bringing PM's into the UK

[jc1989]

Hi all,

I am going to America for the first time in July. I am going to pop my head into some bullion places..

If I bought some 5oz silver bars can I bring them back into the UK without getting stung for taxes?

I love bars but the VAT in England puts me off hence I get coins from STG... It would be great to get some good value bars!

I will be in Atlanta Georgia on the off chance any forum members can recommend any bullion stores

Thanks

jc1989

[Keithoil]

I came back from Florida in August last year with around 40-50 ounces, I got stopped at the USA border control asking what the big metal lump was in my bag but there was no one on the border control in Manchester so straight through. My wife also had some coins but never got stopped, I guess I am just a dodgy looking bloke!!

 

However should you want to declare them then that is entirely up to you!!!!!

 

Keith

[jc1989]

Thanks Keith,

I am going to take my chances

Would love to get some Scottsdale stacker bars they look amazing.

Also cheap Levi's I must not forget those!

[HawkHybrid]

I read somewhere(maybe from here?) that should

you need to declare them then you could try declaring

coins at face value. ie a tube of britannias reads

£2x20. not sure if it works or not.

 

HH

[Shamatti]

When I came in from Australia I had 8 KG of silver and 9Oz of gold in my carry on baggage. Walked right through the green channel and no one was any the wiser.

 

In my case I was repatriating my house hold, so if I had been stopped I would not have had to pay any VAT. Obviously if you get stopped you would not be able to use that exemption. But still. My experience might be of interest to you

[Pete]

Returning from the USA carrying a couple of tubes of ASEs is no big deal.

Everyone has a gift allowance and anything above that value in theory should be declared.

Your risk is being charged on the spot for VAT so having a receipt is suggested.

Collectors coins have a VAT rate of 5%, everything else 20%.

If you don't have a receipt then use spot price per ounce so know this in advance and carry proof on a tablet or phone for example.

 

You may wish to just walk straight through with a few kilos of silver but try that without sweating and looking guilty !

I try to keep my silver bought in the USA to just above the free allowance, the chances of being stopped are minimal but not zero !

[jc1989]

Thanks all for the advice I am thinking of about 50oz so will head through and take my chances.

[Shamatti]

You may wish to just walk straight through with a few kilos of silver but try that without sweating and looking guilty !

 

 

After 24 hours on a plane from Oz, walking through customs looking nothing but exhausted is very easy!! 

[Paul]

With the near all time rubbish $$ to ££ exchange currently is it really worth the possible hassles of 20% VAT upon return ?

 

Unless you are bring back stuff that cannot be easily over here, i would just enjoy my holiday   

 

If you just intend buying something like bog standard ASE's  a tube of x20 from STG is currently £267.55 (£13.37 per coin) delivered  

from Ampex (USA) when you set the currency to ££s its £13.70 + delivery

 

http://www.apmex.com/category/22112/silver-eagles-mintdirect

 

If you are getting a mix of unique to USA stuff like morgan dollars fair play bring it back, as holiday mementos

[jc1989]

I am going for bars some 5oz and 10oz ones which I can't get VAT free in Europe.

Just need to work out which ones to go for....

[jc1989]

I think 50 oz in various sized bars will be ok... It's the same as two tubes of coins.....

If I get tugged then I will pay the vat and take it on the chin

[ginger83]

£390 gift allowance. After that it's the 15-20% for industrial metals (which it obviously isn't but that's the rule). Gold bullion is not industrial metal so you can bring £10000 before needing to explain you aren't criminal (money laundering rules etc)

[5huggy]

I will let the thread /Forum know - it is  !  (Well at least for now - think BREXIT! ) perfectly acceptable/legal throughout EUROPE to carry upto £10,000 in PM's in bullion format 

I might add  - "Without having to declare"  - however it is worth just "show and tell"  and carry on

I think @BackyardBullion may know a little more on this and regarding other juristiction's

But wot duz I NO!  😉

 

[Au79]

For educational purposes

Tip on Travelling Gold

https://youtu.be/0Ib6a-S3gGE

Tip on Shipping Gold & Silver

https://youtu.be/8TSPejPBAHg

[silenceissilver]

I have only travelled to the UK with PMs once so far, with one ounce of gold and ca 2 ounces of silver, in the hand luggage. At one airport, still on the continent, I was asked if I had any metals, I honestly answered yes, they asked what metals, I said gold and silver, they didn't ask any further questions. That was just before I had my hand luggage scanned. I could see my gold coin in the scanner, together with all my fiat coins, maybe 30 or so. In the UK, no one said anything at all.

[R2DANIO2]

On 24/04/2015 at 20:12, jc1989 said:

I think 50 oz in various sized bars will be ok... It's the same as two tubes of coins.....

If I get tugged then I will pay the vat and take it on the chin

Hi, can you let us know how it went ?

Did you get stopped or questioned on either side of the pond? 

Thanks