Customs Question

[+TeamEccs21]

I have to ship some coins to Sweden as part of the WEGE mission. I'm looking for some advice as to the best way to list them on any customs paperwork that might be involved so that the person receiving the coins doesn't take a beating. Or get in any trouble.

 

Thanks

Edited December 28, 2007 by TeamEccs21

[+PengoFamily]

Whenever I send coins to Europe I always mark the coins as novelty game tokens and declare the value at about $2 each. So far it seems to work on the receivers end. Hope this helps.

[+tsunrisebey]

Mark the 'gift' box on the customs form. Then in the description write, 'game token'. I usually never give a value of anything over $10.00 no matter how many coins I stuff in the envelope.

 

[+tsunrisebey]

oops

Edited December 28, 2007 by tsunrisebey

[+Droo]

Yup.... Game tokens at a value of about $2 each and total not to exceed $10.

[+ScoutingWV]

Pengo and TSun are wise. Always use the customs form, call them "game tokens", and declare the value of a couple dollars. It doesn't seem like much on this end, but it's better for the recipient.

 

However, I'm not sure if the declared value means the recipient may have to pay some sort of tax on the package. Best to keep it low anyway since it doesn't relate to the claim amount if the package is lost (per a conversation with my postal person about a year or so ago).

[+Steinwälzer]

Not from Sweden, but from Germany, but I guess it is quite the same... mark it as gift and declare the value no more than 10 to 15 $. Don't use the word "coin" as a description. "Token" seems to be the most used description and this never caused any problems! Be honest with the number of items, they can check it with xrays. I had some mailers that were opened by customs, but no problems (if you don't count the delay caused by that).

 

Have fun with your mission package!

[+mousekakat]

Well, I'm in Sweden, so I'll give it a shot.

 

First, address it to "Familjen" and then the last name. For us that would be "Familjen Olofsson" for example.

 

Customs in Sweden allows up to a certain amount of value per person per envelope/package. Addressing it to the the family makes it hard for them to know how many people the package is going to and therefore, how to set the value.

 

Next, state that it has no commercial value and that it is a gift.

 

Don't pack anything in an original package, in other words, and this is a drastic example, lol, but don't ship a Garmin GPS in a Garmin GPS box, because customs can and will assign what they consider to be "fair market value" to the item if they open the package and find it in there.

 

Try to not make the package too heavy. Sweden can be very expensive to mail to... and from for that matter! Not sure why. Better to use padded mailers than a box since most post carriers here won't deliver a box and the recipient will have to go to a pick up place, whereas envelopes have a good chance of making it into the mail boxes!

 

Lastly, pack it securely, use plenty of tape. Overseas shipments tend to get treated pretty roughly! So, plenty of tape and be sure that if there is something that is breakable that it's wrapped well in bubble wrap or newsprint!

 

I think the most important, though, is the Familjen thing. That is something I learned when I worked for UPS... Oh, and if customs does decide to levy a tax on the package, they use the package weight to determine the value and also add in the cost of the postage and it's roughly 25 to 33% the value of the entire package! Sweden likes it's taxes, lol!

 

Naomi

[+GBOTS]

When I mail coins overseas, I say "novelty tokens" and mark "gift" set the value as $0. Seems to work just fine (Still expensive, though )

[+TeamEccs21]

Thanks to every one for the helpful posts