
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: 31USC5153]

 
                       TITLE 31--MONEY AND FINANCE
 
                           SUBTITLE IV--MONEY
 
                     CHAPTER 51--COINS AND CURRENCY
 
                       SUBCHAPTER V--MISCELLANEOUS
 
Sec. 5153. Counterfeit currency

    Disbursing officials of the United States Government and officers of 
national banks shall stamp or mark the word ``counterfeit'', 
``altered'', or ``worthless'' on counterfeit notes intended to circulate 
as currency that are presented to them. An official or officer 
wrongfully stamping or marking an item of genuine United States currency 
(including a Federal reserve note or a circulating note of Federal 
reserve banks and national banks) shall redeem the currency at face 
value when presented.

(Pub. L. 97-258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 992.)

                                          Historical and Revision Notes
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           Revised Section                   Source (U.S. Code)                
Source (Statutes at Large)
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5153.................................  31:424.                         June 30,
 1876, ch. 156, Sec.  5, 19 Stat.
                                                                        64.
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    The words ``Disbursing officials'' are substituted for ``officers 
charged with the receipt or disbursement of public moneys'' for 
consistency in the revised title and other titles of the United States 
Code. The word ``mark'' is substituted for ``write in plain letters'' to 
eliminate unnecessary words. The words ``counterfeit notes intended to 
circulate as currency'' are substituted for ``all fraudulent notes 
issued in the form of, and intended to circulate as money'' for 
consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the Code. The 
last sentence is substituted for the words following the semicolon in 
31:424 for clarity and to reflect the legislative history of the 
derivative source. See 4 Cong. Rec. 2225-2228, 3148. In that sentence, 
the words ``United States currency (including a Federal reserve note or 
a circulating note of Federal reserve banks and national banks)'' are 
substituted for ``any genuine note of the United States, or of the 
national banks'' for consistency with section 5103 of the revised title.
