This is one example:
Mailed from Virginia in December, 1999. The two plates inside were
UNDAMAGED
because of the box!!! (This story would have been a lot different if
the envelope had
been used.)
Here's another example:
Mailed from Massachusetts, also in December, 1999. This plate was also
UNDAMAGED
because of the box
The irony with the above two examples is that the BOX and Envelope both
cost $3.20;
there is ZERO difference in price. However, some people are reluctant
to use it. (One woman
wanted to charge me $10.00 extra to do this!)
This plate was not so lucky. It was mailed from Poland in February or
March, 1999. It was packaged in a layer of
Bubble Wrap surrounded by brown tissue paper and turned up this way
in August, 1999:
It was NOT so lucky:
Notice how you can see the Front AND Back of the plate at the SAME TIME:
I know that in the above example that a box would have dramatically
increased the postage, but I'm more than willing to pay it.