Strange question here, someone care to give it a shot?

[Coindude]

Ok, here's the deal. I have a good friend who's father in law passed away. He has briefcases full of coins, say 6 or 7 and folders with 2x2's say 10 full of coins.

 

So here's where it gets strange. He's currently in south Texas, where the man lived his life. The Mother in law wants to give the coins to her daughter / son in law. But, the boarder patrol there could possibly stop them to make sure they aren't carrying any contraband, and this might look like contraband to someone who doesn't know the situation.

 

So, what do you do? Say he brings them back, gets stopped and they say these are stolen coins? How do you fight that? Would this be something they could confiscate?

 

I told him he should get a bill of sale or a letter stating what happened and where they are coming from, but he's open to any GOOD suggestions!

 

Not that I know how you guys are, but I figured I'd put good in that last sentence!!

[prudden]

Is there an estate lawyer or executor? I think either of those could write something up.

[MunkyMan95]

Mail them.

[jtryka]

Is he going to Mexico? I am just not sure what the border patrol has to do with it if he lives in Texas.

[coinman1794]

Me neither

[Houston Investor]

If your talking about movement in the USA this seems overly paranoid. As long as the material is transported in the trunk of a car or in some out of sight of mind manner there should be no problem. Just make sure you drive carefully and not stopped for a traffic violation.

 

If you are forced (due to space limitations) to carrying this kind of stuff in the back seat, cover it with a dark bedspread or blanket. Out of sight is out of mind. Do not stop at restaurants, go thru a fast food drive thru instead. If staying at a motel overnight do not leave it in your car and when transporting it from car to room take care not to be too closely observed. Frankly I prefer suitcases with rollers for transporting coins - a half dozen brief cases would arouse curosity.

 

 

[bsshog40]

Actually I agree with prudden. Maybe a notorized letter stating the contents throughly or something from a lawyer showing it was an inheritance! Better safe than sorry!

[Coindude]

Is he going to Mexico? I am just not sure what the border patrol has to do with it if he lives in Texas.

Actually, when you are in certain parts of Texas, say where it's possible to smuggle illegal aliens and/or drugs, they have check points on certain highways. I've been stopped at one before because I had a large vehicle and a lot of people in the car. Coming back from a vacation. So, if you think that they have boarder patrol only at the crossing points or highways then you have to think again. They have them up and down highways that are near the boarders.

[bsshog40]

You are correct. I used to live down by Kingsville. I would see check points occasionally. I also think that if he's in Texas and is not trying to cross the border with these, then he shouldn't have any problem. of course, just a simple notarized letter wouldn't hurt none either if he had to travel back home with them.

[jtryka]

If you are a US Citizen within the United States and its possessions, there is nothing illegal about transporting coins or currency, though if you were transporting six briefcases full of $100 bills it might raise suspicion on it being drug related if you are stopped. Last I checked, it was relatively unknown for criminals to conduct their business in change.

[World Colonial]

What exactly is in this collection and how much is it worth? If it were worth a lot, I would not carry it by car long distance at all personally. And if not, then I would not bother to transport it at all, I would probably only do it (possibly) to avoid offending them because it is a sentimental issue.

 

Another option is to transport it over time which I would try to do on a plance flight.

[Tradedollarnut]

Sadly: If he's white, he's probably ok. If he's a minority, then in Texas you really have to be careful:

 

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/05/05/texas.police.seizures/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

[WoodenJefferson]

The internal check-points (Highway 281 in Falfurrias, Highway 77 in Sarita, Highway 59 out of Laredo) and the mobile units that cruise South Texas can pull any vehicle over and question the driver or occupants. If the mobile unit suspects illegal aliens, he has authority. If the agent finds drugs/guns/other contraband, they notify the State Patrol or local police agency.

 

The boarder check points have authorization to search any vehicle entering that check point. They do not stop every vehicle and there are times the check point is manned but they are not even checking. Immediately following Sept 11th, the check points were our second defense and everything and everybody was stopped. It has since eased up since we are in Homeland security condition Yellow.

 

There is certain criteria the agents use in order to detain and question suspect vehicles.

 

Rear end riding low

Hispanic driver/passengers

Dog hits

Nervous drivers

 

Any amount of cash above $10,000 is considered drug money and is subject to confiscation. If the money is confiscated but can be accounted for by legitimate reasons, it will be returned. If not, be ready for a long court battle.

 

Personal items such as a large coin collection could alert the Boarder Agent to contact the State Patrol or local Police Department hindering your travels until they arrive. It could take as much as 45 minutes to an hour before authorities arrive, even longer if they are busy. You’ll have plenty of time to explain to the officers where the coins came from, no one is any hurry at these check points.

 

Some type of documentation from the Mother, notarized, with names, address, phone numbers of everyone involved should allow you to travel through these in-state check points or mobile patrols with out any foreseeable problems. If your not guilty of any crime, these agents will eventually see the truth.

 

NOTE: Be sure the person carrying the coins personal identification matches that on the notarized letter.

 

Good Luck!

[gpnyc]

Don't worry about it. Immigration laws were put on the low priority list on January 20, 2001 and ceased to be enforced altogether on January 20, 2009. Thanks alot GWB and BHO.

[gbsten]

Wow! Someone that blames BOTH parties! How refreshing...!

[Houston Investor]

I live in Texas and have transported coins all over to shows without incident. I practice common sense: drive carefully within legal speed limits, have material out of sight, out of mind, avoid confrontations, check for anyone tailing me, armed (I have concealed weopns permit), and only go thru fast food drive thrus if dining in route.

 

I can not speak for border ares with Mexico as I do not travel to that part of the state.

[Coindude]

Thanks for the good advice here guys.

 

What area do you do coins shows in Derek? Personally, I thought you were from and lived in Arizona!! I guess I was assuming... and you know what assuming does.

 

And this guy does have a concealed weapons license, so, I think what I'll do is recommend that he get a notarized letter stating these coins were from an estate. Have him put them in the trunk, and maybe in some luggage, out of sight out of mind. Recommend that he not do any sit down dinners whilst they are with him.... and lastly... get ready to bust a cap!!

[just-john]

if you have 10 folders with 3 pages and each page has 10 slots thats 300 slots

and they were 300 1o/z gold eagles year current that could rise an eyebrow. Boarder patrol auction in Nogales AZ think 2 yrs ago had 80 gold eagles /and some $20 liberty head gold coins in their auction

[bartlesvilleok]

I understand that is a lot of coins but I don't see a problem. How do dealers get there coins to and from the show after all?

[RI AL]

I don't have an answer to the question posted here, but had a similar concern when my wife and I were leaving Yugoslavia when we returend to the U.S.. I had built a fairly decent collection for coins and in particular paper money from Serbia, Montenegro, Yugoslavia of course and other spots. At customs, leaving the Belgrade airport, the collection was confiscated (I didn't want to send it through baggage check). Fortunately, the man behind me knew me (I taught this children at the International school) and because he was the Ambassador, he claimed that the colletion was his and it was returned to him. Of course, he gave it to me when we got on the plane. Needless to say, my heart was in my throat for thiose several minutes in the customs line when I saw my collection being carried off my the airport police. I thought it was a gonner for sure.

 

RI AL

[gbsten]

As someone suggested early in this thread, USPS Registered/Insured is the safest and easiest way to ship the coins anywhere in the US.

[Conder101]

If you are a US Citizen within the United States and its possessions, there is nothing illegal about transporting coins or currency, though if you were transporting six briefcases full of $100 bills it might raise suspicion on it being drug related if you are stopped.

Here in the Fort Wayne area the police have confiscated as suspicious cash amounts as low as $2,000 when the people stopped could not reasons for having that much cash on them that were "satisfactory" to the police.

[jtryka]

I used to live in Elkhart, and I would sometimes have that much or more on me, and I guarantee if any cop stopped me and confiscated it, they would be facing a lawsuit many multiples of what they had confiscated.

 

PS- and yes, I have been driving in a pickup, with torn jeans and a t-shirt with thousands in the truck.