Tariffs on coins purchased from European sellers

I'm bidding on some coins on Italian eBay. If I win I'm apparently going to have to pay duty/tariffs. Since they will be mailed to me, do I pay the Post Office the fee ? Has anyone gone through this ?

 

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I saw this thread in the new posts section - we ancient coin collectors know to avoid Italy like the plague. I don't know about more modern coins but it's virtually impossible to get any ancient coin out legally - at least to the U.S.

Many of the usually more amenable countries have stopped shipping to the U.S, at least for now. I would think that a coin-unfriendly place like Italy would be even more difficult to ship from.

 

I haven't had to pay any tariffs yet but I have another shipment coming from Ireland in a few days so we'll see. My understanding is that the mail carrier will collect the money due...at least where I live.

Bruce

 

Once I see the blurb below, I'm out!

Due to US customs policies, the buyer of this item will need to pay import fees to the shipping carrier prior to delivery

 

Over the last 8 years I've bought a number of coins on Italian eBay and shipping has never been a problem. I don't collect Ancient's, most of the coins I buy are Sicilian silver Tari coins from the Palermo mint and Messina mint, from the 1600's to the 1800's .

This will be a first time experience for me buying coins from Italy with the new tariff's in place. If I win.

 

I'm in California and we have to pay 10% sales tax and apparently the tariffs on European Union countries is 15%. So that's 25% on my purchase . Then you add that one Euro is worth USA $1.17 . That's gonna add up

 

There's basically 3 ways this can be handled on eBay:
1. Seller pays the tariffs (good luck, few are willing to do this)
2. Buyer pays the tariff prior to shipping, and this just gets added on to your payment
3. Buyer pays the tariff upon arrival; in this case you'll probably get a notice in your mailbox (if it's arriving USPS), and you have to go to the post office to pay it before they'll give you the package. If it arrives by a private company (UPS, DHL, FedEx, etc.) you'll have to go to whatever office received the package, pay the tariff there, and they'll give you the package.

 

Every coin I've ever bought on Italian eBay has been mailed to me via the Italian postal service. I hear all these bad reports about buying coins from Italy and I only had one problem and eBay backed me up and I received a refund. Maybe my very Italian name protected me.

I'll report back with my experience if I win the coins.

 

You forgot #4

UPS et al deliver the package, bill you afterwards for the tariffs & brokerage fees, and when you don't pay, send you to collections.

 

I’ve heard reports that the Italian post office is very slow and not the most fun place to visit. My only experience, an eBay purchase around a decade ago, was fine. It was slower than other international deliveries but not terrible. The coin made it so that was the important part.

 

Well, I won a coin this morning on Italian eBay and it was USA $56. I'll soon know first hand how these tariffs on European coin purchases will affect us. I might win another coin tomorrow .

 

So will the tariff also be charged on the eBay fees? Or will eBay charge fees on the tariff? Or both?

 

I'm expecting a lot of coins from the UK today. I'll be sure to get back to you on how it all worked out.

Bruce

 

Maybe you guys should go the auction route. Most send coins "discreet" hence zero customs hassles or fees

 

I received my lot of coins from Northern Ireland today. No tariff charges due. I just had to sign for it.

Bruce

 

How were they shipped?

USPS reportedly won't deliver w/o tariffs being paid, but UPS/DHL seem to send a bill for the tariffs + brokerage fees later on.

 

USPS delivered my coins. Anything from overseas...the UK and ROI at least... first go through customs at Kennedy NY before being turned over to the USPS. No tariffs or other charges. I just had to sign for the package as is usual.

Bruce