I believe it's illegal to do this to American Currency. MASSDROP check out the currency laws.....you could be liable!
Mar 7, 2017
PTrainor
Mar 7, 2017
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tulio" 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. "
tulioThe keyword is "fraudulently" as in "fraudulently alters" the meaning behind that is for instance using a $10 bill as the basis for counterfeiting a $100 bill or such. It's not illegal to deface a coin for non-fraudulent purposes, such as how museums and zoos often have machines to squish pennies into their logo or animals or such.
tulioHere's what www.treasury.gov has to say:
"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." -
(https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/faqs/Coins/Pages/edu_faq_coins_portraits.aspx)
So it is legal to modify currency, but it is illegal to try to use it as something else (melting nickels together and making a quarter).
PTrainorI think the key word there is fraudulently. I believe it is only illegal to alter it and try to pass it off as another denomination or different metal. If you want to turn your money into non-money, not a problem. Think of those machines everywhere that turn your penny into a souvenir.
Mar 7, 2017
PTrainor
Mar 7, 2017
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ponagathosCool! Thanks for the clarification, guys!