Aloha All! Some of you collectors, divers, dealers have traveled abroad to collect or buy shells from different localities. When returning home you must sign a declaration form stating how much you spent & on what. What do you do about the shells? You ask yourself do I lie? Do I dare declare them & how much? Of course you declare them. If you don't you risk your babies being confiscated. Now how about the declared value? You just spent, say $2,000US but you're allowed $400 duty free. What now? There's a international code dealing with un-worked seashells (meaning non- handicrafted shells like specimen shells) that allow importation without declaration payment. The code is #.0608-.000-.000. Custom officials aren't usually aware of this but a custom broker is. When travelling abroad write this code number down. It saved me alot of money (15%) in possible declaration tax when last I arrived from Australia. Mahalo! Chris Takahashi