Bringing 10 coins from USA to India

[falcon77]

Hi in USA, I have bought around 10 coins (mostly ancient) total worth around $2100. One is about 3.31 gm gold rest are silver.

I wanted to know would I be charged for custom duty in the Indian airport? Also how the heck do these guys detect coins? I'll just place it in my checked in baggage or carryon? Please advise. Thanks!

[asm]

Hi in USA, I have bought around 10 coins (mostly ancient) total worth around $2100. One is about 3.31 gm gold rest are silver.

I wanted to know would I be charged for custom duty in the Indian airport? Also how the heck do these guys detect coins? I'll just place it in my checked in baggage or carryon? Please advise. Thanks!

Legally you are bound to pay duty. However, 10 coins and mostly all silver should present no problems. Mix them with the change in your pocket and I am reasonably confident that it will not be detected. Customs officials are more concerned with importing Drugs / Narcot!cs, Arms & Ammunition and contraband goods. ... An official once told me so. They are generally looking out for people having more than the permitted amount of liquor (so that they could pocket some).......... I once took a box of 50 odd coins almost all silver but there were a few tiny gold ones from Amsterdam to India and I had an issue with the guys in Amsterdam, none in India.

Keeping them in the checked in luggage will be a bad idea as there is always a possibility of theft and keeping them in hand baggage also has the probability of them showing up on the screen if your baggage is sent for screening in the green channel. So your wallet / pocket is the best bet. Else spread them out in your hand bag.

Amit

[falcon77]

Thanks so much for the advice! I will leave the gold coin behind. Are you advising to take 7-9 silver coins in my handbag itself?

[asm]

Thanks so much for the advice! I will leave the gold coin behind. Are you advising to take 7-9 silver coins in my handbag itself?

Preferably in your pocket / Wallet among the loose change where it will not be differentiated from other coins or spread out in the Handbag so that it does not look like a lump of metal to arouse suspicion.

Amit 

[falcon77]

Hi so can I just keep two coins in my wallet and travel to India?

[asm]

Depends on the risk you are willing to take and the other 'dutiable' baggage you have.

I have often carried more, mainly from Bangladesh but also once a packet containing 50 odd coins ( less than half a gram of Gold, mainly silver and a few coppers, all in one box) from Amsterdam to India. These included a few gold fanams (the small coins weighing a few milligrams) which was the one that the immigration guy who appeared to be an American at the Amsterdam airport pulled out and asked me to open and started questioning me on how I would get the coins legally in to India. I just asked him if if it was any offense in the Netherlands adding that I will manage it in India. Since I do not normally carry any dutiable goods from my travels, I walked out of the green channel in India without a second look from the customs guys.

If you have a lot of luggage or heavy luggage and a fair or large amount of dutiable goods and plan to move through the red channels, it would be better to restrict to carrying a small number.

Amit

[Abhay]

A lot depends on Who is bringing the coins to India?
I get a lot of coins delivered to USA to my Brother in Law, both Indian as well as Foreign coins. Many are from Ebay purchase.
Every year, when my Mother in Law comes to India, she brings all the coins with her - Costly coins in her Hand baggage and common coins in her Checked in baggage. She is now almost 80 years old.
She has not faced any problems till now in bringing the coins to India, either at USA Airport or here in India at Delhi Airport.
I once got Franklin Set of All Nations, which weighs more than 20 Kgs, without any problems.
This year, I got this 1 Rupee Coin belt, weighing about 350 grams, also without any problems.
Quite possible that Luck has always been with her.

Abhay

[falcon77]

Well thanks, I just spread the coins in my baggages and passed thru without any probs. Thanks!

[idiotghost]

Last year June I was traveling back from Los Angeles & I had close to 100 different circulating coins from USA, all kept in 1 packet inside the check-in baggage. No issues in USA or Mumbai in going through. I carried many coins in flights while island hopping in Hawaii as well back to LA, no issues domestically there as well.

[falcon77]

Placing hundred coins in checked in bag is risky! I carried the expensive coins in my carry on bag.


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[asm]

Last year June I was traveling back from Los Angeles & I had close to 100 different circulating coins from USA, all kept in 1 packet inside the check-in baggage. No issues in USA or Mumbai in going through. I carried many coins in flights while island hopping in Hawaii as well back to LA, no issues domestically there as well.

big lump of metal is an invitation to theft at Indian airports. I once lost 3 packets of coins (may be 2 odd Kg) at Ahmedabad airport. Nothing else was missing other than the lock of the bag and the packets. All coins I had picked up in the UK on a 2 week visit.

Amit