CG78305 | Foreign currency

Currency may take the form of notes, coins or travellers cheques.

You may need to determine the location of currency if you are dealing with an individual charged on the remittance basis, see CG25300+. There is no rule in TCGA92/S275 specifically governing the location of currency. You should apply the rule in Section 275 (b) for tangible moveable property.

Coins are to be regarded as currency only if they are legal tender at the time of their acquisition or disposal. Coins which are currency but not sterling, for example Krugerrands, are chargeable assets.

Sovereigns minted in 1837 and later years and Britannia gold coins are currency but, like all sterling currency, are exempt because of TCGA92/S21 (1)(b).

Coins (including pre- 1837 sovereigns) which are not legal tender are not currency. They are chattels and qualify for the chattels exemption in TCGA92/S262. A gain on such a coin is therefore exempt if the disposal consideration does not exceed the limit in CG76573. You should bear in mind the possibility that the disposal of more than one coin may constitute the disposal of a `set’, see CG76631+.

The chattels exemption does not apply to coins which are non-sterling currency, TCGA92/S262 (6)(b).