Anyone else having trouble with US Customs?

[CPK]

Awhile back, I purchased a coin from CGB in France. I've made many purchases from them and never had any problems.

Tracking shows that the coin entered US Customs almost exactly one month ago. There have been no updates since then. It has apparently not been cleared yet.

I've never had a package take this long to go through Customs, not from CGB or any other European dealer. I called USPS and they said they can't really do anything about it as long as Customs has the package.

Has anyone else experienced similar issues? How concerned should I be, and is there anything I can do about it?

Thanks!

[-monolith-]

Yes, but only on purchases of $2,500 or more. Customs will hold it until you pay the Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF) "import tax". 

[CPK]

6 minutes ago, -monolith- said:

Yes, but only on purchases of $2,500 or more. Customs will hold it until you pay the Merchandise Processing Fee (MPF) "import tax". 

I see. My purchase wasn't anywhere close to that (more like $140.)

What makes it worse is that I have since made two other purchases from CGB...the one entered Customs about three days ago and hasn't been heard from since. The last one hasn't made it to the States yet.

[Postvmvs]

I had a coin I ordered back in June disappear into US customs. I followed steps, was told about the up to 45 business days it takes to clear, blah blah blah... I ended up calling number their phone number and waiting on hold for almost an hour to talk to someone unable to help at all. Filled out the online thing, was told at the end the case was closed and they didn't have it, which oddly enough caused the "held in customs" steps to disappear from the tracking record. Filed a missing mail search and then nothing. I have come to accept that my coin is gone, most likely stolen, but who really knows.

I sincerely hope that you have better luck than I did!

[CPK]

9 minutes ago, Postvmvs said:

I had a coin I ordered back in June disappear into US customs. I followed steps, was told about the up to 45 business days it takes to clear, blah blah blah... I ended up calling number their phone number and waiting on hold for almost an hour to talk to someone unable to help at all. Filled out the online thing, was told at the end the case was closed and they didn't have it, which oddly enough caused the "held in customs" steps to disappear from the tracking record. Filed a missing mail search and then nothing. I have come to accept that my coin is gone, most likely stolen, but who really knows.

I sincerely hope that you have better luck than I did!

Oh no! 😞 Sorry to hear that...I hope mine don't disappear like that!

[Croatian Coin Collector]

I don't know if this will help you since I live in Croatia and not the USA, but when one of my coins that I had ordered from Canada "disappeared" after arriving in Croatia, I contacted the seller, who contacted Canada Post, who then launched a new "file for search", and after about a week the coin was found and then it was delivered to me a couple of days after that.

[CPK]

Just now, Croatian Coin Collector said:

I don't know if this will help you since I live in Croatia and not the USA, but when one of my coins that I had ordered from Canada "disappeared" after arriving in Croatia, I contacted the seller, who contacted Canada Post, who then launched a new "file for search", and after about a week the coin was found and then it was delivered to me a couple of days after that.

Thanks, I might see what I can do with that.

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

No, but I hope the coin comes trhough.  The most recent orders, from CGB and the Swiss place, respectively, whizzed through.

[CPK]

18 minutes ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

No, but I hope the coin comes trhough.  The most recent orders, from CGB and the Swiss place, respectively, whizzed through.

Thanks! Like I said, I've never had the slightest trouble before now. I hope this is just a temporary hiccup.

[rasiel]

2 hours ago, Postvmvs said:

I had a coin I ordered back in June disappear into US customs. I followed steps, was told about the up to 45 business days it takes to clear, blah blah blah... I ended up calling number their phone number and waiting on hold for almost an hour to talk to someone unable to help at all. Filled out the online thing, was told at the end the case was closed and they didn't have it, which oddly enough caused the "held in customs" steps to disappear from the tracking record. Filed a missing mail search and then nothing. I have come to accept that my coin is gone, most likely stolen, but who really knows.

I sincerely hope that you have better luck than I did!

Aaaaaand this basically is the summary for dozens - perhaps hundreds - of packages I've lost over the years. It doesn't matter where in the pipeline it happens. Customs, at a sorting center, your mailbox... makes no difference. If that tracking is stuck for more than a couple of weeks abandon ye all hope. USPS knows all too well that there's zero repercussions from losing your mail. You can't sue them of course (they're a federal agency) but you can use their automated complaint system. It will dutifully record several pages worth of details and submit it through an algorithmic loop taking up 45 days after which time you will receive a canned response stating that, regretfully, after a truly exhaustive search making full use of their considerable resources that no trace of your package was found but, rest assured, they are tirelessly working to ensure that this never never never happens again [pinky swear!] 

What's that? You want at least to get your money spent on postage back? Whoa now, that's just crazy talk!

CPK: this is on CGB. They need to give you your money back. Hopefully you paid with Paypal or a credit card in case they give you the runaround. And if they do this is what social media is for. Tell us how they handle this and we all learn whether they're a business worth doing business with or not.

Rasiel

[robinjojo]

Bummer!  Did your package go through the ISC (La Guardia Airport)?

I had a package from the UAE earlier this year with an "inbound Customs" status for over month, very odd even for US Customs.  I decided to file a missing mail request with the USPS around that time.  I also was able to send a question to Customs, giving them the tracking number, and asking them if the package was in fact with Customs.  They replied that it was not.  So, the whole mess ended up with the IRG (International Research Group) when the seller had Emirates Post request an IRG search.  Eventually the shipment was declared lost and the seller was compensated.  I was refunded the full amount by the seller before the case went to the IRG.

So, I suggest that you file a missing mail request with the USPS.   Perhaps you will get a fairly quick response that your package is indeed with Customs.  If that is the case, then just wait.  Eventually it will merge and enter the USPS system again. 

If you haven't done so, contact CBG to alter them about this situation.

You could also try to contact US Customs to see if they have your package. They won't give you status, but I had luck getting that basic information from them.

Here's the form:

https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/questions?language=en_US

For topic, select "Mailed and Courier Packages".  In the description, include the tracking number and contents.  Also include the last tracking status from the USPS and the date. 

They were responsive to my request, so you should hear back from them.  I got an initial informal response from them quite quickly.  If you want them to do a more formal search there is a lengthy wait time, 45 business days.  They came back after that request with the same result: they never had the package.  Case closed.

Edited October 24, 2024 by robinjojo

[David Atherton]

If the coin is from cgb.fr, I assume JFK customs is the culprit. Call them and find out if they at least have it.

(718) 553 1456

Good luck!

[CPK]

8 hours ago, robinjojo said:

Bummer!  Did your package go through the ISC (La Guardia Airport)?

I had a package from the UAE earlier this year with an "inbound Customs" status for over month, very odd even for US Customs.  I decided to file a missing mail request with the USPS around that time.  I also was able to send a question to Customs, giving them the tracking number, and asking them if the package was in fact with Customs.  They replied that it was not.  So, the whole mess ended up with the IRG (International Research Group) when the seller had Emirates Post request an IRG search.  Eventually the shipment was declared lost and the seller was compensated.  I was refunded the full amount by the seller before the case went to the IRG.

So, I suggest that you file a missing mail request with the USPS.   Perhaps you will get a fairly quick response that your package is indeed with Customs.  If that is the case, then just wait.  Eventually it will merge and enter the USPS system again. 

If you haven't done so, contact CBG to alter them about this situation.

You could also try to contact US Customs to see if they have your package. They won't give you status, but I had luck getting that basic information from them.

Here's the form:

https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/questions?language=en_US

For topic, select "Mailed and Courier Packages".  In the description, include the tracking number and contents.  Also include the last tracking status from the USPS and the date. 

They were responsive to my request, so you should hear back from them.  I got an initial informal response from them quite quickly.  If you want them to do a more formal search there is a lengthy wait time, 45 business days.  They came back after that request with the same result: they never had the package.  Case closed.

Thanks very much! Yes, the package did go through ISC. I filled out that form and sent a request to Customs using that link. Hopefully I will hear back soon.

Last night I sent an email to CGB, explaining the situation and asking them if there was anything they could do about it. Have yet to hear back from them.

@David Atherton thanks for that number, I may use it if I don't hear back via email.

For what it's worth this is the USPS tracking shows.

[AETHER]

Damn, I hope you hear some good news soon. 

[robinjojo]

3 hours ago, CPK said:

Thanks very much! Yes, the package did go through ISC. I filled out that form and sent a request to Customs using that link. Hopefully I will hear back soon.

Last night I sent an email to CGB, explaining the situation and asking them if there was anything they could do about it. Have yet to hear back from them.

@David Atherton thanks for that number, I may use it if I don't hear back via email.

For what it's worth this is the USPS tracking shows.

In another week or so you might consider contacting CBG and ask them to have La Poste request an investigation by the IRG (USPS).  I don't know if they will but it's worth a try.

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

Today was my second time ordering from CGB.  The first had been straight from the website, and it was sent by post. I used vcoins this time, and paid slightly more per coin (5 euro each) because it was more convenient.  The shipping methods were rather unclear, something like "cgb shipping' (which I assumed to be post) and 'express', which I assumed to be DHL/Fed Ex.  I chose the former, but received a message from my FedEx delivery manager that a package was on the way.

[DonnaML]

I've had more than one ancient coin disappear into U.S. Customs limbo over the years. At the other extreme, look how quickly this package, containing one ancient coin purchased in the Kölner Münzkabinett auction on 4 October, seems to have made it through Customs:

A grand total of 2 hours and 10 minutes, for the entire process from entering ISC to leaving Customs! Ironically, I had been growing increasingly concerned that 9 days had gone by before this morning without any tracking updates whatsoever.

[Phil Anthos]

I've lost one coin that way. It tracked as far as SF customs and was never seen again. It's either behind a cabinet somewhere in the customs office, or in some customs official's private collection.

I actually called the customs office in San Francisco and suggested that it might just be misplaced, but she told me that their office was only 8x12 and " Honey, if it was here I'd see it."

Fortunately it was insured and Praefectus had another similar specimen so it worked out, for me anyway.

~ Peter 

Edited October 26, 2024 by Phil Anthos

[CPK]

Thanks all for your advice and commiseration! Thankfully, it appears that there might be a happy ending, after all!

I can hardly believe it, but the day after I posted this thread I checked again and the package had left customs! Also the other two orders have since been through and are now in the hands of the USPS! I honestly was resigned to losing all three shipments, so this came out of a blue sky and I am so relieved. It wasn't just the money part (altogether it was maybe $300) but one of the coins was an exceedingly rare type that had been misidentified by the dealer, and I bought it just as a reward for spotting the error. 😉 It hurt to think of letting it disappear like that.

I don't know if my formulaic Customs inquiry had anything to do with it, but man is it good to know that I might actually get to see the coins I paid for! 🥳