US TARIFFS ARE BRUTAL (Personal Anecdote)

MAP said:
An AI overview so take it for what it is worth....but seems like Antiques made in say Germany but purchased in Canada for shipment to the US would be subject to the prevailing European tariff rate. Unless I'm reading it wrong...( See "tariffs based on country of manufacture" below)

It appears that most antiques purchased in Canada and shipped to the United States are subject to the new tariffs, with some important distinctions:

  • Antiques are generally subject to tariffs: The US enacted a 10% general import tariff on all goods starting April 5, 2025, including previously exempt categories such as antiques.
  • Canada-specific tariffs: In addition to the general tariffs, Canadian-origin goods are subject to a 35% tariff as of August 1, 2025, an increase from a previous 25% rate.
  • USMCA exemption: Goods that qualify for preferential treatment under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA/CUSMA) are exempt from these tariffs. However, according to experts, it's often difficult to prove USMCA/CUSMA compliance for vintage and antique items due to lack of documentation.
  • Tariffs are based on country of manufacture: The tariff applied depends on where the antique was originally made, not where it was shipped from. So, if an antique made in Canada is shipped from the UK, it would still be subject to the Canadian tariff rate when entering the US.
  • Antiques over 100 years old are generally duty-free but still subject to the new tariffs: While Chapter 9706 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) states that antiques over 100 years old are duty-free with proof of age, they are still subject to the newly imposed tariffs.
  • Original artwork and sculptures are exempt: The US government views original artwork and sculptures as a form of communication and has exempted them from the current tariffs, according to sources. This exemption is included under 50 U.S.C. §1702(b) of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
In summary, unless an antique from Canada qualifies for the USMCA/CUSMA exemption or falls under the specific exemption for original artwork, it will likely be subject to a 35% tariff when imported into the US. It's recommended to consult with a customs broker for specific guidance on individual antique purchases.
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Given that the particular antiques which are the subject matter of this forum are made in Germany there are no tariffs. I’ve shipped several expensive helmets south of the border and no issues or tariffs. I have received many expensive antiques and no tariffs. (Mind you most ship from Germany) The country of manufacture is the key and Canada / US therefore do not qualify for tariffs on German made antiques.

Also do not trust AI to be your customs broker. Use an actual broker as MAP said. I use Calgary Customs Brokers - and everything sails through with zero issues including 30,000,000 yr old megafauna fossils purchased in the USA with USA or China origin worth far more than any Pickelhaubes and no tariffs. One arrived today! (Sabre tooth tiger - a cool factor of 11!)

Sadly the days of easy cross border shipping USA to Canada and vice versa are over. That said I’ve used a broker for more expensive items for 2 decades and it saves a metric crap ton of headaches for very little cost.

Just something to get used to I guess but tariffs are being made into a far bigger deal than it needs to be right now, mostly because buyers and sellers do not understand them and do not use brokers who do. Our brave new world.
 
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Yes Doug, I tried to insinuate that AI is not always accurate LoL. At least not yet :) . I should have also said but forgot to add that I don't think that the "admin fee" charged is tariff related. Just another fee dealers are adding to make more money. I rarely buy from dealers online. Most are either show purchases or peer to peer

And those fossils...hmmm not sure if Canada has imposed tariffs on fauna and when animals /dinosaurs roamed the earth before the continents drifted apart LoL. But a super cool hobby for sure.
 
MAP said:
Yes Doug, I tried to insinuate that AI is not always accurate LoL. At least not yet :) . I should have also said but forgot to add that I don't think that the "admin fee" charged is tariff related. Just another fee dealers are adding to make more money. I rarely buy from dealers online. Most are either show purchases or peer to peer

And those fossils...hmmm not sure if Canada has imposed tariffs on fauna and when animals /dinosaurs roamed the earth before the continents drifted apart LoL. But a super cool hobby for sure.
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Your post made some good points and was just clarifying - as you say a Customs Broker is the way to fly especially in the now more complex world of tariffs and cross border trade - in my opinion.

So far so good on the fossil front! This is what arrived today (not my pics, it’s still in the crate until my son comes tomorrow to help unwrap it and set it up on the stand!)

Image 3.jpeg

Image 2.jpeg

Image 9.jpeg
 
coert65 said:
Well, those tariffs will be paid by all Americans, regardless of what they buy, things from outside the US will all have those tariffs.
As usual, the customer gets the bill. Mr T, and no, not the guy from the A-team, will do serious damage the the US, in the long run.
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Humhum, and what abour our continent with Mrs VDL ? Nothing better on our boat :eek:

Philippe
 
So I received my items via FedEx. I didn't see anything that changed. The descriptions were as vague as ever.
1 units UOM Pieces:book value of 10.000
3 units UOM Pieces: Bronze badge. value 30.0000.

4 units total, Gross Weight 1.0LB for a sub total $100 with $38 for Freight chargesand Invoice total $138.00 CAD

Still haven't received a notification what the new Administrative fee was.

Best Regards,
JustinG
 
JustinG said:
So I received my items via FedEx. I didn't see anything that changed. The descriptions were as vague as ever.
1 units UOM Pieces:book value of 10.000
3 units UOM Pieces: Bronze badge. value 30.0000.

4 units total, Gross Weight 1.0LB for a sub total $100 with $38 for Freight chargesand Invoice total $138.00 CAD

Still haven't received a notification what the new Administrative fee was.

Best Regards,
JustinG
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Sounds like brokerage fees and as they say “Admin” ie; paperwork. UPS charges $100 for ground Admin & Brokerage fees US to Canada and only $10 if it’s Air. Doesn’t matter the value of item. They can’t explain why, it’s just what they do.
 
Agree with Doug and as I suspected. Not tariffs just another way to make more money. You would figure that should be part of the buyers premium
 
WOW!! Im very impressed(y)

@Doug B i wonder how does your "war room/wall of helmets" room looks these days, some kind of Jurassic Park?!? Just kidding:)

I was visting our old collector friend; Anders Lerhman last week and your name come up of course and some real good stories from the past, back in the ol days of GHW
 
Mappa said:
WOW!! Im very impressed(y)

@Doug B i wonder how does your "war room/wall of helmets" room looks these days, some kind of Jurassic Park?!? Just kidding:)

I was visting our old collector friend; Anders Lerhman last week and your name come up of course and some real good stories from the past, back in the ol days of GHW
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Anders! Hope he’s doing well! Yes we had lots of fun back in the day. The old wall has been through a lot of changes. After helmets I got into Diecast aircraft and had a wall of Diecast 747’s, sold those and got into medieval swords and helmets.

However the wall no longer exists as it got taken down before we sold our house and the room repainted. We moved to our new house earlier this year and my Jurassic Park is in a section between floors.

My office however has a new sort of wall but of Pickelhaubes now but more a giant cabinet with locking glass doors. I won’t post picks here as I don’t want to derail the thread but I’ll post some in the collections section one of these days!

Say hi to Anders for me!
 
JustinG said:
Well, without getting into any political debate. The reality of tariffs just emphasized that they are indeed real to me today....
I was successful in a bid from a reputable Canadian Dealer I have dealt with in the past. In the past, shipping was $30 USD for a small package. That was what the fees for shipping and handling were before. Now, a whole new category of fees that are just added: an Administrative fee went to $87.64 and shipping now $38USD. I am not sure if this is due to the declared value of the item purchased or what, but that is a sizeable fee, at least IMHO.
I used to like scouting ebay.de or other sites, perhaps finding a straggling item that might have a price of €35-60 euro. Well, I won't be so quick to buy now that the potential "good deal/price" is now obliterated by fees and taxes.

Ouch. That will have me really considering my foreign purchases.

Just sharing a personal anecdote

Best Regards,
JustinG
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Your story resonates with me. I was planning to buy books from VM Publishing, but then the euro exchange rate went up, so I ended up giving up on the purchase. I'll reconsider when the euro exchange rate drops again.
 
The end of the deminimus exemption for tariffs will make things more expensive when purchased from overseas. Most packages would have fallen below that $800 amount and not been subject to any tariffs. That ends August 29th 2025. At that point, you will likely pay the shipping company (USPS/UPS/FedEx) based upon the declared value and the tariff rate for the country of origin. I have had previous import duties assessed on packages with a declared value greater than 800. I just get an invoice from FedEx or UPS and I have to pay it before they will deliver the package. After the end of the deminimus threshold, all packages will fall into this.

This was originally done specific to China earlier this year (biggest offender with flooding small packages tariff free) but Trump expanded it to all countries to completely close the loophole. This also affects the personal exemption for bringing items back from travel. I believe it was reduced from 800 per person down to 200 as part of this.
 
chrisftk2 said:
The end of the deminimus exemption for tariffs will make things more expensive when purchased from overseas. Most packages would have fallen below that $800 amount and not been subject to any tariffs. That ends August 29th 2025. At that point, you will likely pay the shipping company (USPS/UPS/FedEx) based upon the declared value and the tariff rate for the country of origin. I have had previous import duties assessed on packages with a declared value greater than 800. I just get an invoice from FedEx or UPS and I have to pay it before they will deliver the package. After the end of the deminimus threshold, all packages will fall into this.

This was originally done specific to China earlier this year (biggest offender with flooding small packages tariff free) but Trump expanded it to all countries to completely close the loophole. This also affects the personal exemption for bringing items back from travel. I believe it was reduced from 800 per person down to 200 as part of this.
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Thank you for your reply, but I have to mention an interesting fact: I'm not American, and I don't even live in North America.😂
 
sudsent said:
Now that I think about it, the impact of this policy is really significant—it completely extinguished the flame of my desire to buy. Sigh, it's just the trend of the broader social environment.
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Well, the social environment has declinded since the end of the eighties. Not among collectors like us, more in the so called "normal" world.
Everybody has become more like, "if it doesn't hurt me, its fine, the rest is not my problem". While in the 80ties people cared about their neighbours, and had care for other people, now its only me, me, and me.

Then again, that's only my view of this world we live in nowaday's.
 
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