
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 31USC5103]

 
                       TITLE 31--MONEY AND FINANCE
 
                           SUBTITLE IV--MONEY
 
                     CHAPTER 51--COINS AND CURRENCY
 
                      SUBCHAPTER I--MONETARY SYSTEM
 
Sec. 5103. Legal tender

    United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes 
and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are 
legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues. Foreign 
gold or silver coins are not legal tender for debts.

(Pub. L. 97-258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 980; Pub. L. 97-452, 
Sec. 1(19), Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2477.)

                                          Historical and Revision Notes
                                                    1982 Act
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---------------------------------
           Revised Section                   Source (U.S. Code)                
Source (Statutes at Large)
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---------------------------------
5103.................................  31:392.                         July 23,
 1965, Pub. L. 89-81, Sec.  102,
                                                                        79 Stat
. 255.
                                       31:456.                         R.S. Sec
.  3584.
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---------------------------------

    The words ``All . . . regardless of when coined or issued'' are 
omitted as unnecessary because of the restatement. The word ``debts'' is 
substituted for ``debts, public and private'' to eliminate unnecessary 
words. The words ``public charges, taxes, duties, and dues'' are omitted 
as included in ``debts''.

                            1983 Act

    This restores to 31:5103 the reference to public charges, taxes, and 
dues because they are not considered to be debts. See, Hagar v. 
Reclamation District No. 108, 111 U.S. 701, 706 (1884).


                               Amendments

    1983--Pub. L. 97-452 inserted ``, public charges, taxes, and dues'' 
after ``all debts''.


                    Effective Date of 1983 Amendment

    Amendment effective Sept. 13, 1982, see section 2(i) of Pub. L. 97-
452, set out as a note under section 3331 of this title.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 5112, 5132 of this title.
