The truth is that transporting precious metals by hand, whether on a commercial flight, cruise ship or car, across foreign borders is completely legal, but it can present challenges. First of all, there is a security risk: you could be robbed in transit, although this is unlikely if precautions are taken. In addition to postage, most carriers require that you take out insurance based on the weight of the package. Shipping small items, such as gold coins, or larger items, such as gold ingots, will determine the type of shipping container you will need, as well as how much shipping could cost.
For those who prefer to keep their gold investments close to home, a Gold IRA home storage option is available. Select a carrier that provides you with a tracking number and other security measures to ensure that your package gets where you need to go safely. If you ship internationally, carriers such as FedEx or UPS have offices around the world and can often send packages by priority mail to their destination within 24 to 48 hours. In general, the easiest bullion products to transport internationally are the 24,000 government-issued gold coins with nominal legal tender values. Many governments (Canada and Singapore, for example) impose taxes on 22,000 gold coins, so if you're thinking about moving your gold bars overseas, I suggest you stay away from 22,000 Gold Eagle and Gold Krugerrand coins.
Anyone who needs to move their gold should know that flying with it isn't their only option. Sending gold can be a safe and convenient option if appropriate precautions are taken, such as using appropriate packaging and purchasing insurance. If you need to sell gold or other precious metals, working with a precious metals refinery such as Manhattan Gold & Silver can be an excellent option. Send us your batch and receive your payment via same-day bank transfer or overnight check.
When traveling with gold coins or gold bars abroad, be sure to contact the nearest U.S. Customs and Border Protection office. It also says that if someone brings assets such as “foreign currency to spend”, for example, gold coins used as legal tender in a country, that gold is considered a form of currency and will be treated the same as cash. While vaults like this exist, gold bars are much more accessible than the average gold owner can imagine.
If you have enough gold to guarantee the cost, contact several courier services to compare the quotes for the armored gold carrier. For some of the same reasons I advise against burying gold in the backyard, having gold wherever you want it makes sense.
