r.baron wrote:
>I always thought it was illegal to deface (or, in
>this case, reface) US
>currency.


The machines and the penny smashing are
legal. U. S. Code Title 18, Chapter 17, Section
331 prohibits the fraudulent mutilation,
diminution and falsification of coins if the intent
is to defraud. The purpose of the statue is to
prevent counterfeiting or the alteration of coins
in order to pass them off to collectors as rare
coins.

Ali
Ali Turley
Assistant Curator/Curator of Education
Texas Capitol
State Preservation Board
201 E. 14th Street, Suite 950
Austin, Texas 78701
512/475-4982
512/475-4886 facsimile
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