# Defacing Paper Currency? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 26, 2004, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defacing-paper-currency/236641 "2004-03-26T21:46:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jon\_the\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@Jon\_the\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jon_the_Geek)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defacing-paper-currency/236641/1 "2004-03-26T21:46:35Z")
What are the laws about defacing paper currency (in the US)? I’ve read the [Staff Report](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mhole.html) about defacing coins, but I can’t seem to be able to find info about paper money. Specifically, I want to know if it would be illegal (and/or void a bill) to black out “In God We Trust” on the back of paper currency… ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defacing-paper-currency/236641/2 "2004-03-26T22:10:11Z")
> [@Jon the Geek](#): > > What are the laws about defacing paper currency (in the US)? I’ve read the [Staff Report](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mhole.html) about defacing coins, but I can’t seem to be able to find info about paper money. > > Specifically, I want to know if it would be illegal (and/or void a bill) to black out “In God We Trust” on the back of paper currency… I don’t know about the legality of it (though it better not be illegal). I do know of several people who’ve done it though with repercussion. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defacing-paper-currency/236641/3 "2004-03-26T22:11:35Z")
\*Withough repercussion ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2004, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defacing-paper-currency/236641/4 "2004-03-26T23:01:26Z")
The only crime in defacing currency is in an attempt to change its amount. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defacing-paper-currency/236641/5 "2004-03-27T02:27:35Z")
I think Reeder has it right. > [@](#): > > 18 U.S.C. § 333: > 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. > [Emphasis added.] However, individuals or businesses likely have the right to refuse to accept mutilated or defaced currency from you. They could tell you to take that bill to the Federal Reserve Bank (which does have a service to accept and value damaged, mutilated, or defaced currency), and ask for a “clean” bill instead. I recall a minor controversy here in Minneapolis a few years ago, when some gay activists were stamping pink triangles & “GAY MONEY” on their currency, and a local bank teller refused to accept it (due to her religious convictions). No legal rulings though, since it was promptly settled by bank management when calls for a boycott of the bank (located in a neighborhood that was home to lots of gay people) began circulating. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2004, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/defacing-paper-currency/236641/6 "2004-03-27T02:41:19Z")
There used to be a fairly easy way to mark up a one dollar bill so that a change making machine would think that it was a five dollar bill. An aquaintence of mine was charged with a Federal Crime for doing so. Haj