Can anyone help out with Customs sitting on something for a month?

[JeandAcre]

Yipe.  After most of a quarter-century of buying from European dealers (including the UK; from the US), I've learned to enjoy the anticipation as an integral part of the process.

But in this instance, it turns out that US Customs has been sitting on it for a month.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204614259495

The last time something got stuck this way, the USPS and Customs blamed eachother.  And I never saw the coin --a truly rare obole of Robert II Capet, bought unattributed on French ebay.  (Duplessy, Royales 9.) I still have the dealer's .jpgs.

 

 

Any advice anyone could provide about how to address the current issue (pun unintended), with the shilling of James I (which I really like), would be summarily, profoundly appreciated.  

I haven't even written the dealer yet; he's been in business long enough, including international shipping, that he might know something about how to proceed.  But any love regarding this, from anyone here, couldn't fail to help, by way of a morale boost at the very least. 

(Edit:) Yeah, when Customs is involved, the equation irrevocably changes.  They're like the cops you don't want to show up in your neighborhood.

Edited February 12 by JeandAcre

[JeandAcre]

Thanks, @Hrefn.  Right, for the imogee.  (--Is there a right way to spell that?  Never found one.)  No lie, that helped!  It's encouraging to be reminded that you, and likely some other folks here, are going to be on the same page.

[David Atherton]

I've had coins sit in customs/ISC much longer than that. But if you're curious about what's going on with your package and possibly grease the wheels, call USPS consumer affairs for the state it's stuck in.

BTW, is there a post missing in this thread? I don't see any advice @Hrefn may have offered. 

[ewomack]

I have been there. It's frustrating. A few years ago I ordered the book "An Introduction to Arabic Coins and how to Read Them" from outside of the US. The book sat in customs for a few months, at least. I had to wait it out and the book just appeared one day in a customs envelope. Thankfully, in pristine condition. I'm not sure if there's much the dealer or anyone else can do until it clears, since I believe customs is Federal jurisdiction. If anyone knows of anything, please include it here.

Also, @JeandAcre, the word is spelled "Emoji": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emoji - the wiki link explains the etymology from Japanese.

[Hrefn]

@David Atherton I wish I had advice to offer.  I believe @JeandAcre was reacting to my expression of sympathy.  Importation of antiques greater than 100 years old are exempt from US Customs duties, so the delay makes no sense at all.  

[JeandAcre]

57 minutes ago, David Atherton said:

I've had coins sit in customs/ISC much longer than that. But if you're curious about what's going on with your package and possibly grease the wheels, call USPS consumer affairs for the state it's stuck in.

BTW, is there a post missing in this thread? I don't see any advice @Hrefn may have offered. 

Huge thanks, @David Atherton, and @ewomack,for your encouragement and counsel.  ...Nope, all @Hrefn did was to contribute the first 'crying face' Emoji (thanks back to @ewomack).

[JeandAcre]

4 minutes ago, Hrefn said:

@David Atherton I wish I had advice to offer.  I believe @JeandAcre was reacting to my expression of sympathy.  Importation of antiques greater than 100 years old are exempt from US Customs duties, so the delay makes no sense at all.  

...Wow, @Hrefn, you merely confirm what I've suspected for a long time; in terms of whatever's left of our national infrastructure, the US is effectively a 3rd World country on an improbably (...if not mystifyingly) large national budget.

[JeandAcre]

1 hour ago, David Atherton said:

I've had coins sit in customs/ISC much longer than that. But if you're curious about what's going on with your package and possibly grease the wheels, call USPS consumer affairs for the state it's stuck in.

BTW, is there a post missing in this thread? I don't see any advice @Hrefn may have offered. 

Many thanks for the substantive advice, @David Atherton.  ...Granted, I dread the prospect of keeping the handset on speakerphone for the hour, or whaever, it will take to get an actual human, who may or may not know what they're talking about.

What's really only more encouraging are everyone's examples of dealing with the same experience, with eventual happy endings.  Honestly, that's helping a lot.  You know who you are; thanks, Lots!  :<}

[JeandAcre]

With ongoing, cordial gratitude to everyone for your valued advice and moral support, this bad monkey Showed Up today!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204614259495  

Yes, during the interval, I did get around to writing the dealer, who gave a very encouraging answer, only most specifically along the lines of what @ewomack and @David Atherton said.  

But, by way alternate metaphor, this mad puppy is the kind of coin that can only be better in hand, purely by default.  As I said in the ebay feedback, the convergence of strike, toning and ensuing detail summarily send the obverse scratches under the radar.  Right, I'm going to write the dealer, from our correspondence outside of ebay.  He's solid folks.

Except, Yeah, Many Thanks to each of you guys.