France bans sending coins via mail

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I read in Bloomberg today that the French government banned sending banknotes, coins, and precious metals via mail. I did a little more research and found a reference to the law in legifrance.gouv.fr (in French).

Knowing that this site has strong French roots, how we cope with this law?
jimmysoda
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I was wondering this too.
I swapped with a French member about a month ago and he hasn't received it yet.
In the past, our first swap was fine on both ends.
The Swedish post also do not allow this, neither do they in Romania. Pack well and nobody will be able to guess what's inside.

The thing is, it's also illegal, in most countries anyway, to open someone else's letters. So how will they know what you put in there?
If you cover it in aluminum foil, I don't think it will show on x-ray either.
If they ask, can you not say it's personal? Or say "hobby items", which is the truth.

Question: Are demonetized coins and notes "Money"?
Quote: pileborgThe Swedish post also do not allow this, neither do they in Romania. Pack well and nobody will be able to guess what's inside.

The thing is, it's also illegal, in most countries anyway, to open someone else's letters. So how will they know what you put in there?
If they ask, can you not say it's personal? Or say "hobby items", which is the truth.

Question: Are demonetized coins and notes "Money"?
Customs can open any letters they please. But they don't really care.
Quote: elvis123Customs can open any letters they please. But they don't really care.
Should still be OK at least within the Schengen area then.

Swapped with a guy from Cuba some time ago, where they don't hesitate to open letters it seems, and they do care what's inside. He had to go to another country to post the letter. That's a determined collector! :)
I think we need some sort of Numista petition for willing members to sign, then to send it to the French government.
Quote: Walder CoinsI think we need some sort of Numista petition for willing members to sign, then to send it to the French government.
Sure, give them a list of names to look out for. :D  Maybe they can come up with a super tax for the coin addicts. (8
I think it should be carefully worded to put across the fact that this new law makes a constructive educational hobby harder to peruse legally than it was before the law was made.  It unnecessarily punishes people  for living far from places to purchase coins and it could stifle internet trade.
Hello,

Sending coins has already been forbidden by the rules of French postal service for a long time. Officially sending coins was only authorized by special postal services (which nobody did), but carefully packaged coins were rarely refused.

Sending coins is now also forbidden by law, as a result of yet another security law. The goal is to separate mailing services and cash transportation. But the case of coin collectors was not considered, since there is no value threshold. I think this law will not be applied by coin collector and coin dealers, just like the postal service rule until now.

In order to try to make this change, some of the French members of Numista wrote a letter to the member of the parliament of their district. There was no reply so far.
In Russia is officially banned!
But in our law and post rules we can sending magazines, journals, and paper materials.

When I send coins I put it between two carton lists, then I cover it in aluminum foil and pack in opaque envelope.

When I send it in postoffice I tell and write? Then I send magazine or small metal details.
Best regards,
Ilya.
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It is forbidden in Ireland too, they say you are not allowed to send coins by post.

I hope that will not affect my swap and I try to pack it good way....
Scared now...

Has anyone gotten any answer back from authorities about it?
I might write one to the ones here too.
I bought some coins from a guy in Latvia, where it is illegal to send coins in post.

He wrapped the coins in acid free paper, then taped them to the inside of a Christmas card. It was then put between 2 harder pieces of card, then finally wrapped with tinfoil and put in a bubblewrap envelope. Seems a bit excessive, but it arrived.
I did similar thing.
Hope my package will arrive too.

I asked more info about it from woman in post office and she said collectibles including coins too can be sent, but there is no insurance on them available.
It being Ireland though I don't trust completely what she said and will ask the same question from more postal workers. Sometimes here different people tell you different stories. Everyone have their own version...lol
Good, this makes me feel better. :)
I am from Serbia, but currently live in USA. When I visited Serbia earlier this year, I wanted to swap some coins, and I went to the post office and they refused to take my mail. I thought only my country is crazy :)

Sending coins from USA is not illegal. I heard that sending silver and gold to other countries (including coins) is illegal, but I am not sure about that.
I would avoid doing anything that looks like you are acting in a devious manner like wrapping in foil. If you are caught out sending coins wrapped in foil it makes it hard for you to claim ignorance to the law.
I have been sending coins and receiving coins from both France & Ireland and have not had any problems either end. I do not disguise them, I simply package them in small plastic zippy bags then taped to paper or card which is then wrapped around and taped again then popped into a bubble bag and posted.
tony thanks - that's reassuring.

Something I read which is interesting, is that people label the post as game tokens, and apparently that is allowed, and thus they get sent.
I've never had a problem labeling coins as "Numismatic Samples".  Always got sent and never went missing.
? Format  Format  Format ?   ?
Do not argue with ignorant people .. !! They will drag you down to their level, then pulverize you with experience ...
Hi!

Just to inform you, the law was changed and we can now send coins in France, but not circulating coins (euro coins and banknotes).
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How would I send coins to the USA from France, how do I get a customs form or whatever?
Quote: "monéphil"​​Just to inform you, the law was changed and we can now send coins in France, but not circulating coins (euro coins and banknotes).

​When you say "send coins in France", do you mean "from France" or "to France", or both?

If the so-called collectors' (i.e. non-circulating) coins and sets are excluded from these rules, that shows yet again they're not real coins, but just monetized medals and a money grab.
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Quote: "PajaSkot"​Good, this makes me feel better. :)
​I am from Serbia, but currently live in USA. When I visited Serbia earlier this year, I wanted to swap some coins, and I went to the post office and they refused to take my mail. I thought only my country is crazy :)

​Sending coins from USA is not illegal. I heard that sending silver and gold to other countries (including coins) is illegal, but I am not sure about that.

​The postal officers in the US have made it clear to me on several occasions that sending coins and currency through the mail is prohibited. They have flat out refused to send packages containing these items (so muchfor honesty). Now I tell them I am sending magazines or pictures.
Quote: "Vixon Joyce"​How would I send coins to the USA from France, how do I get a customs form or whatever?
​either you don't or at the post office. I've sent stuff to America a few times now without a customs declaration and it's been fine !
Letters don't need a customs form and are still relatively inexpensive. You can carefully conceal a small handful of coins inside a couple of sheets of folded A4. You also have the added benefit of a reasonable chance that they will actually arrive. Crackheads steal parcels in the hope of finding valuable contents, the more expensive the shipping option generally means the more expensive the contents. Who is going to risk six months in chokey, or getting your hand chopped off in firmer climates, to steal a letter?

My personal view is that it's none of the government's goddam business what I'm mailing to friends overseas so I have zero problems in not identifying the contents accurately. When the government stops lying to me, then I might think about returning the courtesy.
Non illegitimis carborundum est.  Excellent advice for all coins.
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Its only now currently circulating coins that are forbidden to send. Other older coins or bullion coins is no problem (Post man/woman might not know that).
Whenever I send coins and I have to put a tax form on it I just mark it with Token/s, they usually have n clue anyway.
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I'm sending 13-15 euros cents coins (1c-10c). Where would I go to get a customs form if need be. If I package it up well and take it to the post office will they just give me one, does it need to go inside the envelope or stuck to the outside?
Quote: "pileborg"​​​If you cover it in aluminum foil, I don't think it will show on x-ray either.
​If they ask, can you not say it's personal? Or say "hobby items", which is the truth.

​That would explain why I got a bulk lot of coins all in small packets made with tinfoil and a whole lot of tape.

If I were a customs officer and someone waved me off with "It's personal" I'd be sure to check the contents.
My favourite customs slip description will always be "flat metal discs".

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