What are the laws regarding possession and/or sale of counterfeit coins/currency?

Pushkin

What are the laws regarding possession and sale of counterfeit coins/currency? I blieve the basic tenant is that all counterfeit US money must be turned in to a law enforcement agency or a federally chartered bank. Are there exceptions for collectors? There have been plenty of cases of sellers offering "counterfeit coins" for sale as such on eBay. Is this legal.

How do collectors of counterfeits avoid the law?

What do you have to do before the Secret Service takes you away?

ldhair

A Secret Service agent once told me I could own the coin but if I sell it and misrepresent it for gain, I'm in trouble. But don't go to jail over me.

Placid

Most of the laws deal with intent to defraud. If you are asked by a law offical to surrender a counterfeit coin you must do so or face a penalty.

Chapter 25 - Counterfeiting and Forgery

ldhair

Thanks Placid. Good site to find.

Askari

Also, the SS generally won't pursue the issue unless there's a lot of money involved -- well over $50,000. We ran into this a couple of years ago on the old boards while trying to get ebay to pull a counterfeit 1804 Dollar counterfeit.