International Travel with Coins

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.

 

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Why would you want to carry your coins with you ?

 

Because I am going home...permanently!

 

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.

 

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

 

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

 

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.

 

Dont forget to email me and let me have your new addy :hail: safe trip :hug:

 

everyone is coming back home for the holidays :hug:
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 himhya::desk:
scorpio dont worry about the quarters... get back home safely:thumb:

 

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

 

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.

 

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~

 

Not sure mailing is a good idea. I have heard a few people post about coins sent through mail being held at customs. Like the US mint packages.

 

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

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

 

Kid Romeo and I have sent coins back and forth from the US and India. He has always said to send first class air mail registered mail. We always package in a way that would not indicate coins in the package. He seem to indicate not to send anything of much value through the mail. Carry them with you and split them up.. Good luck and hope to see you back soon. Travel safely.

 

the airport security wouldnt object to it, as long as you open it up when x-rayed and show them the contents..
at no cost do you put that in the checkin- bag from us to india, as you cannot lock the bag due to security reasons and even if you do, the us sec will break open the bag and once that bag is in india, its an open treasure and if you ever see yur bag again that would be a miracle...

yes Roney always managed to do that .. maybe he can share a few tips on which courier to select and how to get a guruanteed safe passage for these mails

 

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.

Two excellent ideas.

 

I would mail them. If that were too expensive, I'd keep them on my person.

 

My Collection

I still haven't got any concrete info on Indian customs w.r.t. coins. I know for a fact that my collection is definitely not worth more than face value (most coins are circulated).

Anyway, I'm attaching a picture of how my collection is at the moment. I'd appreciate any suggestions on how coins should be packed/carried internationally. For example, should I leave them in their folders/albums, or is some other way better?

Apart from the ones in the picture, I've about 10 coins in 2X2's and the '09 quarters clad set.

Any suggestions welcome.