Yet Another Thread About The Legality Of Ancients

Travelling within the US on all-domestic flights should be OK. As far as I was aware, US Customs has no involvement with domestic travellers.

If you are travelling back into the US from foregn destinations, you could in theory have a problem. US Customs currently has memoranda of understanding with Cyprus and Italy to prohibit the importation of certain ancient and mediaeval coins from those countries without letters of permission from the authorities in those countries. Even if you can prove that you didn't actually export the coins directly from those countries.

Its become a nightmare posting anything to Italy, what with the laws and the Italian 'laid back' attitude it can take a month for a parcel to arrive. I've not shipped there for about a year and have no plans to re-start, its not worth the trouble.

I think that there have been recent changes regarding shipping coins into and out of the states too - I've not been able to get concrete info on what can be shipped in and out but the PO in the UK has started telling me that coins are not allowed! I just mark the items as 'metal samples' and all seems OK.

As far as getting on planes go I've not had any problems with non legal tender - I guess if you tell them the items are just 'tourist keep-sakes' and not worth anything they would have no interest in them.

I flew from Germany to the UK recently after doing some work out there and I was stopped in the UK as I had a lot of cash on me (not a crazy amount) and was asked a load of questions. I had less then the 'illegal' amount so basically told them to mind their own business and although they weren't happy they couldn't do anything about it.