So I Had An Idea....

True. No advertising allowed. Just imagine what we'd be getting if it was allowed. All our paper money stamped with crummy ads -- yuck -- and coins that wouldn't work in machines.

Josh,
you are aware of http://www.wheresgeorge.com/ to track $1 bills?

It must not be entirely illegal, as companies advertise their special commemoratives, such as the counter-stamped Kennedy half dollar. Or, how about the penny-squashing machines that have advertising on them. There has always been advertising on coins be it stickers, perm markers, or stamping...not that I endorse it or would ever do such a thing myself.

I like my Burger King SBA. they gave them away quite a while ago for some reason, but it was in a little zip-lock bag with a piece of card stock with a black Burger King logo on the card stock. this let them use the coin as advertising without applying anything to the coin itself. Thus anyone that wanted to spend it could take it out and spend it, and anyone else, like myself could just leave it in the bag with the little cardstock. the problem though is that I you spend it in the bag, it won't likely stay in the bag long.

i agree with the engraving and stickers being detractors. even for circulation coin collectors, that is annoying. I think most people that mark coins do NOT want to be known exactly where they are because they know other CRHs out there will not be happy getting a marked coin if it is one they need. those that mark coins do it to anything and don't even are. it isn't like they are marking lowballs, just any random coin that they don't want to keep. it is probably not even coil collectors, but silver collectors, because have you ever seen a silver coin marked before? they figure if it isn't silve, it isn't worth anything to anyone, and they mark it and NOW it isn't worth much to anyone.

Here is the law in question which prohibits advertising on coinage. You'll note it doesn't just apply to stickers, but anyone who "writes, prints, or otherwise impresses upon or attaches to" a coin "any business or professional card, notice, or advertisement, or any notice or advertisement whatever". So, nothing that advertises or informs anyone about anything may be placed on a circulation coin.

"Circulation" is important. Elongated pennies are OK, because they are not being put back into circulation. As others have said, it's perfectly legal to destroy a coin in the name of art, but the destruction is supposed to be of such a nature that it is not likely to be used as or mistaken for a coin again, even accidentally. And even though halves don't "circulate" much, they still count as circulation coins, especially if you're dumping them back at a bank.

The colorized or plated quarters put out by HSN and friends are also legal, because they aren't advertising or giving notice of anything. Again, it's just art. So long as they don't include anything resembling an advertisement, it's all OK.

If you want to place advertising on your rolled coins, write it on the rolls themselves. There's no law stopping you from doing that.

coin marking and colored edges and writing on coins and stamped and holes in halves is something I see all the time, I just think your trash is another mans treasure because you think its useless it might be what I need..
if you must mark the coin leave no trace back to you, just my opinion..