Last Updated on August 17, 2022
There are various situations when you might want to fly with coins.
You might be carrying loose change, have a coin collection, or want to travel with gold or silver bullion as a store of value.
This post is about how to bring coins through airport security, any value limits that might apply, and where it’s best to pack them.
Let’s begin.
TSA Coins Policy
The Transportation Security Administration are in charge of aviation security, but they don’t specifically mention coins on their website.
I checked on Twitter to get a definite answer about flying with coins and found Sarah had asked the question already:
According to the TSA, you can bring coins on a plane in carry-on luggage without restriction.
One of the worst things you can do is walk up to the airport security checkpoint with coins in your pocket. You don’t need to remove loose change from your purse or luggage prior to x-ray screening.
The reason so many coins end up in the screening tray is that coins are not allowed to be in your pocket when walking through the metal detector.
But it’s a pain trying to pick them up from the tray on the other side.
The best thing to do with small amounts of loose change is to remove the coins from your pocket and pack them somewhere inside your carry-on suitcase or personal item.
A few coins showing up on the x-ray scan won’t cause the TSA to inspect your suitcase.
If you have a larger coin collection then it’s best to remove the coins from your luggage and place them in a separate tray.
This is because a large quantity of coins will obstruct the image on the x-ray screen. The TSA will need to open your bag to look since their could be something hiding behind or within the coin collection.
Carry-on luggage usually doesn’t have a weight limit when flying in the United States, but you do need to personally be able to lift your luggage above your head to stow it in the overhead bin. Flight attendants are not instructed to lift bags for passengers.
Bags that cannot be stowed in the overhead bin will be removed from the cabin to be placed in checked luggage.
And there is a problem there.
You can also take coins with you in checked luggage, but be aware that valuables are sometimes lost or stolen when packed in checked bags.
So the safest place to pack your coin collection is probably in hand luggage.
Traveling Internationally With Coins
If you are flying internationally there may be different rules.
For starters you should check the airport security rules of your departure airport.
Passengers often fly with loose change. I would be very surprised if any security organisation had an issue with spare change.
There are rules about crossing international borders with items of large value. Cash is usually restricted to $10,000 and valuable coin collections or valuable gold or silver coins would also need to be declared.
Still Unsure? Ask The TSA
If you have a more specific questions about flying with coins you can reach out to the TSA on Twitter.
Thomas asked about bringing an ammo box full of bags of coins through airport security:
The TSA didn’t reply to that one, but my advice would be that the coins are find but if you bring an ammo box to security it’s going to look like you are bringing ammo on the plane can cause unnecessary confusion.
Mike asked if his father could bring his collectable coins on the plane in his carry-on baggage:
Collectible coins are good to go in carry-on bags. At any time, you may request a private screening of valuable items that need to be physically inspected. This option is often exercised by travelers carrying coins so other individuals won’t know about the presence of valuable property.
This company asked about flying with gold or silver coins:
Gold and silver coins are allowed in carry-on or checked baggage. If you are flying on domestic flights within the U.S. there is no limit on the value that you can take on the plane.
If you are crossing international borders then you will need to declare higher values.
Clemens wanted to carry-on a challenge coin:
And the TSA gave the green light.
Keito planned to pack quarters into their hand luggage:
The TSA replied, ”quarters are allowed in carry-on bags”.
And Rose was told by the TSA that bags of rolled coins are allowed on the plane:
The Bottom Line
You can take coins on a plane in your carry-on bag or your checked bag.
You don’t need to remove them from your bag at screening unless your collection is likely to obstruct the x-ray scan.
If you wish your collection to be inspected privately then you can request that service.