New moves by the Post Office make it better than ever to send common chips through the mail at the first class "letter" rate rather than the first class "flat" or first class "parcel" rate.That is because post offices are starting to classify all bubble mailers as parcels.

The link given above is good for the new rates:
http://www.usps.com/prices/first-class-mail-prices.htm

Below is an updated version of my old post about postal rates and sending chips via "letter" rate (if no more than 3.5 ounces total weight of mailpiece).

I present here the best, most economical way --IMHO-- to send chips through the mail if:
(1) the chips are sturdy and relatively inexpensive (that is, you are not too concerned about cushioning the chips).
(2) the total weight of the chips and envelope is no more than 3.5 ounces (so you can use the first class "letter" rate).
(3) you have a relatively low volume of outgoing chip mail. (If you are constantly sending chips through the mail, use corrugated adhesive paper or Cro-nel, to save time.)

To get the post office "letter" rate (the cheapest way to send anything), the mail piece must be no more than 1/4 inch thick and must weigh no more than 3.5 ounces. A bubble wrap mailer will not work, often, for "letter" rate pieces. Usually the bubble wrap mail piece will be over 1/4 inch. And many post offices automatically disallow such pieces as eligible for "letter" rate. Lately, I hear that bubble wrap mailers, at most post offices, will automatically be classified as "parcels" regardless of the thickness!

One nice thing about the "letter" rate is that generally so long as the mail piece is no more than 3.5 ounces and 1/4" thick, it won't be bumped up to a higher rate CLASS (like to a first class "flat (large envelope)" or "parcel" rate class) even if it is found to be non-machinable. If the "letter" rate piece is too rigid or uneven, you merely pay the $0.20 non-machinable surcharge.

Back to the purpose of this post. I send up to a few chips in a regular, ordinary envelope. I wrap the chips end-to-end (not overlapping) in paper or --better yet-- tape them between cereal box-type cardboard. Then, in any of a variety of ways, I tape this little package of chips to the inside of the envelope so they won't slide about. Two things worth investing time and money in are: a heavy duty tape dispenser and a cardboard template with 1/4" and 3/4" slits in it for seeing if you have the correct thicknesses for first class letters (1/4") and first class parcels (3/4").

By sending 1, 2 or 3 chips via "letter" rate, the savings are considerable -- over 50 cents. That adds up over time if you are a busy chip trader/seller.

Let's say you are mailing three chips that weigh a little over 2 ounces. So you are paying for three ounces of postage (you must round up). There are three ways to send them first class mail:
¶ "letter" (not over 1/4 inch thick) rate for 3 ounces is $0.76. ($0.96 with the surcharge --see below).
¶ "large envelope" (not over 3/4 inch thick) rate for 3 ounces is $1.17
¶ "parcel" rate for 3 ounces is $1.51.

Now, sending it letter rate, the letter is probably non-machinable because it is rigid, uneven, etc. (see http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/101.htm#wp1039555+ ). So if a "letter" is non-machinable, you pay a 20-cent surcharge, which brings the total postage cost to $0.96 (because $0.76 + $0.20 = $0.96). Now, you might think $0.96 isn't much different than $1.17, so why not send it as a "large envelope"? The answer is that even if you get the letter to be under 3/4 inch thick, the "large envelopes" (also known as "flats") must be flexible, uniformly thick, etc. And if the envelopes have these problems ( too rigid or uneven), you DON'T get to pay a 20-cent surcharge. Rather, you are bumped up to the "parcel" category where you pay $1.51 for the 3-ounce thing. The difference between sending the three chips via "letter" rate ($0.96) and "parcel" rate ($1.51) is considerable -- $0.55.

Robert