Air Travel with Rolls of Quarters

ElsasFan

Mouseketeer
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Jun 2, 2014
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267
For those of you who collect pressed pennies, and also travel by air, how do you carry the quarters through security? We keep them in the mini m&m tubes. I put them in my carry-on last time and had to go aside for TSA to check my bag to see what it was. Luckily, we didn't have to do a full secondary screening, but I could see where it might in the future, and really want to avoid the extra trouble if necessary. I thought about packing them in my luggage, but then TSA would likely just have to dig through my things without me there, plus it adds substantial weight.

Suggestions? Thanks in advance.
 
I put them in my backpack (carry on) and didn't even think twice. TSA never said a thing - I did it on three trips between 2015 & 2016. I think I had 2 rolls of quarters and a roll of pennies. I do not put money in my checked bag, even coins. My bag was never pulled aside for extra screening. I hope that was a fluke that your bag got pulled aside. Honestly, I'd do the same thing again. There is just no way I would put money in my checked baggage.
 
I put them in my backpack (carry on) and didn't even think twice. TSA never said a thing - I did it on three trips between 2015 & 2016. I think I had 2 rolls of quarters and a roll of pennies. I do not put money in my checked bag, even coins. My bag was never pulled aside for extra screening. I hope that was a fluke that your bag got pulled aside. Honestly, I'd do the same thing again. There is just no way I would put money in my checked baggage.

It's possible that it was just a fluke. The TSA agent made a comment, something along the lines of him not being able to figure out what it could possibly be, so maybe it didn't look suspicious, only curiosity-invoking. Carrying cash in checked luggage is definitely not an alternative! Thanks for sharing your experience.
 
I hope it wasn't a fluke, it sounds like that tsa scanner was doing exactly what should be done. not sure what it is, take a look at it and make sure it's not harmful. a roll of quarters, especially in a tube that isn't a roll of quarters could be anything.
 
I hope it wasn't a fluke, it sounds like that tsa scanner was doing exactly what should be done. not sure what it is, take a look at it and make sure it's not harmful. a roll of quarters, especially in a tube that isn't a roll of quarters could be anything.

Well, that's true. What I meant was that perhaps he could tell by looking at it that it wasn't dangerous, but he still wondered what it was. Perhaps they look at everything they can't identify. I don't know.
 
For those of you who collect pressed pennies, and also travel by air, how do you carry the quarters through security? We keep them in the mini m&m tubes. I put them in my carry-on last time and had to go aside for TSA to check my bag to see what it was. Luckily, we didn't have to do a full secondary screening, but I could see where it might in the future, and really want to avoid the extra trouble if necessary. I thought about packing them in my luggage, but then TSA would likely just have to dig through my things without me there, plus it adds substantial weight.

Suggestions? Thanks in advance.

My husband puts his quarters in a clear ziplock bag. He's never been stopped by TSA for further inspection due to that, but they did stop him to inspect his baggie of pins to trade LOL. :)
 
If you're at all concerned, just put them in the tray with your shoes and metal items from your pockets. That way your whole bag won't get inspected.
 
Don't put cash into a bin on its own.

I put them in my carry-on last time and had to go aside for TSA to check my bag to see what it was.

I just don't see that as a hassle. I've had them poke around to figure out what the non-ipod MP3 player was, and wonder about a box of batteries. No biggie. They wonder, they look, they know.

Perhaps they look at everything they can't identify.

Pretty much.
 
We do the M&M tube in carry on luggage and havent had an issue with secondary inspection.

In my experience (I fly weekly, but sadly not to Disneyworld), whether they pull you to look in the bag depends both on what's in the bag and how experienced your security tech is. I had one stop me for a hotel sewing repair kit and had another waive us through with a laugh after seeing my son's 32 matchbox cars in his carry on. Some have been doing this for so long I'll bet they could tell you exactly what's in your bag ;)
 
We use the M&M tubes as well, we always get asked to show what it is after it goes in the Xray machine. Even DD's change purse gets questions.
 
When we did the M&M tubes last year, I was asked about that and the pins we brought for trade, the TSA was more than polite about it and repacked my bag and everything.
 
I pack a clear tube of older pennies, and pick up quarters once we arrive.
 
Once we were going to a beach house so I packed a CD player. Also packed some extra batteries. The batteries I bought came with a free calculator. So it was this weird package with a block of batteries attached to a calculator. Let's just say it was a mistake to try and fly with that item.

Anyway with quarters, would it not be easier to get change at Disney?
 
Once we were going to a beach house so I packed a CD player. Also packed some extra batteries. The batteries I bought came with a free calculator. So it was this weird package with a block of batteries attached to a calculator. Let's just say it was a mistake to try and fly with that item.

Anyway with quarters, would it not be easier to get change at Disney?

This made me laugh.. I bet it WASNT fun to try & fly with that :)
 
A few years back when I flew I didn't think a thing of it when I put it in my carry on but they made me unpack the whole thing to find it and the wouldn't even tell/show me what it was they were seeing to try and help them, they ran it 4 times before the found the 1 roll of quarters :headache:
 
We fly out of Toronto.

I always pack our rolls of coin in clear rollers and place them in an outside pocket in my carry on backpack. I've only not been asked about them once. They are dense and definitley show up on the scanner.

For those mentioning getting the coins AT WDW, as a Canadian I always hoard American coins when I get them in my change. A $10 roll of quarters is worth about $150 with the exchange rate where it is these days!
 
During our trip in March we had three M&M tubes dispersed between three backpacks. Two of them were pulled for secondary screenings. And yes, we were all in the same line. Maybe the one that wasn't screened wasn't as full?!?!?

Next time, I'll just throw the coins in a plastic bag and then re-pack them into the tubes later.
 












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