Tariffs As They Might Affect The US Market

I fear a sense of humour failure amongst you chaps.

GeoffHa ---Agree with you ......

I think the collectors (and the dealers and auction houses) are in a wait-and-see mode. Historically, two rules let most of the stamps entering the US duty-free:
1. Base duty for stamps is 0
2. De minimis rule: small package worth less than $800 can enter US duty-free.
In Trump's first term, the administration launched a tariff war with China under the Section 301 Investigation. They added different tariffs on different goods from China. However, they opened the public comment allowing individuals and businesses to apply for the exemptions. Based on the applications and the nature of the stamps and other art goods (paintings, etc), they issued the exemption to the stamps and other art goods. However, this exemption didn't live long before it was taken out of the exemption list. All this paragraph is for the China goods based on the Section 301 only.

In Trump's new term, the administration launched the new tariff war with Canada, Mexicao and China first under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Added 10%-25% to the goods from these countries. Then on the liberation day, using IEEPA again, Trump announced the reciprocal tariffs, which added 10% or more tariffs on ALL countries including islands with no one living there. And all these tariffs are ADDED to the previous imposed tariffs. And that is why here we have a very high tariffs for some countries and at least have 10% on the other countries. There is an exemption list for each announcement, but unfortunately. stamps are not in the list explicitly.

Now, the only rescue is the "De mininis Rule". Fortunately, it is still working for most of the countries except China (including Hong Kong). So if the stamps you are buying is worth less than $800 (per day) from other countries except from China, they should be able to enter US duty-free.

I certainly wish the administration to open the public comments and accept the exemption applications. As it really doesn't make sense to add tariffs on those cultural goods including stamps, coins, artwork, antiques, etc. They cannot be made in US and will not benefit US's job market. Instead, they hurt the US consumer, including the collectors, dealers, auction houses, museums, research universities etc.

Those people mentioned in the last paragraph are irrelevant, since the current regime has never cared about them. Or saving jobs. Stamps will either be taxed more or they will not; all anyone can do is wait and see.

Has nothing to do with the "current regime". We (the collecting community) have been hit with nonsensical bans on Iranian, Cuban, and Sudanese stamps and coins for many years now, under the auspices of "embargo", when the manufacture and importation of the items in question long predate the embargoes.

Has anyone had a successful experience paying the tariffs (for stamps, or anything else)?

I was in the post office on Monday mailing a package and the person in front of me had a letter from USPS saying that a customs fee was due that had to be paid before the package would be delivered. He tried looking for a way to pay online but there wasn't enough information on the basically form letter to say where the package was from or how much was owed. That's why he went to stand in line at the local post office.

The clerks were mostly friendly and trying to be helpful but they were at a loss as to what to do either. The package was not at their branch, and the customer was starting to get impatient about how to find the package and pay the fee. Trying to dismiss the customer, one of the clerks said to "find out which post office delivers your mail and go there. It is not this office."
- "How do I do that?"
- "Look it up on the Internet."
- "You have a computer, can't you help look it up for me?"
- "No."

There are 3 post office branches in the area, and the one closest to your address is not necessarily the one that sorts and delivers your mail.

The customer was expecting an international package, and the letter that he had did not appear to be a scam, or if it was, it was a poorly implemented one.

It is shocking that the letter did not have sufficient information and instructions for how to complete this task, nor were the clerks trained with a FAQ for how to support their customers efficiently.

Has anyone experienced the process with the USPS and how it is supposed to work? It's not like tariffs were just invented yesterday, they must have a workable process...

Nothing has changed. USPS collects tariffs due at your local post office or at least that is what is supposed to happen. The USPS is not the same place anymore. I have scores of problems with my local office and it mostly stems from "I don't give a crap" syndrome. They should be privatized as should most of the bloated inefficient government. It has become a parking lot for dumbo's of a certain ideology.

https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-imp...ost%20office.

The embargo of those countries stamps has nothing to do with the current discussion, which is about tariffs added by this regime. Will the stamps you buy overseas cost more or not.

In the last month I have received stamps here in the U.S. from Canada, Great Britain, and Portugal. So far they have all passed through customs with no tariffs or any other issues. While a couple of these shipments had values of about $500, none of them were above the $800 mark. That is my limited experience.
Mike

Yeah, unless it's above $800 from any tariff-applied country *or* China/Hong Kong (any amount), you should be safe.

Kelleher/Rogers still holds periodic sales in Hong Kong, correct? I'm trying to think of other named vendors in the philatelic space that would be affected.

Spink China auctions in Hong Kong, under the watchful eye of their "current regime."

Some auction houses in Hong Kong are flexible on marking the stamps in envelopes as document, as China always have duties on stamps (regardless of the origin).

FYI - At the beginning of June, I made an auction purchase of GB stamps from Switzerland. Received the material by FedEx about a week later.
Today, received a bill from FedEx for tariffs due on the purchase.

Invoice had the right description (Philatelic Items for Collector) and code (9704.00.000).
Rate listed as 10% plus a small processing fee.
The items purchased were GB stamps and the current tariff rates are 10% on both Swiss and UK imports, so I don't know whether they charged the manufacture (UK) or sale (Swiss) rate.

Not a surprise - was expecting it, and still VERY happy with my purchase, but thought I might be off the hook when it showed up a couple of weeks ago. Alas, not to be.

Be forewarned. Assume you'll pay some tariff these days, but things can change on a daily basis.

Chip