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 Replies: 12 / Views: 951 |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
8184 Posts |
In the past I have done may trades with members in Turkiye, however a recent attempt has made me aware of a problem. So I sent a package on the 8th October 2024, it was received by Turkish customs on 16th October. My friend in Turkiye was informed he would have to pay duty as the value of the package and post combined was over their limit (from memory I think he said 30 euros). The cost of the package was AUD$33 alone, and the coins were AUD$40. He declined to pay and wasn't to worried about getting the coins, so he told them to return the package. The package headed home, arrived in Sydney and was then promptly placed back on a plane to Turkiye. Once again it arrived at customs and awaited collection. My friend went to collect it again, hoping that maybe it might get through this time, but no luck. He was told this was a commercial transaction (it was only a trade) and he would have to employ a customs clearing agent and pay the duties. Once again he said to send the package back to sender. Well yesterday the package finally arrived home after 4 months of travelling. It wasn't well sealed for it's return journey and arrive back, wet and mouldy. The coins should be OK though. At least I received the coins he sent me, and he was happy just to help me with the new coins from Turkiye.     Here's a link to a website he is working on. Does anyone remember Renal? https://cumhuriyetparalari.com/en/Edited by triggersmob
02/21/2025 05:10 am
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Moderator
 United States
71803 Posts |
wow. the travel the coins made has my head spinning..
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1809 Posts |
Glad to hear you got your coins back. Don'tcha just love how bureaucracies work.  |
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Moderator
United States
164017 Posts |
Oh my.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4380 Posts |
You should have signed the package up for a frequent flyer account. You might have enough miles now for a free ticket to fly those coins to your friend.
-----Burton 50 year / Life / Emeritus ANA member (joined 12/1/1973) Life member: Numismatics International, CONECA Member: TNA, FtWCC, NETCC, OnLine Coin Club Owned by four cats and a wife of 40 years (joined 1983) |
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Moderator
United States
164017 Posts |
Quote:
You should have signed the package up for a frequent flyer account. You might have enough miles now for a free ticket to fly those coins to your friend. 
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
3716 Posts |
LOL @ frequent flyer.
Honestly it feels that coin collecting is getting very restrictive. You cannot even mail a single coin in a normal mail to some countries as their metal detector machine is getting a bit too effective.
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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Pillar of the Community
Turkey
870 Posts |
Hi, from Turkey here. Some of you guys may remember forum's one of the oldest member from Turkey. &  Last few years has been problematic for international mail here. Anything above €27 (including postage) now is considered commercial items and heavily taxed. It's not just pay the tax and get the item. Bureaucracy says the recipient needs a custom dealing company (that deals with imports of huge quantities of goods on a large commercial scale) hire them, pay them several thousand dollars and wait for them to process the custom clearance of the items, then pay a hefty tax and get them. In theory thats the steps. In practice, it's impossible for an individual to get his items that way. This has been introduced several years ago starting from £150 and above items and every year the limit has been lowered. That is why I regretfully stopped trading with fellow members (knowing whatever they send will be struck to customs) and even very regretfully stopped participating in secret santa activity of our most beloved forum. One of the last packages I received was from you Steve, back a few years ago. It took me half an hour explaining it to the customs that the package has a value below €50 (it was the maximum amount back then). I haven't bought or traded anything more after that day. Edited by molydeii
04/09/2025 6:12 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Turkey
870 Posts |
Steve - let me know any coins you are missing from Turkey and I will be happy to send them to you. I have almost every modern Turkish coin released for circulation. And I won't be needing anything in return. :-)
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Pillar of the Community
 Australia
8184 Posts |
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Steve - let me know any coins you are missing from Turkey and I will be happy to send them to you. I have almost every modern Turkish coin released for circulation. And I won't be needing anything in return. :-) That's very kind of you Oner and I thank you for that, and also confirming the problem of getting coins to Turkiye. I had a small stash put aside for you, but had to regretfully place them back in my swaps pile. I hope one day the situation may change. I'll email you my up to date list of coins. Cheers
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Valued Member
United States
379 Posts |
I was stationed in Turkey back when it was under Martial Law. A beautiful country and I was fond of the Turks but it could have gone much worse believe me. At least you got it back.
I remember road blocks on the way into Adana where the soldiers and Police were tossing cars looking for terrorists. They'd park a tank in the middle of the highway just to show they meant business. It was an interesting 18 mos, lets just say that.
But for a Historian the place was, and is, a paradise. The coast of the Mediterranean was like a place where time just stood still. It was gorgeous, the sea food was incredible, and back in '78 and '79 the $USD really had Legs. I never spent a single Lira. A Turk back then who had access to $USD used it to buy gold they'd explain to me and it was in gold and jewelry where a family kept their generational wealth.
A quick story. We hitch hiked down to the coast once and stopped at a cafe for lunch. The cafe people ignored us for about 20+ minutes, obviously they didn't like Americans, and when we got up to just leave a Turkish family motioned to use to wait. We could tell they were poor by their clothing but their food had just arrived and they picked it up, brought it all to our table, and gave it all to us. They refused money from us, to our pro fused thanks, and they got up and left.
You see one of the tenants of Islam is improving ones self in the eyes of God by acts of charity and kindness and "guests" are to be treated especially well. To this family we were "guests" who were treated poorly so they took it upon themselves to give us their food and go hungry themselves in order to become closer to God.
It was one of the kindest things Ive ever seen anyone do for total strangers and since then Ive tried to live a life that family would approve of.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
8184 Posts |
That is awesome Silverskunk. Thank you for sharing your story.
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Moderator
United States
164017 Posts |
Indeed, thank you for sharing.  |
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Replies: 12 / Views: 951 |
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Posted 02/21/2025 10:39 am
