CITE
18 USC Sec. 485 01/05/2009
EXPCITE
TITLE 18 - CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I - CRIMES
CHAPTER 25 - COUNTERFEITING AND FORGERY
HEAD
Sec. 485. Coins or bars
STATUTE
Whoever falsely makes, forges, or counterfeits any coin or bar in
resemblance or similitude of any coin of a denomination higher than
5 cents or any gold or silver bar coined or stamped at any mint or
assay office of the United States, or in resemblance or similitude
of any foreign gold or silver coin current in the United States or
in actual use and circulation as money within the United States; or
Whoever passes, utters, publishes, sells, possesses, or brings
into the United States any false, forged, or counterfeit coin or
bar, knowing the same to be false, forged, or counterfeit, with
intent to defraud any body politic or corporate, or any person, or
attempts the commission of any offense described in this paragraph -
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than
fifteen years, or both.
SOURCE
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 708; Pub. L. 89-81, title II,
Sec. 211(a), July 23, 1965, 79 Stat. 257; Pub. L. 103-322, title
XXXIII, Sec. 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)
HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Sec. 277 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch.
321, Sec. 163, 35 Stat. 1119).
Reference to persons causing, procuring, aiding or assisting was
omitted as unnecessary as such persons are made principals by
section 2 of this title.
Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative.
The provision for imprisonment for 10 years was changed to 15
years to conform to sections 471 and 472 of this title.
Changes were made in phraseology.
AMENDMENTS
1994 - Pub. L. 103-322 substituted "fined under this title" for
"fined not more than $5,000".
1965 - Pub. L. 89-81 struck out "Gold or silver" before "Coins or
bars" in section catchline, changed the description of the United
States coins covered in first par. from gold or silver coins to any
coin of a denomination higher than 5 cents, and made minor
structural changes in second par.