For several years I have been mailing "common" single chips for 44 cents, as follows...

I will insert the chip into a 2" x 2" zip-lock baggie or a 3" x 4.5" kraft paper envelope. Using nylon string, re-enforced, gummed paper tape (3.5" wide) I will get two (2) 9" strips and paste them together so as to hold the baggie/kraft-paper envelope. Using a marker, I write on this strip a "cut" line (so the receiver knows where to cut this thing open) and a personal message, "Thanks for the trade!" and place this into a #10, heavy kraft paper business envelope (4" x 9"). Lastly, I tape the flap closed, apply a 44 cent stamp and drop it into the mail box outside the Post Office, or inside when I have other mailing to do.

Sometimes, when I have other mailing to do, I will hand these envelopes to the clerk to just put into the outgoing mail crate. Although I have experienced several lost items, I have only had one damaged by postal equipment (contents missing upon delivery) and only one returned for insufficient postage, and that is what this post is about!!

It happened a couple of months ago and it was an envelope I had handed to the clerk (while doing a counter transaction) and asked it be put in the outgoing mail crate. She grabbed it envelope, felt the chip (it was rigid) and put the envelope on the scales. Told me it needed to go non-machinable (this has happened a couple times before, but not with her) and I said, "Oh, it will be fine. Goes right through the sorters!" She said, No, and I said OK, I'll mail it later and I took it back.

I finished my transaction and on the way out of the Post Office, I dropped it into the indoor, outgoing, Letter mail slot. This was on a Friday at about 5 PM. The next day (Saturday) I received the envelope, at my home mail slot (the return address loaction) and it was marked, insufficient postage! I could apply the added postage and remail.

So, this envelope only left the Post Office to follow me home, and I suspect that the clerk watched me leave and extracted the envelope from the outgaing mail bin, stamped it insufficient postage and put it in the distribution lot for my local Post Office for Saturday delivery! On Monday I returned to the Post Office, paid an addition up charge (20 cents, I think) and mailed it.

As for the one damaged item, I submitted to the Post Master for investigation as the inner envelope also had a $5 bill and only the outer envelope arrived at it's destination. The issue here is that there appears to be a bad employee, as the contents (my personal chip) provided a means for me to be contacted if the inner packing was torn loose during processing, AND the only periods of processing was at the Main Post Office in Tucson, where it began it's journey and the not too distant Phoenix processing facility for Surprise, AZ, the ultimate destination with one day of travel!

They have had it for several weeks now, but still no recovery.

And my final point here, maybe, is as someone has already pointed out, the cost to send a padded envelope from the automated machine is cheaper than the counter service. When I pointed this out (to the previous Post Master) he told me he would tell the Phoenix office. He never did and the Tucson Main Post Office experience is like everyone else here, between the different clerks and machines, there is no consistency in methods and charging!

Oh well!

Jim