I'm planning a trip to the USA soon (from Germany). I'd like to know how much cash I can bring in without problems.

Just to clarify, I am **not** talking about the $10000-or-file-a-form limit. I'm talking about the point where the authorities will assume that with that much cash, I must be a drug dealer (I'm not), and will confiscate my money with little or no hope of my ever seeing it again.

I realize this is an open-ended question, and there is no precise threshhold -- that much depends on the authorities I come in contact with. But can someone give me *some* idea of where the effective boundary is?

EDIT: Yes, I do expect to be well under the $10000 limit. My concern is more along the lines, what if my credit card doesn't work? I want to be able to continue my vacation anyway.

Still, with all the noise about civil forfeiture in the USA I am concerned.

I know I'm not going to get a precise threshhold, but what I did get was a range between $300 and $10000. I was hoping to narrow that down a bit.

And no, my question is about traveling with that money; not about spending it when I get there. (Although I am looking forward to pastrami sandwiches and cheesesteaks.)