U.S. COIN COUNTERFEITING LAWS Public Deposited
The E-Sylum: Volume 7, Number 12, March 21, 2004, Article 19
U.S. COIN COUNTERFEITING LAWS
While web surfing, subscriber Kavan Ratnatunga came
across a section of the U.S. code dealing with the
counterfeiting of U.S. and foreign coins. Counterfeiting LawsCITE 18 USC Sec. 489
01/26/98PART I - CRIMES
CHAPTER 25 - COUNTERFEITING AND FORGERY
Sec. 489. Making or possessing likeness of coins
Whoever, within the United States, makes or brings therein
from any foreign country, or possesses with intent to sell, give
away, or in any other manner uses the same, except under
authority of the Secretary of the Treasury or other proper
officer of the United States, any token, disk, or device in the
likeness or similitude as to design, color, or the inscription
thereon of any of the coins of the United States or of any
foreign country issued as money, either under the authority
of the United States or under the authority of any foreign
government shall be fined under this title.
SOURCE (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 709; July
16, 1951, ch. 226, Sec.3, 65 Stat. 122; Sept. 13, 1994,
Pub. L. 103-322, title XXXIII..."He found some other interesting links:
http://www.law.emory.edu/6circuit/apr98/98a0108p.06.html
http://www.ustreas.gov/usss/know_your_money.shtml
http://www.ustreas.gov/usss/counterfeit.shtml[Counterfeiting of paper currency is an everyday occurrence,
but when was the last time circulating coins were counterfeited?
Contemporary counterfeits of Bust half dollars are well known,
and even into the W.W.II era there were counterfeits of
current coins. Could any of our readers in the legal profession
find out the last time anyone was actually prosecuted for passing
counterfeits of U.S. coins? Do any of our world readers
know of examples in their own countries? -Editor]- 2004-03-21
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