18 U.S.C. § 332: Debasement of coins…

Summary

Makes it a crime for anyone working at a U.S. mint or assay office to tamper with coins, metals, or the scales and weights used to make coins. That includes making coins less pure, lighter, or worth less than the law requires, changing or defacing scales or weights on purpose, or stealing metals, coins, or medals in their care. Offenders can be fined under federal law, jailed for up to 10 years, or both.

Title 18, §332

Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

If any of the gold or silver coins struck or coined at any of the mints of the United States shall be debased, or made worse as to the proportion of fine gold or fine silver therein contained, or shall be of less weight or value than the same ought to be, pursuant to law, or if any of the scales or weights used at any of the mints or assay offices of the United States shall be defaced, altered, increased, or diminished through the fault or connivance of any officer or person employed at the said mints or assay offices, with a fraudulent intent; or if any such officer or person shall embezzle any of the metals at any time committed to his charge for the purpose of being coined, or any of the coins struck or coined at the said mints, or any medals, coins, or other moneys of said mints or assay offices at any time committed to his charge, or of which he may have assumed the charge, every such officer or person who commits any of the said offenses shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 280 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 166, 35 Stat. 1120). Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $10,000”.

§332 Debasement of Coins; Alteration of Official Scales, or Embezzlement of Metals