I am awaiting a coin from Canada (Newfoundland). It was purchased on Jan. 2 and mailed Jan 7. It's now Jan. 29. Three weeks seems a tad long to Tennessee from Canada, or maybe I'm just impatient. The coin was was mailed First Class - USA. $6 postage, so I'm not sure it's insured. But I paid with PayPal, which I think affords me some coverage in case of disaster. One question (ok, three): Should I be getting nervous after three weeks? How long do I wait before letting the seller know there's a problem? Is there any point in doing so?
At the $6 price point from Canada there's probably no tracking info unfortunately(IIRC it costs around $14 minimum for tracking between US and Canada) and I've had coins from Canada take anywhere from 2 weeks to 4 months to arrive. Also, the postal system is usually still backed up from Christmas for the first few weeks of January so this delay, while certainly annoying, is not uncommon. If I were you, I would wait until it's been a month before contacting the seller as I've found that the majority of my packages from Canada arrive at the 2-3 week mark and it's always a bit embarassing(at least for me) to contact the seller only to have the coin arrive the very next day.
We have a big country, only a handful of people, and canoes are slow. Give it some time. Or maybe it's USPS that uses canoes?
Newfoundland , I used to mail packages from NY to there and yes it takes awhile for their sled dogs to get it too the border, LOL I would have thought three weeks but yea like others said give it 30 days.
I feel your pain. I have a very nice Apollonia Pontika drachm that's been stuck in the first distribution center it went to for 15 days, and that's just coming from California to Georgia I fear it will never appear, and the post office is no help at all. That said, I'd give an international shipment a while. It's not unusual for them to lay in customs for a week or two.
Most people are not aware of new sweeping international agreements which have affected shipping rates. Gone are the days of inexpensive shipping. Most governments have agreed to a new standard in which all merchandise can only be shipped via parcel rates. No longer can one send a coin in an envelope (whatever size or weight) and have the contents shipped at that rate. Now, only valueless documents can be shipped that way. If there is merchandise contained within the parcel the rates start at around $13-15. There isn't any going around this unless one misrepresents the customs forms (which I will not do). There is certain the be a learning period here, and some packages may be delayed while the various services (postal systems) learn. I have no doubt some packages may be sent back for due postage, others may fly through with no issues. But, as I mentioned, it is a learning curve. Sure, one can drop a coin in a regular envelope and only pay a couple dollars postage, but it wont have tracking and wont pass the Ebay or Paypal standards for tracking. Its a bummer, but it is what is now standard. We will all have to adjust. For US regulations, see: http://blog.stamps.com/2017/12/26/i...changes-first-class-mail-international-flats/ Since this change I have had no orders outside the US. Normally I would have roughly 50% non-US orders. I think they have killed the business for lower price coins.
Ken is absolutely correct. Shipping has skyrocketed lately. From Canada to the US with tracking will cost about $20. Canada to Europe $25+. There is no other way of sending it, they insist it be tracked and insured. I've almost given up buying from the US because by the time you add the exchange rate, shipping and possibly any customs fees it becomes too expensive. As for the package from NewFoundland there is no harm sending the seller a note just to let him know.
There has also been some pretty severe weather in that part of the world. I know they are Canadians and can handle it but it can slow things a bit. And for all you Canadians who replied GO BRUINS.
Hey, what can I say. We are having a good run. I sure wish Montreal were in the running to make it more interesting down the line.
My Canada coin came today. It was postmarked Jan 11. So from Newfoundland to Tennessee in 33 days. It does appear that the changes in international post have slowed things down a bit. Happy to have the coin!
Good to hear your coin showed up, Gavin. I recently got one from Canada - a bottom-feeder's cheapie with $2 postage regular first class. It took a couple weeks from Ontario to the Midwest. Risky, but I've had a couple of experiences with Canadian 1st class without any problems. Other shipments from the far west, Alberta, etc. take much longer, in my limited experience. The coin-from-Ontario turned out to be somewhat scarce, a Ptolemaic bronze from the Kyrene mint featuring a silphium plant (interesting story behind that - there are some great posts on this forum about silphium). FORVM has one up now on eBay for $86 and I think mine is prettier (well, maybe "pretty" is the wrong word) and only $8 (US): Ptolemy IX Lathyros Æ 19 (c. 116-81 B.C.) Kyrene mint Zeus Ammon right / [ΠΤΟ]ΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ [ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ], two eagles standing left on thunderbolts, silphium plant in left field. Svoronos 1158 (Ptolemy IV); SNG 455. (8.09 grams / 19 mm )
