I got a cheap and oh-so-satisfying stocking stuffer today...

[Neecy]

Last week, I got a $5 bill back in change that had "Impeach Bush & Cheney" stamped on the back of it. Now, I don't suggest you stamp money. That's illegal!*

Anyway, I was charmed by this and set off to find my own stamp. I lucked into an online place in Oklahoma that features lots of "God Bless America" and uber-patriotic "Support Our Troops" stamps. Fortunately they also allow you to design your own self-inking stamp and if you buy two (I bought two - one for me, one for a lucky gift recipient) they ship it free first class mail. Same day turnaround, too. All of this head-spinning fun for just $6.99 per stamp.

I knew they'd just *love* to do my "Impeach Bush and Cheney" stamp so I put in my order and waited to see if they'd do it. Yep, they did. Same day, too. I got them today and I love the feature that allowed me to order my stamp in bright Christmasy red.

They were also nice enough to provide a .jpg image of my completed masterpiece when I ordered.



Anyway, if you're looking for a cheap but fun stocking stuffer (I plan on stamping all of my outgoing mail with it - but not money! Y'know, that's illegal!*) here's their URL:

http://sos.shop4stamps.com/StorefrontComms.asp?hidprodid=35&hidprodnum=SI&proddesc=RECTANGULAR+SELF-INKING+STAMPS&hidcatid=1&hidind=0

*official disclaimer for lurking Feds

[Breeze54]

1. Cool!

:P

[Solly Mack]

2. Excellent suggestion!!

disclaimer for those busy-body, weak-minded, you will respect my authority types: Fuck you!

Well, OK. So it wasn't much of a disclaimer.

[Ian David]

3. Stamping your money is not illegal unless its done for fraudulent purposes.

If you go to an amusement park or a museum where you can crush pennies in a machine for a souvenir, you will see a copy of the appropriate law posted on the gizmo.

Subject: Re: Is it illegal to destroy American currency?
Answered By: expertlaw-ga on 16 Oct 2002 16:16 PDT
Rated:5 out of 5 stars

Dear wulph,

You are correct, that the only criminal statute regulating the
destruction or defacement of U.S. currency requires fraudulent intent.
The statute itself is broader than simply banning the fraudulent
modification or attempt to pass defaced currency:

----------------------------------
Title 18 United States Code, Section 331

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
----------------------------------

This statute can be found online on Cornell Law School's Legal
Information Institute website:
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/331.html

The statute is also available on the website of the United States Mint
(where they emphasize the word "fraudulently".
http://www.usmint.gov/consumer/18USC331.cfm

<snip>

Title 18 United States Code, Section 333

Mutilation of national bank obligations

Whoever mutilates, cuts, defaces, disfigures, or perforates, or unites
or cements together, or does any other thing to any bank bill, draft,
note, or other evidence of debt issued by any national banking
association, or Federal Reserve bank, or the Federal Reserve System,
with intent to render such bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence
of debt unfit to be reissued, shall be fined under this title or
imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

More:
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=77334

[Neecy]

7. thanks for the info....

From reading through the entire site, I'm still unclear if stamping bills would be considered illegal, since the fraudulent clause seems to only apply to coins.

In any event, I wouldn't stamp bills because it might be illegal.*

[hedgehog]

4. And so useful, too!

[TomInTib]

5. That is just too cool, Neecy.

Damned funny, too.

KnR

[onethatcares]

6. writing bush sucks on them is just as gratifying.

sometimes you can write, bush sucks dick. Everyone knows what that means.

[MiniMe]

8. What about:

Bush sucks Dick too. Oops, did I leave out the comma in that? I meant Bush Sucks, Dick too.

[farmboy]

9. Please make your point without lowering yourself to anti-gay jokes, ok? We're better than that here.

[magellan]

10. How is what MiniMe wrote an anti-gay joke?

:shrug:

Oh yeah, welcome to DU.

[MiniMe]

11. Ummm

The fact that both Bush and Dick suck is anti-gay? OK. It was meant to be anti Bush. It seems that you might be overreacting a bit, especially for somebody with 12 posts. Whatever.

Um, welcome to DU.

[hootinholler]

12. I would think a satisfactory defense could be made on 1st amendment grounds.

But I'm not a lawyer. I would consider that protected speech.

-Hoot