Posting to the USA - medal restrictions.

[Duncan]

I sold some of my surplus medals to someone in the US and Germany via Ebay. When I tried posting them today (from here in the UK) the woman at the post office said medals were "restricted items" and she wouldn't accept them for posting. She even read out the criteria for both countries and it clearly said banned or restricted items included "old medals". She advised I call the US embassy, and that my package may be confiscated or destroyed by US or German customs. 

Anyone else had this problem? It's never come up before in all my years of collecting 

If it's something new then it all but kills off buying, selling or swapping between collectors in different countries. 

[paul wood]

Utter rubbish i have been sending war medals and decorations to Germany and the USA by uk tracked  mail services for 41 years without any problem.

.There is a harmonised customs code 07550000 i think (check) which should be placed on customs label which eases despatch.

Shoot the postal employee.

Paul

[Gunner 1]

As Paul indicates, there is no custom problems or fees for medals coming into the US (unless it is a Medal of Honor).  On the custom's slip place: "Collector pieces of numismatic interest" and "HTS 9705.00.0090."

[paul wood]

Utter rubbish i have been sending war medals and decorations to Germany and the USA by uk tracked  mail services for 41 years without any problem.

.There is a harmonised customs code 07550000 i think (check) which should be placed on customs label which eases despatch.

Shoot the postal employee.

Paul

Dont know how double post occured. Gunner 1 has it correct and has correctly remembered the harmonised code (i didn't have it to hand). It is bad when people who should know better give such incorrect info. I would suggest Duncan you use a different post office.

Paul

[Duncan]

Thanks for the advice everyone, that's fantastic. She also tried to say medals count as 'jewellery' so needed extra postal insurance even in the UK. I dug my heels in on that one! 

[muckaroon1960]

Hi Duncan, I've posted medals to the USA before with no issues. The only thing I did differently was to say they were "Badges" but what you tell the PO is up to you.

[paul wood]

I have always put items of numismatic interest on the customs form as very few people know what it means (and it covers a multitude of items). For value i put as enclosed invoice (and put a document with value inside). Touch wood i have never had problems with overseas customs and nothing has ever gone missing although one parcel got buried in Florida customs for 2 months before resurfacing.

Paul

[Elmar Lang]

Try "collector's items of extraterrestrial interest" and enjoy what the clerk will say... 

[paul wood]

They will just assume you are a Star Wars or Trekkie nerd.

Paul