Is it illegal to burn money, melt down coins or deface notes in the UK?
IN a cost of living crisis it seems strange to think anyone would want to burn money, but if you did, it might get you into a bit of trouble.
Here's what the law really says on destroying money.
Is it illegal to burn money in the UK?
It is not illegal to deliberately destroy a banknote.
However, under the Currency and Banknotes Act 1928, it is an offence to deface a banknote by printing, stamping or writing on it.
This is because a defaced banknote could be flagged as forged or counterfeit.
Although our UK polymer notes are difficult to destroy.
The same applies for coins, and the 1971 Coinage Act states: "No person shall, except under the authority of a licence granted by the Treasury, melt down or break up any metal coin."
Is it illegal in other countries?
Burning money is illegal in the US, as it’s against the law to do anything renders a note unfit, including destroying it.
Canada has the same law as us, it is legal to burn or destroy paper currency, but against the law to deface or melt down a coin.
In Australia, the 1981 Crimes (Currency) act prohibits any damage or destruction to Australian money – so it’s illegal to even write one word on a banknote.
Why would anyone even want to burn money?
For most of us the thought to burning money is ludicrous.
But some people see it as a demonstration against taxation or as a form of art – symbolising that the value of the paper note is intrinsically worthless.
For example, at an Occupy Wall Street protest in 2011, a man was filmed burning money in front of police officers to protest against capitalism.
Other see it as an act of tradition and an initiation into the elite.
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