So Is It jewelry? Mailing Restricitons

Recently I posted a thread on Etsy explaining that not everyone who has high international shipping fees are trying to pull a fast one on customers. I explained that shipping a package priority mail with Registered mail was the cheapest way to fulfill Paypal's shipping requirements for tracking.

I also pointed out that jewelry, specifically precious metals, generally had more restrictions than some other products when it was being shipped to a foreign country. In my case I was referring to sterling silver, although gold, titanium, and platinum are also precious metals.

Those restrictions sometimes includes the need to send a package a special way.

 Here are the restrictions for Canada for example:

"Restrictions

Coins; banknotes; currency notes; securities payable to bearer; traveler’s checks; gold, silver, platinum, manufactured or not; jewelry; and other valuable articles may be sent only in registered items. " 

 And for Australia:

 "Restrictions  

Jewelry is permitted only when sent as an insured parcel using Priority Mail International service."
Needless to say that thread did not go so well. I was accosted and told that there is no reason I should need to worry about any restrictions when shipping. 

Some of my favorite ways this was worded are:
 "most of what you sell (and what I sell in my other shop and some in this one) is not fine jewelry and those jewelry standards don't apply."

"Yes, I was thinking that "jewelry" that is prohibited for some countries is fine jewelry, (i.e. real gold, diamonds, rubies, first class gemstones, not secondary).
Most of what I've seen on etsy is actually "costume jewelry," that isn't super valuable."

"It totally makes no sense at all to mail a pair of $10.00 earrings for 29.50. They weigh perhaps 30 grams and aren't a huge loss of lost in the mail. It's your prerogative as how to ship, but makes no business sense at all. " 

 "Your jewelry contains little precious metal. (When referring to mailing precious stones, I believe they mean un-set, like sending a bulk package of precious stones, not stones in a piece of jewelry of nominal value"

Well taking the advice of some of those people from this thread, I did contact the USPS. I asked specifically if a pair of solid sterling silver hoops (like my most popular sellers here) that only cost $10-$20  were considered "jewelry" where mailing restrictions were concerned.

This is taken directly from the email I received back from the USPS in response to that question.

"Dear April,
Thank you for emailing us regarding whether solid sterling silver earrings would be considered jewelry as far as mailing Internationally.

 Any type of jewelry, no matter the price, would be considered jewelry. Many countries have these restrictions to prevent problems with black market selling or to help keep production and sales in their economy.
For more information on the restrictions you may contact your local Mailing Requirement Office."

Well there it is. For shipping purposes, even in-expensive sterling silver is still to be treated as "jewelry" when shipping internationally.