Folks were recently discussing how nerve wracking it can be to wait for coins to clear customs. You never know when a coin is going to clear, nor how long it will take. But U.S. customs may not be the worst evil demon to bedevil our overseas purchases. Consider this. Last April I purchased these three coins from an auction house in an Italian State. The total came to 351 euros with DHL shipping (at a whopping 50EUR), which I paid via Paypal on April 14. Time went by and to be perfectly honest I forgot all about them. Recently I started getting notices that DHL was going to make a delivery for so and so, and for the life of me I could not recall what it was going to be. Yesterday I took delivery on these three, a full 7 months plus after payment had been made. But this time customs wasn't the culprit, nor was the house being negligent. Each coin was accompanied by a release from the Italian Cultural Ministry. The Faustina was approved for export to the US on June 18. But the other two, for reasons unknown, were not approved until September 11 (by a different hand). I'm guessing that the file got parked someplace after the Faustina was approved, and there it sat, held up by a combination of government strikes, staff changes, and neglect for a few more months. As soon as the house got them back they hustled them off by express. At least that way they didn't have to worry about handling by the Italian Post (notorious entity that). I'm leery of buying out of Italy (can you tell?) but the folks at this house are not to blame. Fortunately I was NOT on pins and needles over this one. My system for keeping track of these purchases is practically non-existent. When it comes it comes. THEN I log it in. Until then, it is not yet mine (even if it legally is). One nice thing is that I now have paperwork for an ironclad provenance basis. Anyone else with a cultural ministry story to tell?
I'm hoping not. I recently paid for a decent sized lot of both upgrades and hole fillers for my Roman ruler collection, and after a blazing fast (36 hour!) delivery from pickup in Munich to the local office in Tennessee, I got a notice that the coins were being held because of clearance issues. Called them up and they needed to know the origin of the coins. "Uh, I guess put down Italy?" Time will tell whether the coins make it to my doorstep or get "repatriated". Glad the coins arrived! Those are some nice looking ladies!
The longest I've waited is 2-3 months in New York customs. I haven't had an issue with Los Angeles Customs. Haven't had anything held up in European auction houses, yet; which included Sicilian and Cypriot coins.
I'm guessing here, but I suspect Customs isn't doing that. If it's what I ran into with buys from this same house, you are having an issue with FedEx. I went through that until they had me properly vetted as an "importer" into the US from that origin in Munich. Once they sent me their letter, smooth sailing. But I think we fiddled for three or four months to get there. All this hassle is a product of the new (and changing) cultural property agreements between the US and whoever. Those changes have made FedEx tighten up even more.
14 days is the longest hold-up I've experienced. That was painful enough. Months and months??? AAAARRRGGGHH
I once purchased a lot of Russian silver "wire Kopeks" from Vcoins, shipping delayed by over 2 months.
As a collector of Italian renaissance coins I've had several experience like that now... I don't really have the option of avoiding Italian auctions. My worst was a little better than yours, though. May 30-about a week ago. Artemide has become my favorite auction house because they ship from San Marino(!)
I bought this from Germany right after the new antiquities laws are enacted. It took the auction house 4 months to ship it.
I am still waiting for the Italian Cultural Ministry's approval for the export of a neat Sestertius that I won in July. Looks like I will have to wait a little longer still. What a drag.
