CITE

    18 USC Sec. 474A                                            01/08/2008

EXPCITE

    TITLE 18 - CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
    PART I - CRIMES
    CHAPTER 25 - COUNTERFEITING AND FORGERY

HEAD

    Sec. 474A. Deterrents to counterfeiting of obligations and
      securities

STATUTE

      (a) Whoever has in his control or possession, after a distinctive
    paper has been adopted by the Secretary of the Treasury for the
    obligations and other securities of the United States, any similar
    paper adapted to the making of any such obligation or other
    security, except under the authority of the Secretary of the
    Treasury, is guilty of a class B felony.
      (b) Whoever has in his control or possession, after a distinctive
    counterfeit deterrent has been adopted by the Secretary of the
    Treasury for the obligations and other securities of the United
    States by publication in the Federal Register, any essentially
    identical feature or device adapted to the making of any such
    obligation or security, except under the authority of the Secretary
    of the Treasury, is guilty of a class B felony.
      (c) As used in this section -
        (1) the term "distinctive paper" includes any distinctive
      medium of which currency is made, whether of wood pulp, rag,
      plastic substrate, or other natural or artificial fibers or
      materials; and
        (2) the term "distinctive counterfeit deterrent" includes any
      ink, watermark, seal, security thread, optically variable device,
      or other feature or device;
          (A) in which the United States has an exclusive property
        interest; or
          (B) which is not otherwise in commercial use or in the public
        domain and which the Secretary designates as being necessary in
        preventing the counterfeiting of obligations or other
        securities of the United States.

SOURCE

    (Added Pub. L. 102-550, title XV, Sec. 1553(a), Oct. 28, 1992, 106
    Stat. 4070; amended Pub. L. 104-208, div. A, title I, Sec. 101(f)
    [title VI, Sec. 648(a)], title II, Sec. 2603(a), Sept. 30, 1996,
    110 Stat. 3009-314, 3009-367, 3009-470.)

AMENDMENTS

      1996 - Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 104-208, Secs. 101(f) [title
    VI, Sec. 648(a)] and 2603(a), amended section identically,
    substituting "class B felony" for "class C felony".
                     EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1996 AMENDMENT
      Amendment by Pub. L. 104-208 effective Sept. 30, 1996, and to
    remain in effect for each fiscal year following Sept. 30, 1996, see
    section 101(f) [title VI, Sec. 648(c)] of Pub. L. 104-208, set out
    as a note under section 474 of this title.