Something to do NOW against the Virginia Politicians & THEIR nickel

ms70

I started a thread on this yesterday but since then I decided something should be done NOW & came up with an idea.

As a collector, I'm pissed. I want action. There are two groups who care about this: Virginia Politicians & collectors. Legal or not, I am thinking of punching an "X" on both sides of every nickel I get. If letters, e-mails & phone calls to OUR lawmakers don't work, then maybe they'll think about the collector everytime they get a nickel with a nice capital X punched into their beautiful sacred Monticello.
It's the only way we can get personal with them & physically place something in their hand to remind them they work for the citizens, not themselves.

Russ

HMM...interesting idea. Anybody know if there would be any legal problems? I happen to have a leather punch kit from a million years ago that happens to have the complete alphabet, including the X.

Russ, NCNE

Blackhawk

I like the idea also. It would make a lot of people take notice and wonder what's up.

wingedliberty

Mutilation and defacement of United States Legal Tender is a crime.

Brian.

itsnotjustme

Bang....1
Bang.....2
Bang......3
Bang.......4
Bang........5

Need something faster.

ms70

I could only find the legal issues on currency defacement. According to that law, there has to be intent to render the item useless for re-issue. I wouldn't render a coin useless, I'd simply just put my freedom of expression "X" on it. Besides, if it were truly illegal, then why are there "elongated cents" machines permitted across the U.S. at every tourist trap???

VonZipper

Yeah we can call it the X-Coin and tie it in with the new X-Men movie coming up.

ms70

Just found the answer! The keyword being "fraudulently". That's why elongated cents are legal & this would be too.

Link to source

TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 17 > Sec. 331. - Mutilation, diminution, and falsification of coins

"Whoever fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates, impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales, or lightens any of the coins coined at the mints of the United States, or any foreign coins which are by law made current or are in actual use or circulation as money within the United States; or

Whoever fraudulently possesses, passes, utters, publishes, or sells, or attempts to pass, utter, publish, or sell, or brings into the United States, any such coin, knowing the same to be altered, defaced, mutilated, impaired, diminished, falsified, scaled, or lightened -

Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both"

AND The Definition of fraud: (compliments of www.yourdictionary.com) "A deception deliberately practiced in order to secure unfair or unlawful gain.
A piece of trickery; a trick.

One that defrauds; a cheat.
One who assumes a false pose; an impostor."

VonZipper

So could this be used to get rid of all the ebay scammers?

coiNuts

Those of us West of the Mississippi will punch an "O", and those East can use the "X".......I see a national game of tic tac Monticello starting

ms70

<< <i>Those of us West of the Mississippi will punch an "O", and those East can use the "X".......I see a national game of tic tac Monticello starting >>



I love it!!

cladking

Peoples' frustration with this is certainly understandable, but this is likely
neither adequate nor appropriate as a response. How do you feel when
you see an otherwise desirable old coin with intentional damage on it? How
are future collectors going to view us? More importantly, how is the general
population and others going to see people who damage the objects of their
goals?

There is also great doubt about the legality of such an endeavor. The statutes
are usually interpreted to allow mutilation of coins but not both the mutilation
and the passing into circulation. There are twenty billion nickels in circulation.
It would require many hundreds of dedicated protestors to make a dent in a
population this large.

Keep in mind that the provisions barring changes in the existing designs can be
made obsolete in very short order.

It behooves us to act like numismatists in any case.

ms70

Ever hear of the Boston Tea Party?

K6AZ

I fail to see what all the fuss is about. Let's face it, it is very unlikely our coin designs will ever change. There is too much politics involved for every coin, not just the nickel. If I had my say, there would be a law passed that no person living or dead could be on regular circulating coinage. Dead presidents belong on commemoratives.

cladking

<< <i>Ever hear of the Boston Tea Party? >>




In the words of the great patriot, Al Bundy; "Americans don't like tea."

So perhaps we should all send a tea bag to the Monticello Foundation in protest or something along these lines.

Bailathacl

<< <i>If I had my say, there would be a law passed that no person living or dead could be on regular circulating coinage. >>



The conundrum, alas, is that if the current edition of Congress had the wisdom to pass such a law, the next day or week or month they could simply pass another law making it OK to restore dead presidents to coinage. It takes will and vision and taste to impose positive change on our coinage -- and for that reason I join the fatalists who think we'll never see meaningful change because of politics. (Same reason the dollar bill won't disappear anytime soon.) I hope I'm proved wrong....

ksteelheader

There is too much politics involved for every coin, not just the nickel. Actually, there is too much politics involved in every aspect of our lives. Being a politician was meant as a form of serving your country for a short time. Now being a politician is a very lucrative full time job. Only one way to stop it. Term limits. And we have always had term limits. They take place every election day when you go into the polls to vote. You can either vote to limit their term, or vote to extend their term...........Ken

goose3

lets use a different letter for each state.

1956Quarter

Cool.... a jumbo flat blade screw driver or chisel should do nicely.....

Schmitz7

I didn't realize the state nickel program would start up so quickly with the quarters still having a few years to go. Being from Michigan, I think it is only right that my senators introduce a bill for a circulating Michigan nickel. I'll send them a note today...after all, Virginia almost has theirs approved.

satootoko

<< <i>lets use a different letter for each state. >>


A for Delaware, B for Pennsylvania . . . Y for Arkansas, Z for Michigan. Okay, but how about Florida through Hawaii

ms70

btt

dbldie55

Maybe this is what caused me to shoot one with a 22 about 25 years ago, still have it. The banks hate getting it in their counting machines when I take in my change can. I really doubt anyone would care if you defaced nearly everyone of them, circulated Jeffersons are as common as dirt. The problem is that only a minority want them changed (most of us coin collectors) and another minority does not (self centered idiots in Virginia). The majority really doesn't care. You would think the success of the State Quarter redesign would mean something. Of course, once it is gone, it may stay gone if the right people move to change it during the next 3 years.