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 Replies: 24 / Views: 4,145 |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
652 Posts |
I have just been introduced to an Australia Post product called Shopmate. (Shopmate.com.au).
Note that I have no affiliation or financial interest in the product.
I have often wanted to purchase coins from the US and have run into sellers, both private and commercial, who will not send to Australia.
This product provides an Aussie with a US address which the seller sends the coin(s) to. When received by Shopmate, that is the end of the seller's responsibility. Shopmate will then on-send the coins to Australia. Of course there are additional postage cost, including insurance if necessary.
I am current purchasing some coins and will be using it. Obviously the responsibility for delivery is all mine once it reaches Shopmate.
Is anyone else using this product? Have there been any pitfalls?
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
3831 Posts |
I am curious to know what the result is. The biggest drama shipping from US to Australia is that Australian customs strictly prohibit coins to be semt. I had a couple of packages returned because of this and sellers had to declare them as used tokens / planchets.
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
12477 Posts |
Australian customs doesn't allow any coins to be imported?  In Memory of Crazyb0 12-26-1951 to 7-27-2020
In Memory of Tootallious 3-31-1964 to 4-15-2020
In Memory of T-BOP 10-12-1949 to 1-19-2024
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Bedrock of the Community
13014 Posts |
Quote:
The biggest drama shipping from US to Australia is that Australian customs strictly prohibit coins to be semt. Certain coins are banned for export under the cultural heritage laws but coins aren't banned for importation. I've never had them reject coins and don't see it on their banned import list. On their site it just says that an import of over 1k in value for collector coins is subject to GST https://www.border.gov.au/Factsheet...bullions.pdfEdited by basebal21
12/10/2017 11:48 pm
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Pillar of the Community
 Australia
652 Posts |
The US Mint regularly send me coins. I have NEVER had a problem.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
3831 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
13014 Posts |
Quote:It's most certainly in the list and it doesn't help when it's on the very top of the list https://pe.usps.com/text/imm/ab_012.htm No it's not banned no matter what the United States Postal Service website incorrectly states. The link I provided was from the Australian Customs and Boarder Protection Service. I would say that is a far more reliable source for what Australia bans. If they were banned you wouldn't see graded coins in Australia, dealers would be forfeiting their inventory with every submission they sent off as just one of the numerous examples proving that wrong. |
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Valued Member
United States
413 Posts |
I never had a problem sending coins or notes to my Aussie relations and friend who is a collector himself.
I am relieved someone here was able to straighten this incorrect information out.
Cheers!
PS I like the idea of Shopmate---surprised that Aussies have to rely on this service---I often thought it is largely catered to Chinese---they have similar service to Shopmate in Australia. Forgot its name and it was on BBC News some months ago.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
3831 Posts |
My partial coin collection http://www.omnicoin.com/collection/gxseriesMy numismatics articles and collection: http://www.gxseries.com/numis/numis_index.htmRegularly updated at least once a month. |
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Valued Member
United States
413 Posts |
Thank you, Gxseries, for this information! I was thinking of posting A$10 to my cousin for his birthday. It appears it is not allowed under the Postal Rules in Australia. I never know this yet my family received them just fine? Even my friend who is a collector! Quite puzzled.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
3831 Posts |
Put it this way, I'm a collector so it's not like it's impossible to have coins sent to Australia. Just label them as gifts / metal planchets / tokens etc will be fine.
The idea is it's just not 'smart' for a package to say "Hey I've got money here so open me up".
My partial coin collection http://www.omnicoin.com/collection/gxseriesMy numismatics articles and collection: http://www.gxseries.com/numis/numis_index.htmRegularly updated at least once a month. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12477 Posts |
From gxseries last link regarding prohibited items: Quote:
57.1.13 coins lodged for delivery within Australia which exceed a face value of more than $A200. For the avoidance of doubt, coins up to a limit not exceeding the
face value of $A200, lodged for delivery within Australia, are not prohibited from carriage if lodged under the registered post service or under a parcel delivery service which requires a signature on delivery;
57.1.14 coins lodged for delivery in the international post; The way I read that is that as long as it is being delivered to an Australian address, then the limit is $A200 face value and all coins are prohibited being sent to an international address from Australia.  There is also this note in the USPS link: Quote:
Notes:
Coins; banknotes; currency notes, including paper money; securities of any kind payable to bearer; traveler's checks; platinum, gold, and silver; precious stones; jewelry; watches; and other valuable articles are prohibited in Priority Mail Express International shipments to Australia. So, it seems that only applies to Express. I am interested in this because I am the one sending Yass coins through USPS, then ShopMate, to Australia. In this case, the coins total $14.50 US face value. In Memory of Crazyb0 12-26-1951 to 7-27-2020
In Memory of Tootallious 3-31-1964 to 4-15-2020
In Memory of T-BOP 10-12-1949 to 1-19-2024
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
652 Posts |
I rang Australia Post(AP) seeking advice on the receipt of international coins. I was initially advised that they were a prohibited item and that they reserved the right not to deliver them. I raised the point that Border Protection (BP) have no concerns on the receipt of foreign coins. I was advised to take it up with BP before AP would escalate the issue.
I rang Border Protection in terms of receiving coins from overseas. There is no restriction on coins apart from having to declare and pay GST (10%) on coins with a value over A$1000. They were quite clear on that point.
I then called AP again. After again discussing this issue and waiting for the matter to be discussed off line, I was advised that while the coins are NOT prohibited items, it is AP POLICY that they prefer not to deliver the items due their policy in relation to insurance claims. AP will not insure coins. I also raised the point that the US and New Zealand mint have delivered coins to me on a number of occasions. AP response was that it probably wasn't AP that actually delivered the coins. Correct.
That then brings me to the USPS issue of prohibited items. Going over their website was like extracting your own teeth. You can only contact them if you following the bouncing ball, which NEVER lands on the right question to ask. As far as I am concerned their advice is also wrong.
I will let you know what happens when Shopmate mails my coins.
Edited by Yass
12/11/2017 11:19 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12477 Posts |
Thanks for the followup and research, Yass. In this specific case, the USPS has nothing to do with it (thank goodness). ShopMate receives the package in the US. After that, I don't know what method they use to then ship it to Australia. At a certain point, it must be transferred to a postal carrier (not necessarily Australia Post) to be delivered to the final destination. I don't understand AP's unwillingness to handle coins. Then again, I don't know what they automatically insure and for how much. From what you said, it seems that there isn't a legal importation issue, just a business issue with the AP. I have no idea what the USPS is on about. It will be interesting and enlightening to see how this shipment process plays out. Stay tuned!  In Memory of Crazyb0 12-26-1951 to 7-27-2020
In Memory of Tootallious 3-31-1964 to 4-15-2020
In Memory of T-BOP 10-12-1949 to 1-19-2024
Edited by spru
12/12/2017 02:48 am
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Bedrock of the Community
13014 Posts |
Quote:
That then brings me to the USPS issue of prohibited items. Going over their website was like extracting your own teeth. You can only contact them if you following the bouncing ball, which NEVER lands on the right question to ask. As far as I am concerned their advice is also wrong.
It is. They have plenty of incorrect information on the banned items pages for other countries. They saw that sending money was banned (aka sending cash payments) so they automatically just said coins were banned or saw the cultural heritage restricted items. Quote:
I don't understand AP's unwillingness to handle coins. It's only official policy because they can't afford to payout insurance claims on them and don't want the liability of having small super expensive things in their custody like that. Or people complaining to other parts of the government they won't honor their insurance and trying to force them to pay. The reality though is they can do handle coins everyday. Order anything from the Australian Mint, it'll come AusPost. |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
652 Posts |
Mu US purchase has arrived at Shopmate. It cost me (after 20% discount) A$30 to deliver. I also had to declare the contents. Seriously, the closest I could come to was a 'Book'. As it is a Dansco Album, I'm not particularly misrepresenting the contents. I also described it as 'Numismatic Album and Supplies'.
Now waiting.
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Replies: 24 / Views: 4,145 |
Posted 12/10/2017 10:29 pm
