18 USC § 477 - Possessing or selling impressions of tools used for obligations or securities

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s477"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 477 - Possessing or selling impressions of tools used for obligations or securities"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "477"
section_name: "Possessing or selling impressions of tools used for 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. 707; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 107–56, title III, § 374(g), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 341.)"
---


# § 477. Possessing or selling impressions of tools used for obligations or securities

section 476 of this title

Whoever, with intent to defraud, possesses, keeps, safeguards, or controls, without authority from the United States, any imprint, stamp, analog, digital, or electronic image, or impression, taken or made upon any substance or material whatsoever, of any tool, implement, instrument or thing, used, fitted or intended to be used, for any of the purposes mentioned in ; or

Whoever, with intent to defraud, sells, gives, or delivers any such imprint, stamp, analog, digital, or electronic image, or impression to any other person—

Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 25 years, or both.

---

**Source Credit**: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 707; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 107–56, title III, § 374(g), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 341.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 267 (, ).

Changes in phraseology were made.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2001— inserted “analog, digital, or electronic image,” after “imprint, stamp,” in first and second pars. and substituted “25 years” for “ten years” in third par.

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