Collecting record awards inevitably leads to shipping and receiving them, and these days that can mean across the United Sates, Canada, Europe and even to Japan. The danger of course, is that once they are shipped, unintended bumps, or neglect anywhere on their journey, can cause damage.
The art of packing – for shipping awards, is to do everything possible to prevent gold or platinum discs, or presentation plates from slipping, glass from breaking, and other unexpected affronts to the award integrity – AND still control shipping costs.
Over the years, I’ve sent and received awards in huge boxes full of bungees, wrapped in multiple layers of bubble wrap, and with masking tape covering the glass fronts of white mattes. All have their merits, and drawbacks. But perhaps the biggest drawback today is the high shipping costs for the large boxes needed.
That said, and because the standard size of RIAA White Mattes, Floaters, Strip-Plates, and most of their In-House cousins (17″ x 21″ x 1″ for LP’s, and 13″ x 17″ x 1″ for singles), I’d like to share with you another packing technique I’ve been using for the last few years. It’s excellent to both control shipping costs, and protect awards.
The first step is to put the award in a 18-1/4″ x 26″ 2 mil polyethyene bag from BAGSUnlimited. LP awards fit snugly and single awards fit perfectly sideways. This bag creates a first layer of security to keep the award intact and free of packing dust and particles. (They are also great for keeping awards clean and moisture free in storage.)
Four cardboard picture frame corners, and a box whose dimensions are 1 3/4″ x 22″ x 19″ are next…
When put together, in the box, the award is suspended away from the outer surfaces and looks like this…
The corners provide extra strength for the package, and with the award “floating” it can better take normal shifting of shipping. The next step is to add a few bungees around the edges and on the top to hold the award more firmly in place…
The flaps are then folded in and the box is sealed up the middle and at the edges with a clear “tear by hand” packaging tape I get from Amazon…
The last layer of protection, from trauma, or weight being placed on package, is a flat cardboard that measures 24″ x 18″ which I place along the the upper box edge and fold and tape tight to the front. The whole package is then taped together at the ends and edges… 
Add the address and appropriate shipper cautions, this side up, fragile, etc., and the result is a strong, shipping and award friendly package.
I hope the awards you receive, and send, have gotten to their destinations safely. Please share with us the art of packing – for shipping that’s worked for you. Or perhaps a horror story…
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