Marking Coins

diggummup

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Here ya go,straight from the U.S.Treasury Dept.-I've put the last and most important and pertinent statement in bold type.


Is it illegal to damage or deface coins?


Section 331 of Title 18 of the United States code provides criminal penalties for anyone who “fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales, or lightens any of the coins coined at the Mints of the United States.” This statute means that you may be violating the law if you change the appearance of the coin and fraudulently represent it to be other than the altered coin that it is. As a matter of policy, the U.S. Mint does not promote coloring, plating or altering U.S. coinage:however, there are no sanctions against such activity absent fraudulent intent.
 

diggummup

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Think about it,if it was "illegal" then companies wouldn't be able to sell painted quarters and silver eagles and gold plated Kennedy halves etc. etc.
 

cyberdan

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diggummup said:
Here ya go,straight from the U.S.Treasury Dept.-I've put the last and most important and pertinent statement in bold type.


Is it illegal to damage or deface coins?


Section 331 of Title 18 of the United States code provides criminal penalties for anyone who “fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales, or lightens any of the coins coined at the Mints of the United States.” This statute means that you may be violating the law if you change the appearance of the coin and fraudulently represent it to be other than the altered coin that it is. As a matter of policy, the U.S. Mint does not promote coloring, plating or altering U.S. coinage:however, there are no sanctions against such activity absent fraudulent intent.

You said it better than I could. My answer would be shorter BS!! ;D

Sounds like that bank is trying to stop you from dumping coins without being the bad guys.
 

Silver_Fox

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I'd tell them I don't mark them, that's how I get them. If they want to know who is doing it, tell them to hire a PI.
 

Codes

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awhitster said:
I'd tell them I don't mark them, that's how I get them. If they want to know who is doing it, tell them to hire a PI.

Exactly. Tell them to prove that you are the one marking them. If they can't prove it, they can't deny your coins.
 

fiatboy

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Jan 28, 2007
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Defacing cash is illegal, because it is legally not our money, but a debt. Defacing coins without fradulant intent is, however, perfectly legal.
 

GMan00001

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Sounds like a claim from someone who only thinks they know the law.

For example, I don't see the gov't tracking down people who stamp dollar bills with "wheresgeorge.com" eventhough they probably have registered their name on the webiste and listed which bills they altered.

I'd agree, completely BS.

Was it a teller who told you this or a manager?
 

Ammietuar

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lol.... next time you walk in that bank tell that same guy that you defaced some coins... then show them that last line when you ask for 2 one dollar bills for your roll of "hobo nickels"....... whats he gonna do?!!...lol
 

Nick A

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What is your "mark"? If you are drawing a big black X on each coin with a fat magic marker I can see them making a fuss. If you put a dot or small line somewhere on the face or mark a line on the edges I don't think that is a problem. Worst case, just stop marking them. Why get the bank mad at you? We need friends at banks, not more enemies. It might be BS, but why escalate. You can always try to educate them, in a kind way, but many times it is easier just to give in.
 

packerbacker

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I agree with at1, why buck their system? You may win the argument in the end but you may lose a dump bank because they can just tell you they don't want to deal with you anymore.
 

MalteseFalcon

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Aug 17, 2005
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That is just more teller BS from a lazy teller. It is not "management" saying this. I doubt a bank manager would be that stupid.

But then, stranger things have happened lol.
 

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