Any experiences with eBay seller jerusalemhadaya2012 ?

[Heliodromus]

I wonder if anyone has bought from jerusalemhadaya2012 on eBay and has any good/bad experiences to share ?

I bought a coin from this seller, supposedly located in Israel, a month ago and paid immediately. After a couple of weeks the status still hadn't changed to shipped so I asked him and was told the coin was actually  in Germany and he'd ship it when he was there in "less than 10 days". Couple weeks later and no update so I ask again and he said it's shipped but is waiting for a "bulk update of tracking numbers" ... now a few days ago he provides a tracking number from "AFS Logistics" which per Google appears to be a US-based logistics company that is not in the business of shipping (and certainly nothing on their web site to track shipments). I contacted jerusalemhadaya2012 yet again to ask if he has a link where this "tracking number" can be tracked and so far he's ghosting me - no reply.

He's got 100% eBay feedback rating, but I've seen scammers maintain this too just by giving refunds to those who complain.

Any opinions on this seller, or has anyone heard of "AFS Logistics" as an international shipping company (that might be shipping something Germany) ?

To top it off the estimated shipping time is a month and a half, so I can't even say "not received" until middle of march.

 

Edited February 3, 2023 by Heliodromus

[Kaleun96]

I know a few people on the Ancient Coins Discord server have bought from him. I can recall a few issues but they always seemed to get sorted out. One collector based in the US has ordered a few times but had to file an item not received / missing shipment once and I think the seller was a bit slow to sort it out. Eventually he sent him a nicer coin but it took awhile. Slow shipping is definitely a theme I recall from when people have discussed him in general.

[Jay GT4]

All my shipments from them have been very quick and I've never had an issue.  They've always been shipped from Israel and a take a week, maybe two to reach Canada.  

Edited February 3, 2023 by Jay GT4

[Heliodromus]

Thanks, guys. That at least sounds hopeful, although I wish his "tracking number" was actually trackable! 🙄

[Kaleun96]

13 minutes ago, Heliodromus said:

Thanks, guys. That at least sounds hopeful, although I wish his "tracking number" was actually trackable! 🙄

Have you tried entering it in ParcelsApp.com  or 17track.net? Those are my go-to when I get a weird looking tracking number from an unknown shipping provider.

[Heliodromus]

15 minutes ago, Kaleun96 said:

Have you tried entering it in ParcelsApp.com  or 17track.net?

Thanks - those look very useful, although they don't happen to have this particular shipper. I'll save them for future reference.

So, with a bit more sleuthing I have found an AFS website where it can be tracked:

https://www.afstransport.com/en.html

Not sure of the exact affiliation between US-based AFS logisitics and this AFS transport which is Germany based, but it does confirm the tracking number. Not the most user-friendly site since the tracking results are given in Turkish even if you select English as your preferrred language (out of an English/German/Turkish selection).

So, my coin does appear to have been loaded onto the slow German/Turkish donkey carrier. 🙂

[Kali]

I've bought from that seller a few times, and have had no issues. It just took awhile.

But, I haven't bought a single thing, overseas, since before Covid, so things might have changed.

[robinjojo]

7 hours ago, Heliodromus said:

I wonder if anyone has bought from jerusalemhadaya2012 on eBay and has any good/bad experiences to share ?

I bought a coin from this seller, supposedly located in Israel, a month ago and paid immediately. After a couple of weeks the status still hadn't changed to shipped so I asked him and was told the coin was actually  in Germany and he'd ship it when he was there in "less than 10 days". Couple weeks later and no update so I ask again and he said it's shipped but is waiting for a "bulk update of tracking numbers" ... now a few days ago he provides a tracking number from "AFS Logistics" which per Google appears to be a US-based logistics company that is not in the business of shipping (and certainly nothing on their web site to track shipments). I contacted jerusalemhadaya2012 yet again to ask if he has a link where this "tracking number" can be tracked and so far he's ghosting me - no reply.

He's got 100% eBay feedback rating, but I've seen scammers maintain this too just by giving refunds to those who complain.

Any opinions on this seller, or has anyone heard of "AFS Logistics" as an international shipping company (that might be shipping something Germany) ?

To top it off the estimated shipping time is a month and a half, so I can't even say "not received" until middle of march.

 

I'm in the same boat.  An AFS tracking number was given for four items from this seller.  Apparently most of his shipping is being done through Germany.  The AFS tracking number is for a shipment apparently from Turkey to Germany.  Another shipment will be made from Germany to the buyer.  This is very time consuming and not without risk. 

The last time I received a shipment from Germany for this seller, the package was damaged and empty!  I don't know if the contents were lost in transit or if the box was sent that way.  i have not had any issues with his shipments from Israel, other than a wayward shipment a few years ago that ended up going back to the seller because of a problem with the sorting machines being removed in the summer of 2020 by the USPS, so that problem was not the fault of the seller.

I think jerusalemhadaya2012 is honest - I have never had any issues with shipping or the items sent.  This German shipping is another matter. So far the record has not been good, and I've informed him as such.  If there's another problem, that's it for him as far as I'm concerned.

Here's a link to the AFS Transport website.  They only ship within Europe and apparently to Mexico.

https://www.afstransport.com/en.html

 

Edited February 3, 2023 by robinjojo

[John Conduitt]

I would guess AFS is a freight forwarding company. I use one to ship to myself from US sellers who refuse to ship to my country. Perhaps there’s some benefit the other way. It would mean shipping takes a while as it needs to be shipped twice. Maybe three times if this company does a bulk delivery to the US (a bit like eBay GSP).

Edited February 3, 2023 by John Conduitt

[septim]

I bought a "islamic" from that dealer December 20th. After two weeks and no tracking number I inquired: no answer. One week later I asked again for a tracking number. This time he answered promptly and promised to provide the tracking number the next day claiming that the parcel is on its way already. Two weeks passed and nothing happened. So I contacted him again and he promised further information within two days. Four days or so later I finally got my "tracking number" and AFS as the company dealing with the parcel. Never heard of them before, but finally got to the same page @robinjojo did. Fun fact: even when changing the language of the page from Turkish to English or German, the content of the tracking is still in Turkish (google translate: " Waybill of your post has been created" - date is of January 31st - and it does not sound like the parcel itself is anyway near being on its way to me).

All in all I hope, that I will at some point receive the coin in question, but I am not to confident about it. Communication (if existing) is a mess and full of lies, service is cappy and I will for sure not buy from him ever again. 

 

[David Atherton]

I've previously ordered from them and had no issues at all. But those packages were shipped directly via Israel Post ... it seems as if they have changed their shipping method in the meantime. 

[Heliodromus]

2 hours ago, septim said:

All in all I hope, that I will at some point receive the coin in question, but I am not to confident about it. Communication (if existing) is a mess and full of lies, service is cappy and I will for sure not buy from him ever again. 

Yep - precisely my own thoughts!

[DonnaML]

I thought ancient coins shipped from Israel require an export permit. Does this seller provide proof of one?

[Heliodromus]

1 hour ago, DonnaML said:

I thought ancient coins shipped from Israel require an export permit. Does this seller provide proof of one?

I don't know. This'll be my first and last time buying from him.

[robinjojo]

When this seller started listing on eBay, all shipments, as far as I know originated from Israel, by Israel Post.  Beginning last year some shipments were routed through Germany, and that is when the delays began. 

As I mentioned in my earlier post the Germany shipment arrived empty, the flimsy box damaged, with only a wad of newspaper in it - three coins missing.  Now I must say that jerusalemhadaya2012 did make things right by allowing me to order three coins from his website.  Those were sent by Israel Post without delay.  Still, it is sad that three coins were lost or never sent.  I guess I should have learned from this unfortunate incident, but I am back again dealing with another lengthy shipment from Germany.  The problem with his listings is that each item shows the origin as Israel, but in fact the actual shipping may be from there or Germany.  

Another problem with this high extended shipping window is that it exceeds the eBay refund period for item not received.  Further, once a shipment is received and the parcel is empty, you're out of luck with eBay - no refund from them.  Filing a refund claim with PayPal or credit card company would also be problematic, I think. The only recourse eBay offers is returning the item or items for a refund, which doesn't apply if you don't have the items in the first place!  In a way I understand this policy; allowing claims for refund for items missing from a shipment could expose eBay to fraudulent claims.  It's a messy situation.

I did have another earlier problem with a shipment from Roma, through the USPS.  A package from them was torn open, either intentionally or accidentally, and resealed with USPS tape.  One box (they use small gift boxes) containing three coins were missing.  I informed Roma and they promptly issued a refund, much to their credit.

I got miffed about the current eBay shipping delay and filed an item not received request on February 2nd.  That day the AFS tracking number materialized, so the item has been shipped.  I guess other buyers who have posted here also got the same tracking number: AFS: 00346447218433.  It appears that a large shipment from Turkey is being organized, destined for Germany.  This process might take a while.

A few weeks back I did talk to the seller and conveyed my feelings about this German operation.  I told him that I trusted him, having done business with him for about four years, but I have zero trust in the Germany office.  Ah well, we'll see how this all plays out.....

[Heliodromus]

29 minutes ago, robinjojo said:

I guess other buyers who have posted here also got the same tracking number: AFS: 00346447218433.  It appears that a large shipment from Turkey is being organized, destined for Germany. 

I got a different number, but my coin is supposedly being shipped OUT of Germany. If these "tracking numbers" don't correspond to individual recipients then obviously they are meaningless, and eBay logically shouldn't regard them as any proof of shipment.

 

Edited February 4, 2023 by Heliodromus

[septim]

I got a different tracking number, too. As I am from Germany, I would expect that it should not take too long once it gets here. But one never knows.

 

[robinjojo]

I'm not really sure how AFS works, but it appears, based on the information provided through their website, that they do not ship to the US - only some European nations and Mexico.  I have never seen an AFS delivery van or truck locally and it is by no means clear that they deliver small shipments to private individuals, the way UPS, DHL or FedEx do.  AFS appears to be a logistics shipping firm for companies, providing air, surface and oceanic transportation and storage.  

I queried jerusalemhadaya2012 a couple of days ago about AFS and have not received a response.

[DonnaML]

4 hours ago, Heliodromus said:

I don't know. This'll be my first and last time buying from him.

I can't help wondering whether all this reshipping from Germany, Turkey, etc. is part of some kind of scheme to evade Israel's export restrictions, and to avoid the potential confiscation by customs authorities in other countries of coins imported directly from Israel without a permit. There is definitely a requirement in Israel for an export permit for all antiquities, the definition of which unquestionably includes ancient coins. See http://www.antiquities.org.il/article_eng.aspx?sec_id=42&subj_id=228&autotitle=true&Module_id=6 . The few ancient coins I've bought from Israeli dealers (via VCoins) have all been substantially delayed in shipment by the requirement of obtaining an export permit.

[robinjojo]

59 minutes ago, DonnaML said:

I can't help wondering whether all this reshipping from Germany, Turkey, etc. is part of some kind of scheme to evade Israel's export restrictions, and to avoid the potential confiscation by customs authorities in other countries of coins imported directly from Israel without a permit. There is definitely a requirement in Israel for an export permit for all antiquities, the definition of which unquestionably includes ancient coins. See http://www.antiquities.org.il/article_eng.aspx?sec_id=42&subj_id=228&autotitle=true&Module_id=6 . The few ancient coins I've bought from Israeli dealers (via VCoins) have all been substantially delayed in shipment by the requirement of obtaining an export permit.

There are a lot of coins being found in countries such as Syria and Jordan.  In the past many found their way to Israel for sale to collectors as individual coins or as bulk lots. 

Israel does require an export clearance before a coin or antiquity leaves the country.  My impression is that the focus of this process is to stop or restrict the export of Jewish coins and antiquities, but perhaps other coins/antiquities as well.  I have had shipments through Shick Coins go through the export clearance process.  The coins were an imitative tetradrachm of Northwest Arabia, a Arab/Byzantine follis, and a Byzantine follis.  All coins obtained permits, but the process was very slow, as mentioned.

Edited February 4, 2023 by robinjojo

[Heliodromus]

20 minutes ago, DonnaML said:

can't help wondering whether all this reshipping from Germany, Turkey, etc

It does make you wonder, but on the other hand he's totally open about operating out of Israel, and there are many coin/antiquity dealers that do operate legally from there, so it doesn't appear too difficult to get permits.

I'd assume the Israel Antiquities Authority do check who's selling on eBay.

[Heliodromus]

1 hour ago, robinjojo said:

I'm not really sure how AFS works, but it appears, based on the information provided through their website, that they do not ship to the US - only some European nations and Mexico.  I have never seen an AFS delivery van or truck

There appear to be at least two parts to AFS - the US-based logistics company "AFS logistics" and the Germany-based "AFS transport" who's providing these tracking numbers. AFS transport does ship globally:

https://www.afstransport.com/en.html#transportation

I'm assuming that local delivery within a foreign country is via local postal service, so maybe AFS transport ships in bulk to a US agent (part of AFS logistics?) who then hands it off to USPS?

Edited February 4, 2023 by Heliodromus

[DonnaML]

36 minutes ago, robinjojo said:

 My impression is that the focus of this process is to stop or restrict the export of Jewish coins and antiquities, but perhaps other coins/antiquities as well.  I have had shipments through Shick Coins go through the export clearance process.  The coins were an imitative tetradrachm of Northwest Arabia, a Arab/Byzantine follis, and a Byzantine follis.  All coins obtained permits, but the process was very slow, as mentioned.

I bought one coin from Shick that took a month or two before an export permit was obtained. It was not a Jewish coin; it was a Hadrian diobol from Roman Alexandria with Isis and Harpocrates on the reverse. It seems unlikely that it was dug up in Israel, given that Roman Alexandrian coins didn't circulate outside Egypt, but who knows?

[Troyden]

Aye. I bought from them and got the coin without problems (not counting shenanigans from custom services in my country).

But there was a weird letter inside.

 

Edited February 5, 2023 by Troyden

[Heliodromus]

Maybe my coin will be blessed at a church in Germany ?

I'd really prefer secure shipping to a blessing, but I guess you take what you are given!