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 Replies: 21 / Views: 2,615 |
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Forum Dad
 United States
24150 Posts |
 Government Is Sued Over Seizure of Liberty DollarsBy JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN for the New York SunThe federal government's attempt to stop a group of gold-standard activists from minting an alternative to the greenback is about to face its first legal test. A dozen people around the country filed suit in U.S. District Court in Idaho this week demanding the return of all the copper, silver, gold, and platinum coins — more than seven tons of metal in all — that the FBI and Secret Service seized in November during raids of a mint in Idaho and a strip mall storefront in Indiana. The Justice Department had decided that the coins, many of which bear the familiar symbol of Lady Liberty and the phrase "TRUST IN GOD," were being illegally marketed as government-sanctioned currency, according to the sworn affidavit of an FBI agent. The creator of the coins, Bernard von NotHaus, who lives in Miami, claims that the federal government is trying to shut down production of his liberty dollars, as the coins are called, because of the competition they pose to the greenback. In recent years, his precious metal coins have outperformed the dollar, whose value has plunged in relation to gold. The raids in November were the result of a two-year undercover investigation of Mr. Von NotHaus and how he sold liberty dollars. The Justice Department has not followed up with any criminal charges against Mr. Von NotHaus or the regional distributors of his coins. In the suit filed in Idaho, the various plaintiffs say the federal government has no right to continue holding onto their coins any longer. Read Full Story | All Recent News
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Rest in Peace
United States
2668 Posts |
The government gets riles if you object to them stealing something fairly and squarely.
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Valued Member
United States
201 Posts |
Isn't it common sense that one cannot print/mint currency?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6326 Posts |
I'm not an anti govt. person......I don't have the paranoid "big brother" syndrome......I'm not building a bunker and arming myself for the coming govt. invaders on my property.
But the govt. has made many mistakes and "blunders" over the years.......and the state of Idaho had one (where the article says the "Mint" was raided).....It was called "Ruby Ridge" with the altercation of Randy Weaver and his family....the separtists....
There is an anti-establishment there in parts of Idaho, separtists, etc. etc.. The "Freemen" of Montana a few years back too.....
But, you know, either way with this "Libery Dollar"......I'm going to wait until the Govt. presents it's case, it's argued in court, the other side presents it's case, and what the final dicision is.......BEFORE I make a judgement on this one.......
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Valued Member
United States
201 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2335 Posts |
I'm with eaglefoot on the waiting to see what the deal is before I make a judgement on the legality of the whole thing. On the other hand, last time this topic came up there was a couple links to more information. From that information It was pretty obvious to me that the Liberty Dollar system was a pretty sweet deal for the founders. The face value of the coins was more than bullion value by a fairly wide margin.
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Rest in Peace
United States
2668 Posts |
Yes, they never over-step their authority and/or bounds ala FLDS.
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Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
Mistakes made on both sides and lots of evidence not made public yet. Mix in the usual conspiracy laden rumours and the truth is obscured. A "wait and see" is the best course of action on this one!  |
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Valued Member
United States
85 Posts |
"The Justice Department had decided that the coins, many of which bear the familiar symbol of Lady Liberty and the phrase "TRUST IN GOD," were being illegally marketed as government-sanctioned currency, according to the sworn affidavit of an FBI agent."
If this stands as being true, then the government has full right to stop any and all makings of these coins. I do believe that you can make/mint your own coins but only as novelty. In no way can you say that they are government sanctioned and still believe they won't do a thing against you.
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Moderator
 United States
6563 Posts |
The coins have $10 Dollars on them and it's not government issued money.
I see no difference in this then if they printed money that said "Trust in God". It's money that they "minted" with the sole intention of passing off as legal tender thus disrupting the flow of things
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Valued Member
United States
157 Posts |
I gotta admit, though, it's a pretty good looking coin. But what do you give in change for one of these? Cigarettes?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
615 Posts |
It is my understanding they got business to start taking them as currency, which I think is still legal under coin act of 1965. Private currencies are legal, but they aren't legal tender for debts. As long as they don't claim them to be U.S. coins or legal tender, then I don't know what case the government has. Dollar isn't a U.S. only currency. There a lot of countries that use the term dollar and the U.S. wasn't the first. Anyone that thought those were legal currency is an idiot and sometimes you just have to let idiots suffer for being idiots.
All of that said, it was a very sweet deal for the minters. High margins aren't illegal. If they were Coke/Pepsi would be in big trouble... look at their margins on sugared water.
-SWUSC
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
965 Posts |
I don't believe that they tried to ever market these at government-sanctioned currency. I had always seen it to be an alternative currency that is only valid as a barter, and even then, only when both parties agreed to use it a such. While they are walking a very fine line, I don't see it as illegal (yet).
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Valued Member
United States
58 Posts |
The U.S. gov't knows how to fairly apply the laws AND what is in our best interest so we should just let them sort it out.  It will be interesting to watch. At the least they should either charge him with a crime or return his seized assets. I find it interesting that you do not see these pieces at coin shows. I did pick up a oz. $20 piece at the Milwaukee show last year from the LibertyDollar table. Neat concept. I love to see folks mix it up with the gov't.  |
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Valued Member
United States
128 Posts |
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Valued Member
United States
228 Posts |
There is an article in the Idahostatesman.com newspaper about this. Suit filed in Idaho over Liberty coins. I couldn't figure out how to post the link. "At the GOP state convention this month, Idaho Republicans voted to abolish the Federal Reserve System and return to the Gold Standard." What does this mean?  Fishnwidow link fixed
-GO |
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Replies: 21 / Views: 2,615 |
Posted 06/20/2008 1:32 pm
