I keep a lot of stuff in original unopened boxes, but space is now too much of a premium. I’m never going to grade them, so I need to consolidate

Well, theres UPS / USPS snail mail Smart Post, where they just leave it in your mailbox. 😉

Good point. Also, if theres a dealer in your area thats a registered member, they can submit for you. I think the nearest one to me was a whole state away. So I went solo, got the experience for myself.

Some coin shows, PCGS and NGS will grade coins onsite. Save on postage and other costs. Of course it’s the larger coin shows if they attend.

You may already have won a $1,000,000!

No problem, glad to help. This is only my 2nd year as a PCGS member – still figuring some of it out myself, so I’m no expert. But I went into it cold, just followed what help they have online and emailed with ?s and such. They’ll take your money. 😉
I kinda went all-out once I started, kinda the way I can be sometimes.

Rob S, thank you so very much for all the useful information and advice, and valuable insights and lessons learned from your experience.

Failed to mention the Mint is shipping the sets the slowest way possible – UPS Ground. So be on the lookout for skid marks.

1 more FYI thing about coins grading perfect 70 …
in summary, dont count on it – not all of ’em anyway. Its been bad, especially in recent years. I’ve had proof coins from the 80s grade just about the same as some recent ones.
I think the Mezacks and early-release dealers get the best, and maybe even send back their 69s or sub-69s “for us”. Just a hunch. grrrr

If I sent more than 2 of any type, I doubt I got all 70, and if there were 2, maybe sometimes both were 70. In 2020, due to the planned design changes, I got 5 ASE Ws, maybe 1 was 70 (or was it 69?). At least 1 came back 67!! All I did was take it in its plastic capsule, out of the box, put it in a mylar “flip” and wrapped with other coins in bubble wrap, and packed the box well. grrrr
The small 1/10th oz gold eagles tend to grade very well – I got several 70s there, maybe the least was 69? Not much room for error there.

And a mini-gripe about the PCGS service tiers …
You used to be able to send in 1 oz gold coins under their $2500 value-cap tier. But some have their “blue-book” over that with the base metal price (especially palladium) + the current rarity going on all this year.

They kept their cap at $2500. I felt (wished) they shoulda (woulda coulda) changed their caps –
$300 -> $500
$2500 -> $3500.

But whadda I know??