams (Large letter)...........£6.00  (including "Signed for" delivery) - now £6.00

251 to 500 grams (Large letter)...........£6.50  (including "Signed for" delivery) - now £7.00

501 to 750 grams (Large letter)...........£6.50  (including "Signed for" delivery) - now £7.50

So what is the catch ?

Now the items are 'Tracked' with proof of delivery,

plus photo of delivery and compensation increased from

£50.00 (Old signed for compensation) to now £150.00 !

But packages will NOT be signed for !

for that one would need to pay an extra £2.00

For this reason we feel that the better deal for our customers

is to opt for the "Tracker 24" (new) system as one gets better

value on larger than 100 gram packages & higher than £50.00

compensation if a package goes missing.

Please read this part carefully :-

CLAIMS: UK

At present we can only insure items up to £2,500.00*.

WE send all items out using the Royal Mail - If any claim for compensation arises due to any loss or damage we will ONLY pay out after and if the claim is successful. 

Also we will only pay out what monies we can recover from the post office.

E.g. If you ask us to send you a 'packet' is worth £3,500.00 and it is posted to a UK address we can ONLY claim up to £2,500.00 from the post office (and hopefully recover that amount from them). 

I understand that may seem unfair as you are not to blame for this loss but then nor are we.

We will advise you of this risk BEFORE you purchase anything worth over £2,500.00

CLAIMS: World Wide

NOTE: As of 1 April 2014 the post office has reduced the level of

compensation for loss or damage to items sent World Wide

DOWN from a maximum of £500.00 to now ONLY £250.00**

If any claim for compensation arises due to any loss or damage we will ONLY pay out after and if the claim is successful. Also we will only pay out what monies we can recover from the post office.

E.g. If the packet is worth more than £250.00 and posted to a address World wide (other than the UK) we can ONLY claim up to £250.00 from the post office (and hopefully recover that amount from them). 

Any extra monies: i.e. if an items is sent worth £350.00 then we CANNOT pay out the extra £100.00 (or whatever amount over £250.00). That amount would be as your risk.

I understand that may seem unfair as you are not to blame for this loss but then nor are we.

We will advise you of this risk BEFORE you purchase anything worth over £250.00

POSTING ABROAD:  

New  postal prices as of 2 October 2023

 Again a total change in post office pricing structure.

Anything other than a pure LETTER is now deemed a "Large letter" !!!

There is now a ONE price blanket rate for any packet up to 100 grams.

So even if it is only 1 coin at 20 grams it would still cost at this rate.

Anything over 15 Cm high is deemed as a small parcel

These are the new rates

Europe is now in THREE Zones !!!

Note. For compensation above £50.00 to £250.00 the post office charge an extra - £2.50 

Compensation for ALL world countries is now £250.00 - Maximum

***

PayPal clients

Payment via 'Paypal' - I regret is now un-acceptable due to the fact there is NO protection for the seller if the buyer is a con-man !

See what I have listed for PayPal in the UK section.

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With regret we will not send items to the

United States of America (Dec. 2016)

I regret but due to on going problems with the US mail

for NO longer tracking  International Signed for packets

once it reaches the USA to one of its

International Service Centres

We cannot guarantee delivery or compensation

once the packet leaves the UK !! 

For that reason it is with deep regret we 

feel that we can no longer send items to the 

United States of America

until the US postal system resumes the tracking

of UK packets once it is the USA system.

Claiming for packets that go missing (non-arrivals)

at their destination causes problems to our clients

and problems to ourselves !

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With regret we will not send items to

CANADA

We regret but due to several problems with Canadian Customs

over the last couple of years we are now unwilling to send any items

of coins or banknotes - to Canada

A set of gold coins was stopped and opened by the Canadian Customs

and due to mishandling the case and a coin was slightly damaged. 

The client rejected the set and it was returned to the UK. 

*(I believe that the client also rejected to pay an import tax that was liable !?)

That part I cannot verify.

Another case in question was a couple of George VI British pennies.

were sent out, they too were rejected

and returned with a very clear label stating 

"NOT ADMITTED TO CANADA". 

The client asked both the post office and the customs why -

both denied responsibility and suggested - try again.

The parcel was sent again, from the UK, with the same result - 

it was again returned - with the same label !?

On the 3rd time the coins were sent - uninsured (clients risk) as a 

simple letter - no customs form, etc. and these did arrived safely.

***

Therefore I regret by I can do without these problems.

Until Canada Customs & Canada Post

get their act together we regret that we cannot supply to 

anyone that has an address within Canada ! - Sorry

***

Letter from a potential Canadian client  (November 2010)

It is an unfortunate situation with the Canadian customs / postal system, one which I do not understand either! 

I have heard so many horror stories about coins being returned and extra charges being levied on the recipient, it just doesn't make any sense. I am a client of a British Coin Company (Name given but for several reason will not list) and I guess he must have had some issues in the past with Canada as he sends me coins (a method is given - again which I will not show so as not to compromise the method, client or sender) and they generally make it !

   Even so a couple of packages have been mauled by customs and poorly taped back together again, I understand your frustration with the system.

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Letter from a Canadian client that bought my book  (December 2010)

I received my coins from the Workman Part II sale and got clobbered for import duty at 6.5 % + GST for the retail value of the coins!  Not a happy camper but what do I do in that situation, send them back to England?

To me it is just another way that a Government can make an easy buck!

Letter from a potential Canadian client (February 2011)

Hi, sorry not to get back to you as I have been checking the Canada Customs issue with coins.