As with all bureacracies, trying to make a blanket statement is difficult and usually wrong... Do you have a particular source for this information? I'm not saying that you're wrong, I'm saying that I want to learn more. If there's some specific directive number that'll be particularly valuable. Oh, absolutely. I've had Canadian *government* customers with their media turned back at the border because the US government couldn't make head or tails of what it was. (These were 8" floppies and paper tapes, BTW.) That particular governmental agency now flies the media down in an employee's luggage. You're using the wrong language. If you claim to US customs that what you're doing falls outside their scope, you're only going to convince them that what you're dong is something that they should be concerned with. This isn't an attitude unique to US customs, it'll happen with most any customs service. In particular, to a customs officer "old" often means "potentially antique and valuable". And I've had Canadian customs officials explain to me several times that "zero value" is not possible. If it had no value, you wouldn't be trying to ship it. Absolutely. I despise customs brokers - and even more their charges - but sometimes having someone there to expedite things is worth the bucks. -- Tim Shoppa Email: shoppa(a)trailing-edge.com Trailing Edge Technology WWW: http://www.trailing-edge.com/ 7328 Bradley Blvd Voice: 301-767-5917 Bethesda, MD, USA 20817 Fax: 301-767-5927