There was a dollar in our rodeo change that was marked www.wheresgeorge.com. I didn't get a chance to see where it had been before I found out what wheresgeorge.com is. So, out of curiosity I registered and marked a few bills to see where they end up.
I've always heard it is a crime to deface currency, but then again I hear a lot of crap. Since I can, I checked it out on LexisNexis. According to 18 USCS § 333 writing on a dollar is okay. You're only in trouble if you do the kind of damage that would make the bill unfit for circulation.
The text of the statute:
Whoever mutilates, cuts, defaces, disfigures, or perforates, or units 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.
The related case law involves a guy who split the bill in two parts (face and reverse) in an attempt to defraud.
It seems writing is okay, provided you don't intend to defraud.
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