Defacing U.S. Currency & Coin

This federal law actually came about in 1883, when a deaf mute named Joshua Tatum hired a jeweler to gold plate a number of 'V' nickels to pass off as $5.00 gold pieces. He would never make a purchase for more than a nickel, but many people gave him change for a $5.00 coin. Once the federal Government discovered Tatums' little scheme, they halted mintage of 'V' nickels, and added the word 'cents' to the remaining coins to avoid any confusion in the future. That's why you will find 1883 'v' nickels with, and without 'cents'. Be careful buying any coin that claims to be one of Tatum's gold plated ones. Not only it is more than likely counterfeit, it is probably unlawful to own, as it is an altered piece. I believe it would be like the 1964 Walking Liberty Half Dollars that were minted in early 1964, then scrapped for the Kennedy Half. All of the coins were presumed destroyed, but if one were to make it out into the public, it would be subject to seizure by the U.S Government. (I would HAVE a seizure if I ever found one of those) .