Declare the correct value on the Customs form?

Thank you for your helpful replies.  By choice, the Seller is reputable and we’ve done deals before so this will be happily resolved.  Worst case scenario, just in case, the full refund is assured via PayPal and my VISA (based on prior experience alas).  Thanks again! 😊

And this ’holy grail’ LP is.....well, unfortunately I do not have a copy to keep yet as this copy is being returned. I will hunt another down ’in the wild’ and can then let you know.... :-)

The Seller readily agreed he was too enthusiastic with his description. The "NM" grading and writing it was "...like new..." and so on was not the case in reality. Oh well.  Previously he has always accurately graded and described his records I bought. This was a unique blip. C’est la vie!

So now reality has unfolded a bit more and this is what has happened so far…

Long reasoning omitted, $1,200 was the declared value on the package.

The package was then held in the carrier’s warehouse in this major European country for a week.  Why?  Because Custom’s required a ‘Proof of Delivery’ to the USA form.  The Seller provided this.

Customs is now charging an Import Tax.  Yes, even though the paperwork, including two sets of original shipping documents, clearly shows the LP went from A to B and now back to A.  The rate to the Seller will be between 7% and 19% so between $84 and $228.

Thank you for all your thoughts and I will keep you posted! 

So in the end...I declared the full $1,200 purchase value on the LP returned to Europe.  Import customs charged Euros 9.  The carrier charged a bit too for some admin costs and he had to confirm the item had been delivered out of the country. 

After much cordial communications the Seller finally reflected he had mis-graded the LP and LP Cover versus Discogs grading definitions.  Well, we can all do it.  He fully refunded the original $1,200 purchase price plus shipping both ways.   

A learning experience for both of us and we will keep in touch...with the offer accepted to have pictures of future big ticket items to help confirm grading.