Update on US Tariffs on Coins
Anyone who does not constantly keep up with the latest US customs regulations gradually loses track of the situation. Following the initial major customs shock on the so-called “Liberation Day” – April 2, 2025 – many companies, including those in the numismatic sector, struggled with opaque implementing regulations. This created uncertainty among collectors, dealers, and auctioneers. Entire auctions were postponed pending clarification, which now appears to have been provided by the latest customs legislation.
All-clear from The Art Newspaper
For after President Trump imposed tariffs, American courts struck them down, and the administration issued new tariffs, The Art Newspaper gave the all-clear for the numismatic sector on July 28, 2026:”Worries that US President Donald Trump’s recently announced tariffs would raise the cost of sourcing and selling art, antiques and other collectibles are abating, as these objects have been largely declared exempt from new import duties, according to a statement from the United States Trade Representative’s office on 23 July.”
Fact Sheet: USTR Section 301
Anyone consulting the statement from the Office of the United States Trade Representative dated July 23, 2026 – cited in the Art Newspaper article – will find a reference to another website, specifically the Federal Register Notice, within the section titled “Tough Action Against the Most Unfair of Trade Practices.” Those undeterred by the document’s 431-page length who begin working their way through it will discover the all-important sentence as early as page 54.
No customs duties on art, antiques, and collectibles
There you can read: “Comments requested exemptions of products including … art, antique, and collectible products. Certain economies that have concluded ARTs or similar arrangements with the United States have also requested exemption of products negotiated as part of those agreements and arrangements. Having considered the public comments, advice of the Section 301 Committee, as well as the advice of advisory committees, and the specific direction of the President, the Trade Representative determined to exempt the following additional products from the scope of actions: … and certain antiques, collectibles, and art. … With respect to certain goods under HTSUS Chapter 97, including, among other things, art, antiques, and collections and collectors’ pieces of numismatic interest; goods of zoological, botanical, mineralogical, anatomical interest; extinct or endangered species and parts thereof; and goods of archeological, ethnographic or historical interest, commenters emphasized the unique quality, design, history, sourcing or origin, and supply chains of certain works of art and collectibles, as well as the irreplaceable nature of certain works of art and collectibles. The comments asserted that applying the additional Section 301 tariffs would not be effective in obtaining the elimination of the acts, policies, and practices of the 60 economies determined to be actionable in these investigations and would result in increased costs, administrative burdens, and disproportionate harm to museums, educational institutions, researchers, galleries, auction houses, and micro-, small- or medium-sized enterprises operating within the cultural sector.”
Reactions from the trade
Cinoa, the association representing art and antique dealers worldwide, has welcomed this decision, as have the British Antique Dealers Association and, of course, the IAPN. Their Executive Director, Peter Tompa, summarized the situation: “Great news. Sometimes, goverment listens.”
There is nothing to add to that.
Text and images: Ursula Kampmann
