US Ban in Ivory - Not all bad news

[David]

Originally Posted by Akaalarms

The cost to apply in the UK for an export licence has actually come down from £47 to £37. The difference I believe is that £37 is per item, and £47 was unlimited items on one application.

Runjeet, £37 per item for the export license. But how do you prove to them that the item is indeed antique. Is CITES making that appraisal for you for the licensing fee or do you need to have an outside agency assess the ivory as antique first. Perhaps Thor has a better understanding of this having worked for CITES.
And Thor, just to get this straight, that is a complete ban on IMPORT of antique ivory into the United States, not export. That means that no matter what documentation the antique piece receives it can be stopped at the border and confiscated. Frankly i have no issues with banning post-CITES ivory. It is antique weapons that most of us collect so the ivory on them is usually antique as well. Our collecting habits will not be affected much on bans on post-CITES ivory.
Also, i'm not sure you read the ruling on intra-state trade correctly.
"We will finalize a proposed rule that will reaffirm and clarify that sales across state lines are prohibited, except for bona fide antiques, and will prohibit sales within a state unless the seller can demonstrate an item was lawfully imported prior to 1990 for African elephants and 1975 for Asian elephants, or under an exemption document. "
Again, i don't think that most of the collectors here will readily be able to "demonstrate an item was lawfully imported prior to 1990 for African elephants and 1975 for Asian elephants" so that does indeed make intra-state trade difficult if not officially illegal.