USA tariffs that apply to import of ethnographic items.

A. G. Maisey · 1st October 2025, 10:15 PM

Thank you for that info Detlef.

Yes, I think that this additional information is useful.

To me, it indicates that US postal officials are still working by the officially approved and documented procedures set forth in the 2025 HTS Revision 24.

At least insofar as low value private parcels are concerned.

High value imports to USA might be getting different attention, & I do not have sufficient knowledge of internal procedures to form an opinion on this, but as far as little fish go, I rather suspect that things will continue as they have in the past at least until another HTS Revision has been documented and issued. Even then I strongly suspect that for ethnographic items things could still stay the same.

There is another consideration also, and it is really a tariff or duty matter, it is a matter of bottom line numbers, ie, accounting.

Where countries have a duty free limit on personal imports it is not because they have hearts of gold & do not want to punish little people buying & selling little things.

Governments have these duty free provisions because to place any sort of tax on items below a certain level can result in an overall loss. Depending upon how that loss is calculated, the tax free limit varies, & might consider factors that would never be considered by any but the most diligent bureaucrat or number cruncher.

1st October 2025, 10:15 PM	#8
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,067	Thank you for that info Detlef. Yes, I think that this additional information is useful. To me, it indicates that US postal officials are still working by the officially approved and documented procedures set forth in the 2025 HTS Revision 24. At least insofar as low value private parcels are concerned. High value imports to USA might be getting different attention, & I do not have sufficient knowledge of internal procedures to form an opinion on this, but as far as little fish go, I rather suspect that things will continue as they have in the past at least until another HTS Revision has been documented and issued. Even then I strongly suspect that for ethnographic items things could still stay the same. There is another consideration also, and it is really a tariff or duty matter, it is a matter of bottom line numbers, ie, accounting. Where countries have a duty free limit on personal imports it is not because they have hearts of gold & do not want to punish little people buying & selling little things. Governments have these duty free provisions because to place any sort of tax on items below a certain level can result in an overall loss. Depending upon how that loss is calculated, the tax free limit varies, & might consider factors that would never be considered by any but the most diligent bureaucrat or number cruncher.