International Travel with Coins

scorpio4frenz · 05-25-2009, 10:56 PM

I plan to take a trip from the US to India. I want to carry my coin collection with me. I don't own any valuable or rare coins...just some whitman and harris folders with US circulating coins (dimes, quarters, state quarters, dollars) and about a 100 world coins (the kind that you get in ebay lots). As far as I can see, my collection shouldn't be an issue with customs.

Just wanted to get some opinions on traveling international with coins, and any tips or precautions.

weryon · 05-26-2009, 12:47 AM

Why would you want to carry your coins with you ?

scorpio4frenz · 05-26-2009, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weryon

Why would you want to carry your coins with you ?

Because I am going home...permanently!

north49guy · 05-26-2009, 01:14 AM

I'd carry-on all your coins, or if thats not possible, your most valueable ones. I don't trust the baggage people, every time I have some sort of coins in my checked luggage, it always gets searched...

scorpio4frenz · 05-26-2009, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by north49guy

I'd carry-on all your coins, or if thats not possible, your most valueable ones. I don't trust the baggage people, every time I have some sort of coins in my checked luggage, it always gets searched...

Yes, I was planning to carry on my coins too. I'm traveling with a friend, so I plan to split it between us so that a single person is not carrying too many coins (which may look suspicious). Although my coins are not worth more than face value, I still don't want to lose them somewhere in transit! My fear is that ignorant people often would think that more the number of coins I have, the more they are worth...last thing I need is a problem with customs.

hontonai · 05-26-2009, 01:32 AM

As long as the total face value is less than US$10,000 or its equivalent, customs should be no problem.

scorpio4frenz · 05-26-2009, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mumbapuri

here is my experience:
1. dont carry any bullion, no gold, silver or platinum. These prec metals have a limit to be carried and even if you are carrying well within permissible limit, there is a high chance that the customs officer will demand some kind of bribe..
2. if possible try to put the coins in a brown bag or something and carry it your cabinbag. At no cost put coins in yur check-in lugguage. There have been a zillion cases of bags been opened up in India and valuables being taken off..
3. If you intend on carrying certified or slabbed or any fancy coins which will attract curiosity from customs then make sure that you carry the purchase receipt. Even in case of raw coins, purchase receipts always come in handy...
4. at the transition either in euro or any airport when you screen thru the x-ray the coins show up as a black lump, so be prepared to show the sec folks the coins, they verify it and let u go ahead..

5. if above points come in handy, get me a few state quarters, i am missing 5

Quote:

Originally Posted by hontonai

As long as the total face value is less than US$10,000 or its equivalent, customs should be no problem.

Hontonai,

That's good to know. I definitely don't have that much in coins!

Mumbapuri,

Thanks for the pointers. I'll probably be going through the x-ray screening only once in the US...and here in Baton Rouge, they usually don't bother with most stuff...and in any case, being a small airport, it shouldn't be a huge issue opening my bag and showing them my coins. I don't have any slabbed coins....just circulated stuff and some world coins purchased from ebay lots (which we all know are not worth much most of the time

). I guess I'll keep all my purchase receipts nevertheless!

Keeping my fingers crossed about the whole deal...hopefully shouldn't face too many problems.

Btw, Mumbapuri, PM about the quarters you need and I'll do what I can.

**De Orc** · 05-26-2009, 11:02 AM

Dont forget to email me and let me have your new addy

safe trip

Mumbapuri · 05-26-2009, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by De Orc

Dont forget to email me and let me have your new addy

safe trip

everyone is coming back home for the holidays

in the absence of my lord HRH (whose name i have been forbidden to mention by his majesty himself) i will run the kingdom in his name

...
alas i miss him

scorpio dont worry about the quarters... get back home safely

Mumbapuri · 05-26-2009, 01:57 AM

here is my experience:
1. dont carry any bullion, no gold, silver or platinum. These prec metals have a limit to be carried and even if you are carrying well within permissible limit, there is a high chance that the customs officer will demand some kind of bribe..
2. if possible try to put the coins in a brown bag or something and carry it your cabinbag. At no cost put coins in yur check-in lugguage. There have been a zillion cases of bags been opened up in India and valuables being taken off..
3. If you intend on carrying certified or slabbed or any fancy coins which will attract curiosity from customs then make sure that you carry the purchase receipt. Even in case of raw coins, purchase receipts always come in handy...
4. at the transition either in euro or any airport when you screen thru the x-ray the coins show up as a black lump, so be prepared to show the sec folks the coins, they verify it and let u go ahead..

5. if above points come in handy, get me a few state quarters, i am missing 5

Conder101 · 05-26-2009, 03:14 PM

Quote:

As long as the total face value is less than US$10,000 or its equivalent, customs should be no problem.

US customs isn't really the problem, it will be Indian customs where he will have problems if he has any.

Brokencompass · 05-26-2009, 04:40 PM

Scorpio, I am glad you put up this post. I would have, if you hadn't. I have 3 boxes of coins housed in 2*2 holders and 2 books of Lincolns and Indian Head cents. I was concerned if so much metal would not be allowed in cabin baggage. I am most worried about Indian customs.

coleguy · 05-26-2009, 05:40 PM

Quote:

US customs isn't really the problem, it will be Indian customs where he will have problems if he has any.

Agreed. The US does have limits on coinage coming into the country and out, and I'm almost possitive it's far far less than the $10 thousand mentioned when in coinage. I'd check with Indian customs before you get on a plane. If nothing else, mail them to yourself.
Guy~

scorpio4frenz · 05-26-2009, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by De Orc

Dont forget to email me and let me have your new addy

safe trip

Yes, will do. I still have about a month to go before my trip.

Quote:

Originally Posted by coleguy

Agreed. The US does have limits on coinage coming into the country and out, and I'm almost possitive it's far far less than the $10 thousand mentioned when in coinage. I'd check with Indian customs before you get on a plane. If nothing else, mail them to yourself.
Guy~

Hmm...I'll try to get more info from Indian customs. I'm actually traveling in a group..so might split my collection between all of us so that each one has limited number of coins. In any case, it is far far less than $10,000 worth!!! It's not even in the thousands from what I can see

hontonai · 05-27-2009, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coleguy

The US does have limits on coinage coming into the country and out, and I'm almost possitive it's far far less than the $10 thousand mentioned when in coinage.

Not so. There is no limit on the amount of coin/currency which may be brought in or taken out of the US, but, and it's a huge but, if it exceeds $10,000 or equivalent face value and you don't properly declare it, the whole amount can be confiscated. Only face value counts, and you could transport multiple million-dollar coins with small face values.

Quote:

I'd check with Indian customs before you get on a plane. If nothing else, mail them to yourself.

Two excellent ideas.

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