18 USC § 473 - Dealing in counterfeit obligations or securities

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s473"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 473 - Dealing in counterfeit obligations or securities"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "473"
section_name: "Dealing in counterfeit obligations or securities"
chapter_number: 25
chapter_name: "COUNTERFEITING AND FORGERY"
part_number: "I"
part_name: "CRIMES"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 705; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 107–56, title III, § 374(d), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 340.)"
---


# § 473. Dealing in counterfeit obligations or securities

Whoever buys, sells, exchanges, transfers, receives, or delivers any false, forged, counterfeited, or altered obligation or other security of the United States, with the intent that the same be passed, published, or used as true and genuine, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.

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**Source Credit**: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 705; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 107–56, title III, § 374(d), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 340.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 268 (, ).

Reference to circulating notes of banking associations was omitted as covered by definition of obligation or other security in .

Changes in phraseology were made.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2001— substituted “20 years” for “ten years”.

1994— substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.