CRHing and crossing the border

misiek

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Nov 2, 2007
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CRH'ing and crossing the border

I know this has been discussed a little but I would like to know if anyone drives over the border to pick up their rolls and then CRHs at home? This would apply to Canadians only I imagine, as I doubt anyone from US would want to cross over to hunt for Canadian coins.

Obviously the law is pretty clear on "exporting" pennies and nickels. Problem is, that's my target denomination so I was wondering, if anyone does CRH over the border and how dangerous is it, in all aspects? I could switch to dimes, half's, etc. but what would happen if I did not disclose my hobby while crossing back and forth. I imagine going back to Canada would be easier then trying to to reenter USA to dump them off.

Would patiently explaining to the BPA's my hobby grant me allowance to do this or should I just completely forget about it?
 

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SFBayArea

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Aug 28, 2009
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Re: CRH'ing and crossing the border

I was curious about it too but only for selling copper pennies to melt. While it's illegal here to melt copper pennies, it's not illegal to melt US copper pennies in Canada?
 

endthefed13

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Apr 9, 2010
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Re: CRH'ing and crossing the border

It's Illegal to melt US copper cents period, in any country. I would suggest that while you're in the US pickin up coins, that you stick around here to search and dump, because they are really strict with the cent and nickel exportation because the value in the metal of these denominations is worth more than the actual face value of the coin. (Cents pre 1982, Nickels-2010)
 

SFBayArea

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Re: CRH'ing and crossing the border

endthefed13 said:
It's Illegal to melt US copper cents period, in any country. I would suggest that while you're in the US pickin up coins, that you stick around here to search and dump, because they are really strict with the cent and nickel exportation because the value in the metal of these denominations is worth more than the actual face value of the coin. (Cents pre 1982, Nickels-2010)

I don't live near Canada or Mexico so I'm not considering melting US copper pennies but was curious about the situation. I have a couple Canadian copper cents I found in rolls. Why can't I melt those here in the U.S.? Who here would enforce that or would care about Canadian pennies being melted especially since I don't live anywhere near Canada. I can imagine the same vice versa. Who would actually enforce that? Are the Canadian mounties gonna come here waste their money to stop me from melting some Canadian cents along with copper wire? This is all hypothetical as I don't have that much Canadian cents and haven't melted any.
 

SFBayArea

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Re: CRH'ing and crossing the border

The whole purpose of those laws are to stop large losses of coin used for daily commerce. If we wait long enough, there will be enough zinc cents out there that they lift the ban on copper cents. Now, with the purpose in mind, does it matter for those coins to be used for daily commerce if they are no longer in that country? It's not my fault that I found Canadian cents in my penny rolls. They're no longer in Canada so they're useless here. Why couldn't I melt those Canadian cents here? That is the main question. Who would care if I did? I didn't bring those Canadian cents here.
 

Rich Hartford

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Nov 27, 2008
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Re: CRH'ing and crossing the border

I seem to remember an old post that it was legal to melt Canadian coins in the US,and legal for Canadians to melt US coins in their country.
HH
Rich
 

acute collector

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Mar 26, 2007
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Re: CRH'ing and crossing the border

I spoke with Mr. Moy (Mint Director)last year at the Union cent release and he stated that "they" will not allow the melting of Nickels and Cents until the face value(low) and the metallic value(High) are equal to or lesser than metallic value. This includes "War Nickels", Buffalo, V, and Shield.

so ... It is going to be Illegal for a VERY long time. :(



you can transport up to $5.00 across the border not $5.01 or they will get you.

so take the Cents to the bank.
 

GMan00001

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Re: CRH'ing and crossing the border

endthefed13 said:
It's Illegal to melt US copper cents period, in any country. I would suggest that while you're in the US pickin up coins, that you stick around here to search and dump, because they are really strict with the cent and nickel exportation because the value in the metal of these denominations is worth more than the actual face value of the coin. (Cents pre 1982, Nickels-2010)

The US law only applies in the US and is not enforceable outside of the US, thus the exporting restrictions. The US is not capable of making laws that other countries have to abide by much like other countries cannot make laws that we have to follow.
 

ivan salis

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Re: CRH'ing and crossing the border

while the USA can not enforce its no melting US cent and nickle laws in other countries * (say like mexico or canada) they can enforce the no exporting more than $5 dollars in US coinage laws out of t THIS country when you cross the borders* -- trying to smuggle large amounts of copper and nickle coinage out of the USA under current law is ILLEGAL. -- know it ahead of time -- now that you know it -- be aware of what getting busted might mean. --at the very least kiss the coins goodbye
 

SFBayArea

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Re: CRH'ing and crossing the border

GMan00001 said:
endthefed13 said:
It's Illegal to melt US copper cents period, in any country. I would suggest that while you're in the US pickin up coins, that you stick around here to search and dump, because they are really strict with the cent and nickel exportation because the value in the metal of these denominations is worth more than the actual face value of the coin. (Cents pre 1982, Nickels-2010)

The US law only applies in the US and is not enforceable outside of the US, thus the exporting restrictions. The US is not capable of making laws that other countries have to abide by much like other countries cannot make laws that we have to follow.

So I can melt my Canadian cents that I have found in rolls. Hey, I didn't bring them here. Canadian Mounties can come down and get me..kiss my @ss.. LOL. In all seriousness, I don't have enough copper Canadians to melt. I thought if I ever visit Canada one day, I was going to use them there. That's what I thought all along, the only thing the U.S. and Canada can enforce is the exporting and importing part of it. If you didn't smuggle it and got it in your change, you can melt it provided you're in the other country of where the coin was made. There should be a market for Canadian copper cents on Ebay then more so then U.S. cents.
 

ivan salis

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Re: CRH'ing and crossing the border

yes but once its melted how can you tell "copper" from canadain cents from american ones ? -- bet the US govt will say you melted US cents --wanna bet ? -- besides canada has been pulling its copper cents since 2001 and replacing them with garbage cents -- similar to the us zinc cents
 

markmopar

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Feb 15, 2008
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Re: CRH'ing and crossing the border

I have over $500 Canadian collected in the last year. Wish I had time(and a passport) enough to drive up(16 hour round trip for me) and cash it in.
 

SFBayArea

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Re: CRH'ing and crossing the border

markmopar said:
I have over $500 Canadian collected in the last year. Wish I had time(and a passport) enough to drive up(16 hour round trip for me) and cash it in.

You're in the U.S. now.. take those Canadian cents to a smelter here. See what they say.
 

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