§ 331. — Mutilation, diminution, and falsification of coins.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 18USC331]
TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I--CRIMES
CHAPTER 17--COINS AND CURRENCY
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.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 700; July 16, 1951, ch. 226, Sec. 1,
65 Stat. 121; Pub. L. 103-322, title XXXIII, Sec. 330016(1)(I), Sept.
13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Sec. 279 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch.
321, Sec. 165, 35 Stat. 1119).
Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative.
Reference to persons causing or procuring was omitted as unnecessary
in view of definition of ``principal'' in section 2 of this title.
Changes were also made in phraseology.
Amendments
1994--Pub. L. 103-322 substituted ``fined under this title'' for
``fined not more than $2,000''.
1951--Act July 16, 1951, made section applicable to minor coins (5-
cent and 1-cent pieces), and to fraudulent alteration of coins.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 492 of this title.
