Is there still a coin death penalty?

airplanenut

While doing research for my paper today, I found the law that says any intentional fraudulent coin made at the mint with the intent to fraud (use silver instead of gold to pass a coin at a certain weight and rip someone off) is punishable by death... is this law still around? Would it apply to "fake errors" or other famous coins such as the 1913 Liberty Nickel, supposedly made on a night shift?

FrattLaw... sorry that this is yet another legal question

Jeremy

GDJMSP

No - the death penalty went out some time ago. The current law regarding US coins may be found in the US Code.

US Code Title 31

dbldie55

I think the law refers to making a coin that you are trying to pass as a coin with a much higher face value. If someone wants to sell a 1913 Liberty Nickel for 5 cents, I promise not to press charges.

Conder101

That early law or one similar to it was found in the laws of most countries and was actually intended to warn the workers producing the official coinage not to try and do any private debasement of the coinage. The government could officially debase the coinage but no private enterprise please. This is one reason why coins were mintmarked and why many countries required the coiners and assayers initials to appear on the coins or a privymark that identified them. That way an debased official coinage could be traced back to its source and those men whose initials appeared or who was in charge at the mint the produced it would be held to be the responsible party. I don't know if anyone was ever put to death under such laws but there was a case in England where the King (I think it was James II) invited all of the mintmasters to a Christmas feast. Then after the had all arrived a chest containing coins produced at all of the mints was brought in and the coins of each assayed. Those whose mints had produced debased coins forfeited their right hands as punishment.

airplanenut

<< <i>If someone wants to sell a 1913 Liberty Nickel for 5 cents, I promise not to press charges. >>

Glad to hear it Just go tell that to Legend...

Thanks for the info, guys

relayer

Many on these boards still practice it.