Flying home with coins from a vacation

When I travel, I like to stop at local coin shops. Often, I find things (or different pricing for things) than I find at my local haunts. However, I recently ran into trouble getting my coins home.

Last weekend I was in California visiting a friend. I made a side trip and picked up a 20 coin roll of mint state commemorative half dollars. I got a decent deal on coins that were mostly MS63 or better, including a ton of 1952 (p) Washington Carvers, but also including a choice BU 1893 Columbian Expo, a 1946 all-mint (P, D, & S) set of Booker T Washington halfs, an EF+ 1925 Stone Mountain half, an EF+ 1923 Monroe Doctrine half, and even a choice 1925 Lexington & Concord Sesquicentennial.

When I got home and started unpacking, the first thing I saw was a dreaded "Your bag was opened for inspection by the TSA" flier. Then, I noticed that my coin tube (I used a hard plastic container to keep the coins protected in my bag) had been opened and coins were scattered everywhere. I set to unpacking with a little more fervor than usual and managed to find 15 of the 20 coins. 5 halfs are still missing, and the 15 I did recover all have fresh dings and "bag wear" that they didn't have when I bought them.

I've filed a compensation request with the TSA, but am unsure what the outcome will be. It seems unlikely that the TSA will understand the fine points in value difference between an MS65 and a MS61 coin, especially as I do not have "before" photos or slabs to prove the condition. I don't even have an itemized receipt, as I bought these from one of those "We buy gold & silver" shops in a cash transaction. Also, the difference between the market price of the coins and what I paid for them is unlikely to be something that the TSA will compensate me for (which is another way of saying that the time and effort I spent finding and negotiating for the coins went to waste the moment they decided to open my bag).

How likely do you think it is that the TSA will even find the 5 missing coins? For all I know, they could have fallen out of my suitcase entirely and be sitting on a tarmac (or inside the cargo bay of a plane) somewhere halfway around the world by now.

 

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Never pack coins in your checked luggage. Never. If you have too many to fit in a carry-on, ship them.

 

You have zero proof that TSA's inspection was what caused the tube to open. TSA will point to the airline's baggage handling, the airline will point at TSA

And you get the empty tube.

Sorry

 

I may not have been thinking clearly after visiting several breweries over the weekend & getting mild sunstroke on the beach. Lesson certainly learned for next time.

And if I have coins in a carry on that they try to take away for underplane storage (as happens when the overhead bins fill up), I'll make sure to wear cargo pants or bring a jacket with sealing pockets.

 

Good luck with this one. You're going to need it.
Never pack anything of value ,IE jewelry , coins, camera etc. In checked luggage . The sticky fingers will help themselves .
The best one I recall was coming out of Mexico. And getting the once over. The agent said the wife had a screwdriver in her luggage . I'm like what? I'm picturing one of my Craftman's tools in her luggage .
It turned out to be one of those eye glass repair kits with the tiny screwdriver . So that said they know what's in your baggage .

 

Lots of risk when you travel with coins. As a normal the TSA guys are really cool. I carry coins and anything of value in a small bag that will fit under the seat. I don't let coins out of my control at any times.

 

I once got my bag back and later found out that they had 'liberated' my coat.

nice folks there.

 

Zero chance. Chalk it up to lesson learned the hard way — always put valuables in your carry-on.

 

Lesson learned...sorry for your misfortune.

 

It doesn't matter whether they are TSA personnel or baggage handlers, I don't trust any of them. Since they handle or inspect thousands upon thousands of bags regularly, do you really think they care about yours?

Chris

 

I have a feeling that you will lose lots of time and effort in addition to the coins if you attempt to get compensation.

 

It's a long shot but worth the price of a phone call.
http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/airport-lost-found-contacts

 

Please let us know how this situation is resolved.

 

Always put coins in your carry-on. For a roll of half dollars, I'd carry them in my pocket so I could demonstrate to people that I'm not glad to see them.

 

As a rule of thumb, items packed in your luggage are about as safe as if you had left them on a sidewalk unattended.

 

The best advice!

 

TSA has a widespread reputation of being among the biggest thieves in the entire Federal government. Costly but important lesson learned here. Sorry to hear of your loss.

 

OMG Frank how could you be seen out on the Island without your mink?

 

With that kind of explanation, the TSA and airline may contest that you were not thinking clearly, when you misplaced your 5 halves and forgot to close the tube properly.

Carry-on, always.