Writing on Money against the law?

Question

A guy at the office wrote his name on a dollar bill and another co-worker said "you are going to get in trouble for that!"

What are the penalties for writing on US Currency if you are caught?

Answer 1

Actually, it is against the law to deface US Currency. It is never prosectuted, at least to my knowledge.

The US, through appointed personnel has to maintain the amount of legal tender that is "floating" around the US at any given time. To many $1 bills out there will lower the value of those $'s. It is a game of getting old ones off the street as new ones go out. Also, as times change, there is less need for actual paper currency. With debit cards, and every place under the sun pretty much accepting them, there is less need for cash.

The best explanation is like the ripples in the water(the butterfly effect would also be appropriate). If you drop a small stone into the lake, the ripples it makes has some effect on the lake as a whole. If you were to take $100 in singles, tear them up, and throw them away, it would have an effect on the economy, value of money, and inflation.

I know it seems small, but things add up. If everyone in this country were to burn a $1 bill on the same day, $300 million dollars would be removed from circulation at one time. This would effect a lot of things economically.

Answer 2

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.

Answer 3

That is not against the law. ONly if you try to disguise the money as a higher amount is it considered a crime.

Answer 4

It is illegal to deface US currency, but no one ever upholds this code.
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/casecode/uscodes/18/parts/i/chapters/17/sections/section_333.html
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/casecode/uscodes/18/parts/i/chapters/17/sections/section_331.html