EBAY BANS LISTINGS OF CUBAN COINS AND BANKNOTES

Frank Putrow writes:

My name is Francis X. Putrow. I am the president of the Cuban Numismatic Association (CNA), founded in 2004. I have been contacted by many of our fellow CNA members that recent attempts to list Cuban numismatic items had been rejected by eBay. These members contacted eBay Customer Service representatives, who referenced the new policy, but were unable to address the CNA members’ complaints that the CUBAN EMBARGO excludes “Cuban coins and paper money that were minted/printed before February 7, 1962. In the meantime, no listings are being allowed by eBay.

I have reviewed eBay’s GUIDE to COLLECTING CUBAN COINS, which clarifies that “coins minted before the embargo was in place can be legally sold and purchased in the United States." The guide includes a sample list of specific coins that fall into this category. These coins, as well as ALL the Cuban coins up to 1961, were minted in the Philadelphia, PA mint. Actually, the sample list referenced is a very small number of the population that was minted by the Philadelphia mint. eBay’s new listing policy of Cuban coins is very inconsistent with the above published guide.

Cuban currency was also printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BPE) in Washington, DC until 1949, and then printed by the American Note Company until 1960. 20th Century Cuban notes were also printed by the American Note Company for the Spanish Bank in Cuba. All of these items are currently denied listing as well.

The current listing policy of Cuban currency is inconsistent with eBay’s guide above.

Wayne Homren, Editor

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