Sending Gold and Silver by Post or Courier

You can post gold and silver within most countries, but ordinary post and most courier services won't pay out if it goes missing. In the US, only USPS Registered Mail insures bullion properly (up to $50,000); every other USPS service pays at most $15. In the UK, Special Delivery is the only Royal Mail service that covers jewellery, up to £2,500. Couriers mostly refuse bullion: DHL Express prohibits it and UPS and FedEx accept it only under contract. Across borders it is harder still: India, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia prohibit gold and silver in international post, and Australia Post won't carry bullion abroad at all.

Facts checked 26 October 2026 · Not financial, legal or tax advice

Posting gold and silver: country by country

Country	Can you post it?	Most you can insure	Watch out for
United States	Yes, domestically. Abroad, gold, silver, coins and jewellery go only by Priority Mail International (or First-Class International with Registered Mail where customs treats it as a document), not Priority Mail Express International, and only to countries that accept them.	Registered Mail: up to $50,000 (declare the full market value; higher values can be registered but compensation stops at $50,000). Every other USPS service: $15 for bullion, currency and negotiable items.	Registered Mail must be handed over the counter, sealed with paper tape (no padded or plastic mailers), and is slower. Priority Mail's built-in $100 insurance doesn't apply to bullion beyond $15.
United Kingdom	Yes, but only Special Delivery covers valuables: "the only service that covers contents such as cash, vouchers and jewellery" (Post Office). First and Second Class and Signed For pay nothing for valuables.	Special Delivery by 1pm: £750 included, up to £2,500 for a fee; Royal Mail's terms cap valuables at £2,500 per item. International Tracked: up to £250. Parcelforce globalpriority: up to £2,500.	Sending valuables worth more than the cap can let Royal Mail refuse compensation entirely. Optional consequential-loss cover (up to £10,000) does not cover the item itself.
Canada	Yes domestically, but Canada Post accepts no liability for gold bullion, coins, jewellery or precious metals sent by Registered Mail. Abroad depends on the destination.	Parcel services: CAN$100 included, up to $5,000 extra, but payouts for jewellery and precious metals are capped at CAN$500. FedEx Canada: $1,000 for precious metals; it won't ship coins.	Buy extra coverage and signature on delivery (required above CAN$200 of extra cover); expect little if bullion is lost.
Australia	Domestically yes, but bullion can't be covered: Australia Post's Extra Cover "is not available for bullion". Australia Post won't carry bullion, bank notes or coins internationally at all.	Extra Cover up to A$5,000 for other items; bullion excluded.	Items worth more than A$500 with Extra Cover need Signature on Delivery; keep proof of lodgement.
India	Domestic insured post exists; India Post's own pages weren't reviewed on whether gold is accepted. Gold or silver can't come in by courier (excluded from courier clearance since 2010) and international post lists articles of gold or silver as prohibited.	Domestic accountable items: up to ₹5 lakh from 1 April 2026 (Post Office Regulations), though India Post's Speed Post page still says ₹1 lakh.	Bringing gold into India: see the travel allowance; posting or couriering it in is not a permitted route for individuals.
UAE	Emirates Post lists precious metals as prohibited and jewellery as restricted. Mail into the UAE may contain gold only in insured parcels.	Not published for gold.	Aramex prohibits bullion and restricts precious metals and jewellery.
Pakistan	Pakistan Post prohibits gold, silver, coins and precious metals in international post, and mail into Pakistan prohibits them in all classes.	—	Domestic rules for valuables were not reviewed.
Saudi Arabia	Mail into Saudi Arabia prohibits coins, gold, silver and jewellery.	—	Saudi Post's own domestic rules were not reviewed.

"Can you post it" is about the postal or courier rules; customs rules at the destination apply too. Check the carrier's current terms before you send: limits change.

Couriers: mostly no

DHL Express won't accept bullion of any precious metal or cash; jewellery and watches over €10,000 (in the UK, over £4,000) need DHL's written agreement. UPS lists gold and other precious metals as restricted and accepts them, and jewellery, only on a contractual basis for regular shippers. FedEx caps declared value for jewellery at US$1,000 unless you're an approved jewellery shipper; its declared-value programme excludes coins and gold bars, and FedEx International Connect Global prohibits bullion and coins outright.

Bullion dealers ship under contracts with carriers and their own insurance, which individuals usually can't get. For large amounts, specialist secure carriers (Brink's, Loomis, Malca-Amit) move metal for refiners, mints and institutions.

International post: the UPU rule

Under the Universal Postal Union rules that national posts apply, coins, banknotes, gold, silver, platinum, precious stones and jewellery may travel only in insured items, not in ordinary letters or uninsured parcels, and only to countries that accept them. Many countries refuse them entirely: India, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia prohibit gold and silver in incoming post, and Australia Post refuses bullion and coins for any international destination.

In the US, check the destination's entry in USPS's International Mail Manual country listings before sending; in Canada, Canada Post's international destination tool.

If you do post gold or silver

Pick the one service that actually insures it: USPS Registered Mail in the US, Royal Mail Special Delivery in the UK. Elsewhere, check whether precious metals are excluded from cover before paying for it.
Declare the true value and keep proof of value (invoice, valuation or the day's price). Insurers pay market value or cost, and under-declaring limits the claim.
Keep it plain. No business names or words like "jewellery" or "gold" on the outside; FedEx and insurance brokers both advise this. Use a sturdy box, not an envelope or padded mailer.
Ask for a signature on delivery and keep the proof of postage; claims are refused without it.
Stay under the cap. If the value is above the service's maximum, split it into several parcels on different days or use a dealer's insured shipping or a secure carrier.
Check the destination's customs rules for anything crossing a border, and the travel allowance if you're carrying it yourself instead.

Shipping Gold and Silver: FAQ

Can you mail gold through USPS?

Yes. Within the US, USPS Registered Mail insures gold and silver up to $50,000 (declare the full market value). Other USPS services pay at most $15 for bullion if it is lost. Internationally, gold, silver, coins and jewellery can go only by Priority Mail International (or Registered First-Class International when customs treats the item as a document), and only to countries that accept them.

Can I send gold by Royal Mail?

Use Special Delivery Guaranteed: it is the only Royal Mail service that covers jewellery and valuables, with £750 cover as standard and up to £2,500 for a fee. First Class, Second Class and Signed For pay nothing for valuables, and sending valuables worth more than the cap can void compensation.

Does UPS or FedEx ship gold?

Only under contract. UPS accepts gold, other precious metals and jewellery on a contractual basis for regular shippers. FedEx caps declared value for jewellery at $1,000 unless you are an approved jewellery shipper, its jewellery programme excludes coins and gold bars, and its economy international service prohibits bullion and coins. DHL Express prohibits bullion.

Can I send gold to India by post or courier?

Not as an individual. Gold and silver in any form are excluded from India's courier import route, and international post into India lists articles of gold or silver as prohibited. Gold can be brought in by travellers within the baggage rules, or imported by authorised importers.

Is silver bullion treated the same as gold?

Yes. Postal and courier rules list gold, silver and platinum together ("precious metals"), with the same insurance limits and the same international prohibitions.

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General information, checked October 2026. Rules, limits and terms change; check with the provider, insurer or authority before you rely on them. Not financial, legal or tax advice.