Can 18 U.S.C. § 331 be used to prosecute coin doctors?

[MikeInFL]

18 U.S.C. § 331 reads as follows:

 

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. (Emphasis added.)

 

Could this federal statue be used against coin doctors who alter coins in an attempt to defraud? Has it ever been used in the past?

 

Just wondering....Mike

[truthteller]

"Can 18 U.S.C. § 331 be used to prosecute coin doctors?"

 

 

The answer is yes. It's just a matter of time and money. Not enough people have lost gazillions of dollars, yet. When monetary losses hit the mainstream headlines, then the feds will start chopping heads.

 

 

 

TRUTH

[James_OldeTowne]

18 U.S.C. § 331 reads as follows:

 

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. (Emphasis added.)

 

Could this federal statue be used against coin doctors who alter coins in an attempt to defraud? Has it ever been used in the past?

 

Just wondering....Mike

I think not. I believe the "fraud" being addressed here is the attempt to (1) change the face-value of a coin or (2) change it's intrinsic (silver or gold) value by removing part of it. But you can for example, spray-paint, carve initials on, bend, scrub, scratch, dip, varnish, polish, hammer or chew on - and yes, "recolor" - a coin to your heart's content with total impunity (and honestly, that's how I think it should be).

[okbustchaser]

current or are in actual use or circulation as money

 

Yes, they can be prosecuted if they try to SPEND (ie place into circulation) that 1807 half after they alter the 7 to a 1.

 

The same applies to contemporary counterfiets. There is absolutely nothing illegal about collecting them as numismatic items, but it is illegal to spend them.

[carson city]

No need to apply Title 18. Fraud is fraud---Proof is all that you need, good luck !