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Von NotHaus, 64, says he once was friends with psychedelic drug proponent Timothy Leary. But he's best known on the radical right for creating "American Liberty currency" certificates in denominations of $1, $5 and $10, starting in 1998. The certificates were backed by stocks of silver and gold stored in Idaho, von NotHaus said. The currency has been popular with extreme-right tax protesters and members of the radical "sovereign citizens" movement, who maintain that the federal government has no right to tax or otherwise regulate them, as well as those who believe that the Federal Reserve, America's central bank, is run by a private body for personal profit.
In 2007, federal agents raided the company's Evansville, Ind., headquarters, and seized two tons of copper coins featuring Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul and 500 pounds of silver from a Liberty Dollars warehouse. The raids followed the U.S. Mint's issuance of a public warning to consumers and businesses that using Liberty Dollars in lieu of U.S. currency was a crime.
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I'm not any of those anti-establishment types you list in your article.
ReplyDeleteThe word "salary" comes from the word "salt" and, at one time, salt was the unit of currency; hense, the expression "not worth his salt."
Any two individuals should be allowed to exchange items for whatever they agree to use.
The US Constitution says that gold and silver should be currency.
I happen to agree and, since the US is no longer issuing gold or silver coins, I am within my rights to use them - from whatever the source.
BTW, the Ron Paul Liberty Dollar went from its initial issue price of 20 FRN's up to over 100 FRN's due to the seizure of mine - and others - silver that was stored in Idaho.
It would now be ridiculous to spend it for the face value.