Section 331 of Title 18 of the United States code provides criminal penalties for anyone who fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales, or lightens any of the coins coined at the Mints of the United States
That’s only applicable when someone is altering a coin for fraudulent purposes, such as changing a coin to appear as a different denomination, or melting down coins for their metal. Those acts are considered to be defrauding the United States. Defacing currency in a way that is not altering the denomination or attempting to defraud in some way is not punishable.
Is this legal?
Section 331 of Title 18 of the United States code provides criminal penalties for anyone who fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales, or lightens any of the coins coined at the Mints of the United States
This isn’t a coin and doesn’t appear to be an attempt at fraud, though
The numbers are unaltered, it’s legal but good luck using it in a machine.
Penny smushers in shambles
That’s only applicable when someone is altering a coin for fraudulent purposes, such as changing a coin to appear as a different denomination, or melting down coins for their metal. Those acts are considered to be defrauding the United States. Defacing currency in a way that is not altering the denomination or attempting to defraud in some way is not punishable.
Keyword “fraudulently”. There’s no fraud here, it’s clearly a $100 bill still. Nothing illegal here.
That being said, good luck getting anyone except a bank to accept it. Once the bank has it they’ll just send it off to be destroyed.